Proton Gen-2 1.6 Ecologic (2008) CAR review

Want to swap cheap thrills for cheap fuel? The Gen-2 Ecologic combines petrol power and low-cost LPG to force hard-up drivers to pay the Malaysian saloon a little more attention.

Proton barely registers on most buyers’ radars and, before this new Ecologic model came along, it was hard to find any reason to justify the Gen-2 existence. But the LPG option finally gives the Gen-2 a real purpose: it transforms the dull family car into a dull family car with half-price fuel bills, at no extra cost.

You mean Proton don't charge more for the Gen-2 LPG model?

Absolutely nothing. A fully-converted GEN-2 Ecologic lines up alongside the standard 1.6 petrol for exactly the same price. No added cost at all. Proton absorbs the cost of fitting the system so you don’t have to.

With LPG about half the price of petrol per litre, drivers will save about £500 every 10,000 miles by opting for the Ecologic. So those covering mega-mileages will cash in straight away. Unfortunately, that’s where the plus points end…

So what’s it like to drive?

The Gen-2 shows itself up within seconds of a stamp on the throttle, a limp away from the lights and a waddle past the first roundabout: it’s so dreary to drive. Twelve slow seconds are needed to reach 62mph and the 109bhp, Lotus-engineered 1.6-litre engine falls short for both city zip and comfortable motorway cruising.

The unresponsive brakes need a firm foot for sudden stops and the agricultural five-speed manual gearbox is very disappointing – imagine stirring a box of Maltesers with a breadstick and you’re pretty close.

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