The Verdict: There's still room for improvement

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

SPECIFICATIONS

Model: Proton Gen-2 Persona automatic

Price: £11,595

Engine: 1.6-litre four cylinder petrol

Power: 110bhp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 109lb/ft at 4,000rpm

Performance: 115mph, 0-60 mph in 14.3 seconds, 42.1 mpg, CO2: 160 g/km

Worth considering: Kia Rio, Kia Cee'd, Chevrolet Lacetti

This week, our reader-testers sample Proton's latest offering, the Persona, a new version of the Malaysian manufacturer's Gen-2 model. When we first tested the Gen-2 a couple of years ago, we found it to be a bit of a mixed bag. Its main plus points were its fresh styling and pleasant driving, the latter undoubtedly owing something to the involvement of the British sports-car manufacturer Lotus, owned by Proton.

Against that, the Gen-2's interior fell short of the standards set by European and Japanese models. Not only did it display a few rough edges, but there were some unfortunate colour schemes as well: beiges, for example.

But instead of giving the Gen-2 the boot, Proton decided to give it a boot – a very big one as well – by producing the four-door saloon version tested here. I'm sure this will secure some sales that could not have been achieved by the hatchback, which continues to be available, but there have been some other changes as well, aimed mainly at addressing the previous grumbles about the Gen-2's cabin.

Where once there was beige, Euro-style blacks and greys now dominate. The seats have velour covers rather than simple cloth, and I noticed that the roof-lining in particular is much better than the roughly textured item fitted to the original Gen-2. Proton also seems to have done some work on sound insulation and those little details – such as the door-closing "thunk" – that are so important.

Our test car had the optional automatic transmission; while this performs quite satisfactorily, I'd probably go for the manual in order to enjoy more of the subjective liveliness that is one of the Gen-2's appealing aspects. Unfortunately, there is still no diesel option.

The Gen-2 is much improved, but the other Asian budget brands have raised their standards, too. In particular, since we first tried the original Gen-2, Kia and Hyundai have introduced their excellent Cee'd and i30 models, although the Gen-2 is still cheaper than these formidable newcomers.

THE VERDICT

Alan McGee, 42

Race engine builder, Rugby, Warwickshire

Usual cars: Mondeo Zetec TDCI and Alfas

I was rather apprehensive about driving the Proton, as I remembered it as a bargain basement product using yesterday's technology. However, when the car arrived it was a pleasant surprise, as it looked fairly conventional. The car was well finished with air conditioning, alloys, CD player and so on – not bad, considering the price. It was fairly quiet and handled reasonably well, although it was harsh when driven hard. As the car was an automatic it felt sluggish in slow-moving traffic.

It's not my type of car, but I could see it as a family run-around, with enough room for the kids in the rear and quite a large boot. It was easy to drive with good visibility. The good warranty package and relatively low purchase cost make it a good alternative to its rivals.

Richard Wilkins, 43

IT consultant from Cheltenham

Usual car: Skoda Octavia

I was surprised to see that, rather than being painted one of the metallic colours that are so popular these days, the test car was solid red – like Michael Schumacher's old Formula 1 Ferrari! I was soon brought back to reality as I moved off slowly, with a great thud as the automatic door locking came into operation. The car was easy to drive around town as well as on the local hills, and was very quiet. The controls were simple and well laid out. I think the seats were a bit harder than I'm used to – as soon as I sat back in my Octavia it felt like sitting in a padded armchair – and this might be a problem on longer journeys. Overall, not a bad car or drive.

John Lambert, 31

IT support worker, Warwick

Usual car Citroën BX

The Proton Persona is not an exciting car, which is probably less important than the fact that it is not a bad car. It is not a fast car but it is reasonably refined. The interior is quite smart, and the Lotus-like heater controls look good, but adjustments are really best made at a standstill – at least until you know which dial does what. A more absorbent ride might better suit the sort of people who buy Protons, but it is much better than the under-damped Protons of old. Choosing a Persona will get you a well-finished, spacious and smart-looking car at a surprisingly low price. About the only serious flaw is the way it is easy to extinguish the lights by mistake when using the indicators at night.

If you would like to take part in The Verdict, email verdict@independent.co.uk or write to The Verdict, Save & Spend, Independent House, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS, giving your address, phone number and details of the car, if any, you drive. For most cars, participants must be over 26 and have a clean licence.