2010 Proton Jumbuck Reviews

But that's exactly what Malaysian carmaker Proton is doing with the Gen 2.A four-door with a hatchback, the Gen 2 has been built with the help of Lotus Design Studio in the UK – owned by Proton – which gives it some styling and performance kudos.Proton is marketing the Gen 2 with the slogan "a new generation begins".This model is crucial to Proton's transition from a manufacturer using parts from other marques, such as Mitsubishi, to a stand-alone company.It also heralds the rebirth of Proton as a player in Australia, where it hopes to build to a yearly sales base of 5000.It plans to do this through a revitalised dealer network and a range of new models.As a first attempt, the Gen 2 is pretty good.The interior looks very stylish in the brochures.But slip into the real thing and the amount of plastic and faux aluminium threatens to overpower the clean, minimalist, sporting design.For example, the butch-looking ring on the steering wheel is a piece of moulded plastic posing as brushed aluminium.What looks like the hilt of Excalibur's broadsword is the handbrake lever.The interior is roomy and I liked the high position of the driver's seat with its excellent lumbar support.The boot is also very roomy and one or both of the rear seats can fold down for longer items.The 1.6-litre, DOHC, 16-valve engine fires up readily but you need 2000rpm on the tacho to take off smoothly.Proton claims peak power of 82kW and torque of 148Nm.Maximum power arrives at 6000rpm and torque at 4000rpm.Below 3000rpm the motor is sluggish.Turn on the airconditioner and you have to drop two gears from top to overtake cleanly on the freeway.The Gen 2 redeemed itself on my favourite set of corners in the Hills.The rain-slick road was empty and it coiled tantalisingly up through a small valley of trees.Changing up at 5500rpm in the lower gears of the five-speed gearbox (the engine revs out to around 7000rpm), I made brisk and exhilarating progress.The revs never dropped below 4000rpm, indicating a reasonably close-ratio gearbox.The Lotus-designed suspension kept the Gen 2 pinned to the greasy surface with no bodyroll.It tracked surprisingly well around the corners with very predictable feedback through the power steering.Even on a couple of switchback, uphill hairpins, there was no scrabbling for grip from the front-wheel drive.I reckon the Gen 2 would give its more fancied rivals a real shock in the handling stakes.The question is, how many owners are going to drive the car in this manner? There are quite a few young hotrodders out there looking for a nimble hatchback but the typical buyer of cars like the Gen 2 are commuters, not funseekers.Perhaps a simple remapping of the engine management would bring more usable power and torque lower back down the rev range.Around town, the Gen 2 is easy to manoeuvre, with good all-round vision, slick gearchange and light clutch action.The large marker on the speedo at the 50km/h calibration is a useful speed reminder.Out on the freeway at the legal limit there is too much wind noise from the window seals.Change down to keep the speed up and the engine is loud and harsh compared with many of its rivals in this price bracket.On rough roads, the test car exhibited some vibratory-type rattles.Turning at slow speed in a multi-storey carpark revealed an occasional clicking sound from the front of the car.However, it should be stressed that the Gen 2 on test was a fleet launch car nearing the end of a rugged test cycle.Production cars should be better.One area the Gen 2 received constant praise in was its appearance.A worker at a drive-in bottleshop thought it was an Alfa Romeo.I liked the swooping lines, aggressive-looking headlights and cleanly-cut rear but thought the wheels looked too small for the body size.Priced from $17,990 and optioned up to $22,990, Proton's Gen 2 is a brave attempt to take on the predators in the shark pool of compact cars.

