Proton Savvy

It's the latest Proton, Savvy?

What's New
After the Gen.2, it's the Malaysian carmaker's second car built from the ground up. Almost. Unlike the larger hatchback, the Savvy pairs a drivetrain sourced from Renault along with a chassis that's benefited from a healthy dose of Lotus know-how.
To convey the message that the Savvy is a car aimed at driving enthusiasts, Proton has seen fit to style the car aggressively with go-faster touches like a centrally-mounted exhaust pipe and pseudo wedge profile courtesy of a kink along the car's beltline.

The front is a collection of angular shapes, which, according to Proton, is inspired by stealth fighter jets and designer stilettos. Whether it works or not, we're grateful that the Savvy is a big departure from the model it replaces, the Tiara that was based in the Citroën AX and with good reason, was never offered in Singapore.

How it Performs
It doesn't take long to realise that the Savvy isn't all bark once you're behind the wheel. It's 1.2-litre power unit might not offer much in the way of outright grunt, but paired with the optional five-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT), it creates enough of a buzz to put a smile on any driver's face.

Essentially a manual gearbox with a robotised clutch, the AMT offers the convenience of a conventional automatic without the performance sapping penalties that an attendant torque converter might rob from the diminutive 74bhp powerplant.

As with other cars with similar gearboxes, a slight change in driving style is recommended if smooth progress is desired. Keener drivers however can use the AMT as a sequential manual to make the most of the engine's available power. That said, adapting to the Savvy's characteristics is a lot easier than other more expensive models with similar transmission systems.

Show it your favourite twisty road and the Proton's grippy chassis will surprise with how much speed you can carry into a corner. On relatively skinny 185 section tyres, the Savvy rewards steering inputs with lots of feel and progression so the driver is always informed of how much grip is available.

As the Savvy measures a little over 3.7 metres from end to end, it wouldn't be reasonable to expect it to offer family car-like levels of comfort and refinement. Instead, it would be best (and rightly) thought of as a no frills supermini that does exactly what is says on the tin.

How it Stacks Up
In the business of journalism, there's one word that we must avoid at all costs, cheap. With the Proton Savvy listing for $36,800 with COE, it couldn't be anything but. I will however, pair it with another word that puts everything into perspective, cheerful.

It might be very basic inside with the interior panels filled with hard plastics, and the lack of safety equipment like an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and airbags can't be ignored, but the Savvy's ultra-competitive pricing goes a long way to smooth over these glitches as the alternatives, such as the Kia Picanto and Perodua Kelisa can't match the Proton's dynamic flair.

The baby boomers might have been weaned on cars like the original Mini to get their early driving kicks. Today's generation of new drivers might do well to get theirs from the Proton Savvy.

Technical Specifications

MODEL Proton Savvy 1.2 AMT ENGINE Engine: 1,149cc 16v in-line four Max Power: 74bhp at 5,500rpm Max Torque: 105Nm at 3,750rpm TRANSMISSION 5-speed semi-automatic TOP SPEED 170 kmh 0-100km/h 14.4s