Overview

The GEN-2 replaced the slow-selling and elderly Wira and was an all-new design when it went on sale in 2004. But even at launch it felt at least a generation behind similar Kias and Hyundais – despite being more expensive – and has since undergone two facelifts. It does have one ace up its sleeve: buyers on a budget can cut their fuel bills in half with an ecoLogic model, which runs on petrol and cheaper LPG and comes at no extra cost to the standard 1.6-litre petrol.

On the used market the GEN-2 is temptingly cheap, but buyers could snap up an older Focus or Astra (both of which are far superior) for the same price. Proton makes much out of the Lotus connection when it comes to GEN-2’s ride and handling. But it’s hard to see where its involvement has been: the ride is poor, it’s lumpy to drive and it runs out of puff quickly.