Proton GEN-2   Women's view

You buy a Proton GEN-2 if youre looking for no-nonsense family virtues. Dont you? June Neary checks it out

As five-door family hatchbacks go, the Proton GEN-2 isnt the most exciting of its kind though in the metal, it actually looks a good deal more appealing than I was expecting. I tried the plush 1.6GSX five-door - which at £10,595, offers a good deal in every sense. The car also comes in 1.

3-litre form from £8,995. Recently, this car has been improved with a new dark cloth or leather interior and new alloy wheels.

Five doors always make for a practical car, but in the GEN-2, you acquire a cavernous boot as well. The car, therefore, caters for family needs very well. Space inside is generous, too, and the thoughtfully designed driving position surprisingly good. I was impressed with the fresh air inflow, a welcome cooling blast rather than the uncertain flow you have to put up with in some cars.

On the safety front, the GEN-2 offers twin airbags but not, unfortunately in this guise, anti-lock brakes. You have to stretch to this top 1.6-litre GSX version to get those.

Proton offer only two petrol engines at the moment - of 1.3 and 1.6-litres in size - and neither are bad units. The 1.

6-litre 110bhp CAMPRO unit has been developed in collaboration with Lotus and develops reasonable torque in the mid and upper ranges but youll need to resort to the gearbox to make progress in the lower gears. Fortunately this isnt too much of a hardship as the standard manual gearbox is a slick system. The 1.6-litre GEN-2 will cover the sprint to 60mph from rest in 12.

6 seconds and run on to a top speed of 118mph. A combined fuel consumption figure of 39.2mpg and CO2 emissions of just 169g/km are both extremely competitive. The GEN-2 is a mild-mannered car.

The steering feels light, perhaps, but the five-door passed the turning test - at the end of my road there's just room enough to turn a car round in one, if the lock permits. This Malaysian contender came through with flying colours. I was surprised by how avant garde the cabin was. Protons used to have acres of dull grey plastic and boring details.

This cabin has been styled by the Lotus Design Studio and features a set of vertical air-conditioning knobs on the centre console support and a nice metallic finish that together really are a cut above the class standard in terms of aesthetics. The latest models feature darker plastic for the dash and door trim inserts and buyers have the option of specifying leather for the seats. The steering wheel is also massively more sporting looking than the apologetic tillers seen in most cars of the Protons ilk as is the instrument panel with its twin cowled binnacle and metallic look to the dials themselves. Everywhere you look there are neat design touches, from the unorthodox handbrake grip to the semi-circular door pulls.

As Ive said, the five-door GEN-2 range starts at £8,995 which should be enough to tempt many into Proton dealerships. Upon reaching said showrooms, those potential customers should be favourably impressed and not just by the car. A recent national dealer survey saw Protons dealers rated as second only to Lexus for helpfulness, which shows how the network has been pulling its socks up in recent times. As for the car, well despite the affordable price, even 1.

3 GLS buyers get air conditioning, alloy wheels, a CD player with a 10-disc autochanger, twin airbags, remote central locking with an alarm/immobiliser, electric front windows and reverse parking sensors. Try asking for that little lot for under £13,000 from your local Ford or Vauxhall dealer. The 1.6 GSX I tried comes with a tailgate spoiler and body coloured door mirrors and door handles.

Proton has covered all angles of safety and security with four airbags, and Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) for maximum stability under heavy braking. Choose the automatic version and you enjoy cruise control as standard. Climate control with pollen filters and electric rear windows are standard and for the winter, Proton has added electrically adjustable door mirrors with a defogger.

In all honesty, I think I could. To be able to buy a brand new class-competitive Family Hatch for less than £9,000 on the road is a tempting proposition.