Malaysia's Proton has entered its Arena in the bakkie market with plans to shake up this already competitive segment in which Fiat's Strada, Ford's Bantam, VW's Citi Utility and Opel's Corsa as well as India's Tata and Mahindra have already made their mark with baseline vehicles aimed at commercial users and versions for recreational users.
We tested the Arena 1.5i GLX - the high-spec option - and were impressed by its versatility; it's ideal small businesses in the week and for weekend fun but its 645kg load rating is only marginally more than that of the Citi Utility (630kg) and less than that of the Strada (715kg), Corsa Utility 1.8 (800kg) and the Corsa Utility 1.4 (680kg).
The Arena certainly stands out with its sloping bonnet, bumper air-scoop, fog lights and painted mirrors, door releases and bumpers and a roll bar projects a macho image.
The bakkie has a 1.5-litre , fuel-injected engine capable of 64kW and 126Nm which, on paper, should make it reasonably sprightly. Proton quoted a top speed of 155km/h but the test vehicle maxed out at a shade over 150 - and that after a two-kilometre downhill stretch with the accelerator mashed to the floor.
It was sluggish through the revs and took ages to get from 3000 to 4000rpm; overtaking had to be forward-looking and needed a downshift - and a fair amount of space - to get the bakkie moving.
We didn't find the Arena too sluggish during the SA launch earlier this year so perhaps it was just the test unit. We were driving on the Highveld so it mght have performed better at sea level.
The engine was noisy when working hard in the lower gears but was quieter at higher speeds. Gear changes were smooth and precise, the rack-and-pinion steering slightly weighted and gave good feedback, unlike some bakkies.
The ride, however, was harsh and unforgiving when unladen - even on highways at less than the speed limit - despite suspension input from Lotus.
The Arena felt almost airborne over bumps at high speed and dirt-road corrugations were unpleasant. There is also a fair amount of road noise from the tyresabove 100km/h.
Lotus is renowned for cars with razor-sharp handling but not for building sites and dirt roads.
Short-travel suspension
We couldn't test the Arena fully loaded but the stiff and short-travel suspension with coil spring front and a rigid axle on leaf springs rear certainly indicates it's a workhorse.
The Arena has 14" alloy rims and 177mm of ground clearance so was never in danger of scraping farm-road middlemannetjies and there were no creaks, groans or rattles despite its unforgiving ride. The interior stayed dust-free despite a lengthy stretch of dirt-road driving.
Braking was above average; ventilated discs front and drum brakes rear with load-sensing, brake proportioning valves brought the Proton to a controlled standstill.
Emphasis on practicality
The emphasis on practicality remains, despite the good looks; there's a drop-down and removable tailgate with a single central opener, a load-box liner and a step on the rear bumper.
A metal grille will keep cargo out of the cabin through heavy braking or in a collision. Extra-cost options include a load-box cover, canopy and nudge bar.
The controls are easily accessible and logical to use and the cabin has all the conveniences normally found in a car - adjustable seats, power-assisted steering and air conditioning. Power windows and door mirrors complete the picture.
Get comfortable
The Arena has cupholders, a glove compartment, door pockets and a central storage space for oddments. There's also room for a toolkit or briefcase behind the seat.
The Clarion radio/CD player was adequate for the space it has to fill, there's a power socket and warning devices for lights and doors.
Leg and headroom are ample and a height-adjustable steering-wheel helps you get comfortable. The hard plastic fascia and "titanium" centre panel, however, were not to our taste.
Fuel consumption was a 7.7 litres/100km giving the Arena a range in excess of 750km on its 60-litre tank.
SUMMARY
The Arena is more than just a pretty face and will find favour as a workhorse with those who'll use its 645kg capacity. It compares favourably with rivals on a price/spec level and has similar warranty and service intervals.
Price:
R112 995.
- Test vehicle from Proton SA.