Have Proton created a Volkswagen Golf beater with the Suprima S and can it dethrone the German and claim the family hatch title.
Whoever thought this would ever happen? When the seventh iteration of the world famous Golf, the worldwide benchmark when it comes to family hatchbacks, needs to face off with a relative newcomer stuffed with the latest tech toys in order to keep its crown as king of the hill.
The latest Golf is probably the best one yet as it has managed to incorporate a nimble and communicative chassis with the latest driver and safety aids that Wolfsburg has to offer. Launched last year, the Golf Mk7 is powered by a turbocharged 1.4 TSI engine that pumps out 138bhp and 250Nm of torque. It is mated to a 7-speed direct shift gearbox (DSG), which offers almost instantaneous gearshifts allowing the car to sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in 8.4 seconds.

Despite having some of VW’s better tech under its hood, the Golf can still be a practical daily driver. Unlike other turbocharged vehicles that need premium fuel for optimum efficiency, the Golf can make do with RON95 while still offering impressive acceleration figures.
Apart from power, the Golf comes with some of the most sophisticated electronic systems fitted in modern cars. Its headlights come on when it gets dark, windshield wipers activate when it starts to rain, the engine shuts off when at a standstill to save fuel and with hill start assist enabled, keeps you from rolling down hill when on an inclination. All these systems work so seamlessly together that it feels as though the car is thinking for you. Arguably, if you don’t require rocketship acceleration, it’s the only car you will ever need.
Now on to the Proton - it’s our national automaker’s pride and joy, a mild hatchback with the kind of build quality and sophistication not usually associated with the brand. Though it made its debut in the Preve, the 1.6-litre CFE engine feels well suited for the Suprima S. Believe it or not, it matches the Golf’s TSI unit for horsepower and is only 45Nm down on torque with 205Nm, which is available from 2000 to 4000 rpm. Paired to a CVT transmission, it is able to deliver almost linear acceleration all the way up the rev range.

Also like the Golf, the Proton comes with decent tech. Other than the usual safety stuff like six airbags, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, TC and ESP, the Suprima S also comes with auto headlights and wiper system allowing the electronics to seem somewhat automated.
Admittedly, pitting Proton’s first mild hatch against the established German isn’t too far fetched when you consider the relative wealth of knowledge Proton has gathered by its collaboration with other automakers and its involvement in motorsports.
The Suprima S is probably the most sophisticated Proton yet but will it be able to measure up to the Golf? We did just that to see how close the Malaysian upstart could come to stealing the crown. To find out how it fared, pick up the June issue of Autocar Malaysia.