The Satria GTi was a good-looking, hot-to-trot little unit that talked the talk, but more importantly, walked the walk.Even the basic, garden-variety Satria had the looks and the value to make it an attractive option for young buyers.Build quality was a bit of an issue but the fun factor was high enough to put those concerns on the back burner.Since then Proton has had a couple of strikes. First with the Waja – an overpriced, under-performing sedan that was roundly shunned by the market – and the Jumbuck, a well-conceived small and affordable ute, which unfortunately was well down the scale for build quality.Enter the Gen.2, a small hatch with the mission of taking Proton into the realms of Hyundai and Kia as reliable, affordable small transport.With plenty of development input from Lotus, which is owned by Proton, it is no surprise that the Gen.2 is, dynamically, a compliant and composed little car.Body stiffness is reassuring and handling sure-footed with a comfortable ride quality – something of a surprise because anything wearing a Lotus badge, while it sticks like glue, usually requires a kidney belt as an accessory.A little disappointing was the steering, which can feel quite woolly, particularly at lower speeds.The 82kW 1.6-litre Campro engine – a Proton in-house development – is a lively unit when revved up towards the limit.Cruising, it feels sadly under-powered with little low-end pick-up. It also gets fairly coarse when at the business end of performance.The five-speed manual on the test car was light and easy to use without any particular precision to the gates. The ratios and the need to keep the revs high for any sort of urge meant plenty of changes.The exterior design is a clean-sheet effort from Proton's own people and while it shows some obvious "influenced by" cues (the Mercedes CLK tail-lights for one), the result is pleasing to the eye.That clean and fresh appearance carries over to the interior of the car, where the dash is stylish and individual.Materials are comparable with others in the same class but fit and finish is disappointing.Again, the badge is being let down by poor quality assurance on the build line.In the test car the electric windows did not work and the adjustment unit in the centre console came away in the hand.Close inspection of much of the fit and fitment for the trim showed evidence of either haste or poor practice.Rear leg space is adequate but headroom is restricted by the slope of the roof. The seats front and back are comfortable without being particularly supportive. Bolstering is moderate at best.The Gen.2, which comes in three specification levels, offers airconditioning, power steering and mirrors, driver and passenger airbags, seat-belt pretensioners, disc brakes, central locking, remote keyless entry, a CD player and a trip computer as standard on the base model.The M-Line, as tested, adds ABS brakes, alloys and cruise control on the auto.An extra $1490 will get you the H-Line trim with side airbags, climate-control airconditioning, an electronic reversing sensor, front and rear fog lights, a rear spoiler and a mobile phone holder.There is no doubt that the Gen.2 is a huge step forward in both value and package over the Waja.But there is certainly no time for the company to relax yet.It still trails its obvious rivals Toyota, Hyundai and Kia in key areas, particularly with build quality.

Though it has moved on from borrowing engines and bodies from other companies, Proton sought help from Lotus (which it owns) to develop the small five-door Gen2 hatch and its new Campro engine.The 1.6-litre engine has a modest 82kW and 142Nm, considerably less than rival Toyota Corolla's 100kW and 171Nm.The Gen2 will take on Corolla, Holden Astra Classic and Nissan Pulsar and have a starting price of $17,990."We are a young company, but we are daring enough to build our own engine," Campro chief engineer Azari Che-Hassam says.A five-speed manual gearbox is standard with the Gen2. A four-speed automatic transmission is available for an extra $2000.Lotus also helped develop the suspension and steering for the Gen2, the first car from Proton's new Tanjung Malim factory.Engineers set out to give the Gen2 the best handling in its class, and a pleasant ride. The car's rigid body makes this possible.It will be offered in three trim levels, starting with the L-line at $17,990. It has airconditioning, power steering, front airbags for the driver and passenger, four-wheel disc brakes, keyless entry, CD sound and trip computer.The $19,500 M-line model adds anti-skid brakes and alloy wheels. Automatic models have cruise control.Spending $20,990 for the H-line adds side airbags, climate control airconditioning, rear parking sensors, fog lights and rear spoiler.Proton says the Gen2 was designed to reflect its sporty handling characteristics."We wanted to give it the face of a tiger, make it look very strong," Proton design boss Zafruddin Shamsuddin says.He says the Gen2 won't appeal to all buyers, but will catch the attention of those who want something sporty and sexy."Essentially, we set out to break the tradition of building one safe design for everyone," Shamsuddin says.ON THE ROADTHE Gen2 shows how fast Proton is growing. It also reveals it has some way to go to take on Japan and Europe.Let's start with