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Proton’s Jumbuck took over where Subaru’s Brumby left off.
The small Brumby 4x4 ute departed the local market in 1994 and Proton’s similarly-sized, similarly-styled but FWD-only Jumbuck arrived in 2002.
Popular with rural buyers as well as small business operators in urban areas it remained on sale locally until 2013 and well maintained examples are much sought after.
Check out real-world situations relating to the Proton Jumbuck here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.
Sadly, the Jumbuck has gone the same way as the Subaru Brumby — the world now wants bigger utes. In any case, the Jumbuck was based on the old Mitsubishi Lancer, which meant it was barely safe, and Proton has insufficient funds to develop a new model.
The Jumbuck only got a two-star safety rating from ANCAP and the Mighty Boy was regularly rated in the bottom 10 cars sold in Australia for safety. You should not consider either but get something like a pre-loved Nissan Navara.
The short answer is no-one. Subaru was first with a half-tonne ute in its Brumby, which I owned and loved. But it has no plans for a replacement and neither does Proton, as all utes are now one-tonne and bigger. Hyundai revealed a ute based on the ix35 compact SUV at Detroit, but any production version is still a couple of years away.
The issues you are concerned about are not ones I would expect would make a carmaker want to buy the car back, but they are certainly things that need to be fixed under warranty and you must make sure they are fixed. That they don't seem to care about you and aren't responsive to your requests are issues you need to take up directly with the dealer. I would suggest you make an appointment to meet the dealer principal to discuss your problems. Attempt to get from him/her an agreement they will repair the car as they must do and work out a timetable of when it might happen. Although you are clearly frustrated, and you are probably right to be so, it hasn't in my view gone far enough to consult lawyers. That would be the final step.
The price range for the Proton Jumbuck varies based on the trim level you choose. Starting at $6,050 and going to $9,680 for the latest year the model was manufactured. The model range is available in the following body types starting from the engine/transmission specs shown below.
| Year | Body Type | Specs | Price from | Price to | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Ute | 1.5L, —, 5 SP MAN | $6,050 | $9,680 | |
| 2012 | Ute | 1.5L, ULP, 5 SP MAN | $5,720 | $9,130 | |
| 2011 | Ute | 1.5L, ULP, 5 SP MAN | $4,840 | $8,140 | |
| 2010 | Ute | 1.5L, ULP, 5 SP MAN | $4,620 | $7,810 | |
| 2009 | Ute | 1.5L, ULP, 5 SP MAN | $4,400 | $7,370 | |
The Proton Jumbuck has maximum towing capacity of 1000kg for the latest model available.
| Year | Body Type | Braked Capacity from | Braked Capacity to | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Ute | 1000kg | 1000kg | |
| 2012 | Ute | 1000kg | 1000kg | |
| 2011 | Ute | 1000kg | 1000kg | |
| 2010 | Ute | 1000kg | 1000kg | |
| 2009 | Ute | 1000kg | 1000kg | |
The Proton Jumbuck has a number of different wheel and tyre options. When it comes to tyres, these range from 175x70 R14 for Ute in 2013 with a wheel size that spans from 14x5.5 inches.
| Year | Body Type | Front Tyre Size | Front Rim | Rear Tyre Size | Rear Rim | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Ute | 175x70 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x70 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 2012 | Ute | 175x70 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x70 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 2011 | Ute | 175x70 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x70 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 2010 | Ute | 175x70 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x70 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 2009 | Ute | 175x70 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x70 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
The dimensions of the Proton Jumbuck Ute vary according to year of manufacture and spec level.
| Year | Body Type | Height x Width x Length | Ground Clearance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Ute | 1420x1690x4455 mm | 170 mm | |
| 2012 | Ute | 1420x1690x4455 mm | 170 mm | |
| 2011 | Ute | 1420x1690x4455 mm | 170 mm | |
| 2010 | Ute | 1420x1690x4455 mm | 170 mm | |
| 2009 | Ute | 1420x1690x4455 mm | 170 mm | |
The Proton Jumbuck is available in a number of variants and body types that are powered by — and ULP fuel type(s). It has an estimated fuel consumption starting from 7.1L/100km for Ute /— for the latest year the model was manufactured.
| Year | Body Type | Fuel Consumption* | Engine | Fuel Type | Transmission | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Ute | 7.1L/100km | 1.5L | — | 5 SP MAN | |
| 2012 | Ute | 7.1L/100km | 1.5L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 2011 | Ute | 7.1L/100km | 1.5L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 2010 | Ute | 7.1L/100km | 1.5L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 2009 | Ute | 7.1L/100km | 1.5L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
