Here my thought about Proton Savvy..........
The Proton Savvy is a particularly rare sight on UK roads. It's a small hatchback model made by the company that owns Lotus but the driving experience is some way off what most models in this segment offer. The handling is the best thing about the Savvy but the gearbox, ride and interior quality are all well below par. Although it may be cheap to buy and come well-equipped, the Savvy will lose quite a lot of value when you come to sell it on.
The Proton Savvy is a particularly rare sight on UK roads. It's a small hatchback model made by the company that owns Lotus but the driving experience is some way off what most models in this segment offer. The handling is the best thing about the Savvy but the gearbox, ride and interior quality are all well below par. Although it may be cheap to buy and come well-equipped, the Savvy will lose quite a lot of value when you come to sell it on.
Styling
The
Savvy appears distinctive, even if it's odd from some angles; the front
is stylish but the rear is old-fashioned. Five-door only, in just one
trim level, Street, the Savvy comes as standard with flared wheelarches,
a centrally-mounted chrome exhaust, 15-inch alloys and a rear spoiler.
You won't see many on the road either, so exclusivity will be
guaranteed. Inside feels low budget with a vast expanse of grey plastic
and flimsy glovebox. At least there's a bespoke radio with simple
controls and a display screen.
Driving
The
Savvy gets off to a bad start by having one of the worst gearboxes
we've ever tried. The shift is notchy and inaccurate, while an overly
springy clutch pedal compounds the problem. This is a shame, because the
1.2-litre Renault-sourced engine supplies decent in-gear performance,
though becomes strained above 4,500rpm and takes on a nasty resonance at
5,500rpm. With soft suspension, it rides well for most of the time but
be warned that the damping doesn't cope with bumps, and nasty shocks
come up into the cabin. On the plus side, the steering is responsive and
offers plenty of feedback.
Reliability
Proton
offers the Savvy with a 60,000-mile, three-year warranty so buyers are
offered peace of mind. Reliability shouldn't prove to be too much of an
issue anyway, as no major faults have occurred on the Savvy. Euro NCAP
hasn't put this model through the crash safety test just yet but it only
comes fitted with two airbags.
Practicality
Rear
legroom is better than in city cars such as, say, the Toyota Aygo, and
the cabin feel pleasingly spacious. The driving position is good, too;
the three-spoke sports steering wheel is well placed and a decent size,
but it lacks any form of adjustment, while the materials around it are
very cheap. And there is the main problem with the Proton; build and
material quality are simply not up to class standards, and you don't
have to look far to find flimsy fittings and slack switchgear. There is a
deep and spacious 207-litre boot included.
Running Costs
As
with most small cars the Savvy will prove to be cheap to run. Fuel
economy stands at 49.6mpg, which should ensure trips to the petrol
station aren't a regular occurrence and CO2 emissions stand at 134g/km.
Insurance and servicing costs will both be low but residual values could
prove to be a problem.
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