the positives, and there are plenty.The Gen2 has a rigid body and has excellent handling characteristics.Punting it along a winding road down into Port Macquarie at last week's launch showed what a fantastic job Proton and Lotus engineers have done setting up this car.It is almost impossible to get it to misbehave. You can easily put it through corners at speeds that would make a Corolla buck and squeal, while the steering is solid and gives good feedback.The other positive is the comfortable ride, with the suspension absorbing many of the bumps without fuss.It's amazing that Lotus can help produce a pleasant ride when it's own car (Elise sportscar) can jolt out fillings at the first sign of a bump.Interior space is good, though rear headroom is not the best in its class. While some of the plastics could be better, the interior is the best to come from Proton.Stereo controls are trendy rather than easy to use, but the heating controls are big and practical.The body looks well constructed and the paint quality, which includes cool colours such as orange-bronze and purple, is excellent.So what's wrong with the new Malaysian model?Proton says the Campro engine was designed for commuting in cities such as Kuala Lumpur where motorists are happy with small engines and don't mind revving them.To put it simply, the Gen2 doesn't have enough grunt. You notice it a bit around town, but when you try to overtake or pull up a long haul the engine is lacking.It gets worse when the airconditioning is pumping.Proton is working on a Campro engine with variable-valve timing that gives it a meatier feel and improves performance.It will be offered in a premium Gen2 model next year, but should really be in the base car.And in April Proton will introduce an R3 performance model with exhaust modifications that will lift power slightly.With excellent handling, it's clear the Gen2 can handle more go.

The car has been a long time in gestation but is a critical model for the Malaysian manufacturer as it moves away from using redundant designs from Mitsubishi for which it paid handsome royalties. The Gen.2 is just about all Proton in terms of body and powertrain. Only the optional four speed automatic transmission is from Mitsubishi.Gen.2 also marks the appearance of Proton's first in-house engine, the Campro 1.6-litre four cylinder. It is the advance guard for a range of new engines designed and built by Proton with considerable input by Proton-owned Lotus.Gen.2 itself heralds a complete range of new Proton models due for production in the next 18 months built on four different platforms. Most will come to Australia and the lineup includes a city car with a 1.2-litre engine, a new Satria and a revised Waja.Proton Australia also disclosed at the Gen.2 launch that it has taken control of national Lotus distribution.The Gen.2 comes out of a brand new, highly automated factory at Proton City near Kuala Lumpur.The plant features a raft of high tech facilities including a water-borne paint shop and the largest body press in south east Asia which is capable of stamping the whole side of a car body in one pass.Gen.2 will be sold here in three grades, L, M and H ranging in price from $17,990 through to $20,990. The base model car lacks nothing in feature terms except alloy wheels and ABS.Proton will focus on its high standard equipment levels in Gen.2 marketing, the main thrust of which is at young females.The all alloy Campro engine is a low emission unit with twin cams and 16 valves. It has been designed for smooth economical running and delivers 82kw/148Nm output. Variable valve timing with 100kW makes an appearance early next year.A five speed manual or optional four speed auto transmission is used.Weight is around 1200kg but the Gen.2 benefits from Lotus input in terms of ride and handling.Both are impressive in a car such as this which is comfortable and controlled over most roads.What makes Gen.2 stand out from the crowd is its styling – a super effort from the Malaysians and Lotus. The body has elements from Europe and Japan and does the trick in terms of "wow factor". Proton offers Gen.2 in a range of fairly staid colours except for a strident sky blue mica and a mica orange.Inside is just as good as the outside and owes nothing to any other style currently in vogue. It is refreshingly different albeit without a glove box, and comes in a two tone beige instead of boring old grey.The drive experience is not bad for what is essentially an economy model. It won't rock your socks off for pace but gets going if needed. The seats lack some lateral support cornering hard but plenty of room is available inside for five and the boot is large.A disappointing space saver spare lives under the boot floor.Petrol requirement is premium unleaded but we tried it on regular which made no difference. Fuel tank capacity is 50 litres giving the Gen.2 a good range especially with about 6.5l/100km economy easy to achieve.Proton is currently rebuilding its dealer network after some flew the coop in the past couple of years due in part to Proton's direct marketing activities and little in the way of new models.The Gen.2 could spark renewed interest in the Malaysian brand which has a reputation for reliability and good value for money in this country.It certainly deserves a look.

