Well, I must say this came as quite a surprise. I have not been greatly impressed by what Proton has offered in recent years, and I wasn't looking forward to the arrival of the Satria Neo with much enthusiasm. But it has turned out to be a remarkable little car.
Proton Satria Neo 02 - 1.6 GSX.
Its looks are generic small hatchback. You can idle away a few minutes by looking round it and seeing what else it reminds you of (a bit of SEAT Ibiza, a hint of Toyota, a smattering of Rover), but it still looks pretty good. It also looks quite sporty - almost as if this were the competition version of a more humble model - and that impression is quickly confirmed once you start driving.
The reason for this is displayed on a small badge on the tailgate. "Handling by Lotus," it says. Now, past experience suggests that this is not necessarily as good as it sounds. Proton owns Lotus, and has frequently called upon the small but legendary UK company to work its sorcery on the suspension of previous models.
The results have not often been exciting. I've wondered in the past how long a Lotus-tweaked Proton has actually gone through the development process, and suspected that in some cases the answer can be counted in hours. That's definitely not the case here.
Proton Satria Neo 03 - 1.6 GSX Handling By Lotus Badge.
For something costing around £10,000, the Satria Neo is a wonderful car to drive, with lots of grip, excellent turn-in, and splendid balance between the front and rear through corners. There were times when I found myself laughing out loud at the sheer fun of it all.
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