Proton GEN2 The Day-To-Day Choice

A Trip Around the UK Told The Trail Family Plenty About Protons GEN-2. Here, They Report on an Exciting Week at the Wheel.

Randy and Kittie Trail arent used to compact European cars. Hailing from the US of A but normally resident in the African state of Botswana, their usual form of transport is a hulking great 4x4. For a visit to England however, they wanted something more in keeping with British roads for a trip around the UK.

So we provided them with a car we thought pretty typical of the kind of model the average British family might drive Protons GEN-2. Well nearly typical anyway. Protons GEN-2 isnt a particularly common sight on UK roads, but the Focus-sized category of car it represents the ubiquitous Family Hatchback certainly is. Cars of this kind have come a long way in recent years, not least in terms of refinement and the amount of interior space on offer.

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Ten years ago or even five years ago you simply wouldnt have considered using this class of car for the time of lengthy journey the Trails had in mind for this trip. After all, they were arriving with a huge amount of luggage and three burly grown up sons. Something would have to give on a long trip around Britain wouldnt it? In actual fact, things went rather well. First impressions helped, even in the typical British downpour that greeted the Trail family on their arrival at Heathrow.

The metallic black GEN-2 1.6 GSX wed provided, courtesy of Proton, for their use looked smart and comfortable. An impression reinforced once the family had eased itself into the interior. The first test was to see how the car coped in the urban congestion around London.

No problem here the slick five-speed gearbox meaning that Randys customary preference for automatic transmission was forgotten. Next, it was out onto the open road for a trip to Northumberland, then across the country to Liverpool. As the miles ticked by, the family grew to like the little Malaysian car more and more. Yes, it could have been bigger, but for the class of car it is, the compact five-door Proton manages to swallow an awful lot.

Yes too, the quality of the fittings might not have been Mercedes standard but again, for not much more than £10,000, what do you expect?

"We thought the car might be noisy on the long motorway sections of our trip but it wasnt," remembers Randys wife Kittie. "The car also boasts a decent quality stereo/CD player which helped. We also thought it might prove cheap and rattly but again we were proved wrong. At the end of our trip, we were genuinely sorry to see the little car go. Do they sell them in Botswana?" Sadly for the Trails, the answer to that question is no.

But theyre certainly selling them here. Proton sales are growing in the UK at a useful rate, thanks primarily to the GEN-2 but also to the latest Savvy citycar. Armed with these two models, Proton dealers are looking for huge increases in market share over the next year or so. As the Trails family found, the Proton GEN-2 is well equipped to soften the hard edges of long distance motorway travel.

In the plush £10,595 1.6 GSX model they tried, you get power-assisted steering, electric windows, remote central locking and electrically adjustable heated door mirrors. In addition to this it also comes with climate control air-conditioning, alloy wheels and front fog lamps. On the outside, the 1.

6 GSX is distinguished by 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 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.

The result of all the extra interior equipment is a relaxed, comfortable quality ambience - a cocoon of tranquillity for the bothered family man and an ideal environment in which to undertake a trip of a few hundred miles or more. Performance-wise, Randy Trail reported back to us that the 1.6-litre petrol engine was "a real pleasure to punt around. Its smooth and quiet but when you stir it up theres genuine bite to the acceleration. I understand that 0-60mph in 12.6 seconds is the official performance figure but powering out of a corner up a Peak District hillside, the flexibility of the powerplant makes it feel considerably quicker than that.

" The trip proved that this Proton can function both as a family runabout and a more than capable long distance cruiser if need be. Its also actually very capable in the twisty stuff for a car of its kind. Potential GEN-2 buyers will be pleased to know that their car can cut it on cross-country B roads but theres no doubt that on tarmac, the motorways, urban streets and A-roads are its preferred habitat. Effortless performance and a quality ride all help here but surprisingly, one of the biggest draws of all for Proton GEN-2 customers may well be the fuel economy.

On the Trails trip, the car managed nearly 40mpg. Thats very impressive for a spacious 1.6-litre family hatch being driven reasonably hard.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Proton GEN-2 1.6 GSX
PRICE: £10,595 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 7
CO2 EMISSIONS: 169-192g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 12.6s / Max Speed 118mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 39.2mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin Airbags / reversing sensors
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height) 4310/1725/1435mm