The baby-car world was dominated by a single star through the 1990s.The Hyundai Excel was the benchmark for every rival – on price, style and sales – until the death of the Korean king led to a fundamental shift in the noughties.Now the lightweight division is split down the middle and there are two separate contests: one powered by price, the other by class. In the price group are people buying their first new car, usually on a tight budget with less emphasis on features, and the class group wants a compact car for city work or as a second vehicle in the family garage.The bargain-basement contenders are battling in the sub-$15,000 range, just as they did when the Excel was the pacemaker, while the starting price for seriously good babies is close to $17,000 and can run to well beyond $20,000.Toyota changed the game last year when it decided to lob its baby Echo with a sub-$15,000 bottom line including power steering and airconditioning.Although the price has crept up to $14,790, it is still the sales leader. In the first quarter of this year Echo grabbed more than 20 per cent of light-car sales, reflecting the strength of the Toyota brand...despite the design being five years old.Hyundai is still playing the price game with the boxy little Getz. It's second to the Echo in the price fight and leading the Korean contenders against a line-up which includes a broad range of imports, including the Holden-badged but Opel-designed Barina.At the top end of the business, the Japanese really are on top. The classy Mazda2 and Honda Jazz set the standard for shoppers with plenty of cash to splash, even if Ford has arrived – far too late after the loss of its top-selling Korean-made Festiva – with a European Fiesta which is the light star of 2004.The $14,490 starting price for the Fiesta is going to create plenty of action in Ford showrooms, because the blue-oval baby is a good drive and well designed. But buyers will still have to add $2000 for airconditioning – a crippling extra in such a price-sensitive arena.But that's typical of the light-car class.There is always something new, always a price leader and a class champion, and they're all elbowing for space in a bargain basement that introduces many people to their first new car.This is how the Cars Guide team rates them:1. MAZDA2Lowdown: Five-door hatch with 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 82kW and priced from $17,490.Verdict: Another direct hit by MazdaPlus: Quality and comfortMinus: Pricey for the sizeRating: 18/20The baby Mazda is one of the stars of the Japanese company's product-driven comeback.Mazda battled through the 1990s with outdated and cost-down cars that were a poor reflection of the brand's traditional strengths, but when it got serious – with Ford funding – it cranked out the classy Mazda6, RX-8 and Mazda3.The smallest of the crop is the Mazda2, but it has the condensed strengths from the same design team and gene pool.That means it looks good, drives well and is built to class-leader quality.2. HONDA JAZZLowdown: Five-door hatch with 1.3-litre (61kW) or 1.5-litre (81kW) four-cylinder engine, priced from $15,990Verdict: Stylish and practical but harsh ridePlus: Good looks, versatile cabinMinus: Bouncy rideRating: 17/20The Jazz outsold the Mazda2 by 1280 in the first four months of 2004, and that comes down to price and funky looks.It's really a 21st-century Civic, as compact as the original and just as trendy for young buyers.Honda was smart to start with a 1.3-litre motor below $16,000, but doesn't scrimp on the cabin. It's comfortable for four and the seats fold to carry almost any load.People who want the best go straight to the punchy VTi-S with all the fruit for $22,490.3. FORD FIESTALowdown: Three-door and five-door hatch powered by a 74kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, from $14,490Verdict: Perky and enjoyablePlus: Goes well, roomy insideMinus: Cheap-ish plastics, finishRating: 16/20Ford went backwards with the Ka, which didn't have the space or automatic to compete, but it now has the right sales ingredients.The Fiesta is a star in Europe and way better than the long-dead Festiva, a Korean version of the previous Mazda 121.It drives well, has plenty of space and is good value, thanks partly to the strength of the Australian dollar.The Fiesta just edges the Toyota Echo and the Hyundai Getz out of the final medal spot in the light-car class.HYUNDAI GETZ 16/20Price: From $13,490Engines: 1.3-litre (60kW) and 1.5-litre (74kW)Body styles: Three-door hatch and five-door hatchNot an Excel, but still packed with Hyundai strengths.TOYOTA ECHO 16/20Price: From $14,740Engines: 1.3-litre (63kW) and 1.5-litre (80kW)Body styles: Three-door hatch and five-door sedan.Shows age inside, but Toyota has done well to keep the price sharp.HOLDEN BARINA 16/20Price: From $15,990Engines: 1.4-litre (66kW) and 1.8-litre (92kW)Body styles: Three-door and five-doorLooks good and drives well, with bonus deal adding appeal. CITROEN C3 14/20Price: From $19,990Engines: 1.4-litre (57kW) and 1.6-litre (83kW)Body styles: Five-door hatchOne of the funkiest babies on sale in Australia. The engine is dozy and there are some quality niggles.RENAULT CLIO 14/20Price: From $19,990Engines: 1.4-litre (72kW), 1.6-litre (79kW) and 2.0-litre (124kW)Body styles: sedan and hatchNot as trendy as the bigger Megane with the J.Lo rump, but still a solid effort from the French brand.VOLKSWAGEN POLO 14/20Price: From $19,990Engines: 1.4-litre (55kW)Body styles: hatchToo costly by far. The Polo is a nice car but smaller than many rivals, and Volkswagen doesn't do enough in Australia to compensate.PEUGEOT 206 13/20Price: From $19,990Engines: 1.4-litre, 1.6-litre (80kW) and 1.8-litre (100kW and 130kW)Body styles: hatchLIKE the C3, the Peugeot is too much and too little. The price is too high and the cabin too cramped.SMART FORTWO 13/20Price: From $21,900Engines: 0.7-litre (45kW)Body styles: Two-door coupeThe smallest and trendiest of the light cars is a phonebox-on-wheels that will only be bought by the trendiest shoppers.DAEWOO KALOS 12/20Price: From $14,990Engines: 1.5-litre (62kW)Body styles: Three-door hatch, five-door sedanA good Korean effort – compact and good-looking but trails in refinement and design.MITSUBISHI MIRAGE 12/20Price: From $15,990Engines: 1.5-litre (69kW)Body styles: Three-door hatchMitsubishi has kept the price competitive, the body is still stylish, and there is potential to add some Evo-style body bits.DAIHATSU SIRION 10/20Price: From $13,250Engines: 1.0-litre (40kW)Body styles: Five-door hatchbackThe Sirion is the best of the Daihatsu contenders, with a roomy cabin and passable power, but it is let down by the driving experience.DAIHATSU YRV 10/20Price: From $15,990Engines: 1.5-litre (40kW)Body styles: Five-door hatchThe funk leader in the D-brand line-up shows what's missing from the mix, with clunky controls and sub-standard driving dynamics.KIA RIO 9/20Price: From $14,990Engines: 1.5-litre (71kW)Body styles: Four-door sedan or five-door wagonThe wagon option gives it a unique selling point, but the sedan was one of the worst cars we drove last year.PROTON SATRIA 9/20Price: From $14,990Engines: 1.5-litre (64kW) and 1.8-litre (99kW)Body styles: Three-door hatch, five-door hatchAnother oldie that struggles to do anything but fill showroom space.SUZUKI IGNIS 9/20Price: From $14,990Engines: 1.3-litre (61kW) and 1.5-litre (83kW)Body styles: HatchThe baby box doesn't have enough of anything. Suzuki hasn't had enough cash to continue.DAIHATSU CHARADE 8/20Price: From $11,950Engines: 1.0-litre (40kW)Body styles: Five-door hatchThe great name is all that remains from one of the earliest bargain-basement stars. Today's Charade is cheap and unimpressive.