The Proton Saga – a nameplate that has been with the first national carmaker for more than three decades, and recognised as the first-ever national car. The one that started it all. It is a car that is familiar to almost every Malaysian, who have either been driven around in one, or have been behind the wheel of one themselves.
Having undergone two generational changes and numerous updates over the years, the Saga has always incorporated affordability into its DNA, accompanied by practicality and convenience. With the dawn of the third-generation Saga almost upon us, Proton has decided to head back to the drawing board to ensure the Saga continues to win the hearts of the masses.
The 2016 Saga (internally known as the P2-13A) will be the third introduction (after the new Persona and Perdana) in a four-model revamp from the company this year, and it’ll be its most important one yet. With tentative prices set between RM37,000 and RM46,000, this will be Proton’s volume seller – the company aims to shift up to 5,000 units per month.
That is by and far a lot more than the recently-introduced Persona, and thus, the new Saga has to hit all the right notes to pull in the crowd. More so now, especially when its market space has been invaded by Perodua’s first-ever sedan, the Bezza. So, can the new 2016 Proton Saga live up to its potential? That’s what we’re gonna find out.
The new Saga is available in four variants, all powered by a 1.3L VVT engine (same as on the Iriz, replacing the old IAFM+ unit) – Standard (MT), Standard (AT), Executive (AT) and Premium (AT). Ready? Let’s get to it.
We’ll start with the design, where Proton has decided to go with a mix of evolutionary and revolutionary, instead of the latter like the Saga’s larger siblings. It may share the same platform as the second-gen model – with the same 2,465 mm wheelbase – but break out the measuring tape, and you’ll find that the new car measures 4,331 mm long (+74 mm), 1,689 mm wide (+9 mm) and 1,491 mm tall (-11 mm).
The increase in length is primarily due to the longer front (+44 mm) and rear (+30 mm) overhangs, the result of the Saga’s new face and rear end. At the front, the lower apron shares a similar design to that on the new Persona, with the same “moustache-like” lower intake and isolated fog lamp enclosures. Proton says the three new sedans (Saga, Persona and Perdana) were all designed concurrently, leading to a strong family resemblance.
Moving upwards, the Saga’s familiar face remains instantly recognisable, but with a few minor tweaks. Firstly, the halogen headlamps have been reshaped to be a little more trapezoidal rather than the blade-like units on the second-gen model. Secondly, there is a new grille featuring two slats finished in chrome (new Proton logo in the centre) – reminiscent of the original 1985 Saga.
At the back, the car is unrecognisable from the previous model, featuring a more curvaceous design of the bootlid, which also sprouts a small lip. New two-piece, trapezoidal-shaped taillights (bulb type) replace the former corner-hugging LED units, joined by a centre trim piece with the company’s new logo. The rear lower apron also gets a blacked-out section hosting the mid-mounted rear fog lamp.
The new bootlid design (looks like the one on the Alfa Romeo Giulia) also results in a wider aperture to the cargo space, which has now expanded to 420 litres (+7 litres compared to before, but well under the Bezza’s 508-litre boot). Proton says the car is capable of swallowing up to two medium-sized and two small-sized luggage bags with no hassle (photo below).
The new car also gets a folding rear bench on all variants, something the previous model didn’t have (nor does the Persona Standard). Tipping the seat down reveals a small slot into the boot, which means the “expanded” cargo space will be limited in practicality. This curious arrangement is because the car’s skeleton includes the section behind the rear seat, so slicing it further for a bigger opening reduces rigidity.
Looking at the car head on, the contoured hood is another new addition to the car, with pair of lines, one of which flow towards the contours of the roof before fading away as it approaches the rear window. As for the profile, the C-pillar has been massaged out to form a gentle slope, less upright and extending further back than before. The car also appears to have a much larger and raised rear end as a result of this change.
The rear doors now fit a wider aperture due to the new C-pillar structure. From this view, and from many others, the car certainly appears a lot more proportionate and “normal” compared to the Persona, which is a good thing. Design is certainly a subjective matter, but this writer feels the new Saga appears “softer” than its predecessor, and is pretty easy on the eyes.
The total design overhaul (every body panel here is new) isn’t limited to just the exterior, as the cabin also gets a makeover. While the position of the air-con vents are unchanged, they are now redesigned to become rectangular outlets rather than circular units. What’s new, then? You can’t close the vents anymore.
As you can see below, the centre stack now incorporates the air-con vents and hosts the car’s double-DIN headunit slot, as well as the switchgear for the air-con (carried over from before), central locking, fog lamps, rear demister, parking sensors, hazard lights and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) – the latter is new for the budget sedan (albeit only on the Premium variant), and is a welcome addition, particularly as the Bezza already has it in top Advance spec.
The good news here is things appear much neater than before, and the flat section you see at the top of the stack is brilliant for those who need a spot to stick their handphone mounts (i.e. Grab/Uber/people who use mobile navigation apps).
Unfortunately, the position of the centre stack is a little too low, which makes reaching some of the controls a little awkward. Moving on, below the new centre stack is where you’ll find the 12 V power socket, along with a USB port and AUX input (for the headunit). These items are found on the headunit itself on lower trim levels with a single-DIN unit.
The centre console, meanwhile, hosts a more sensibly-sized gear lever (from the Iriz), housed within a slimmer oval enclosure than before, with different trim finishes depending on variant (gloss grey on the Premium). The stowage space around the handbrake remains, so you’ll still have space for the usual wallet, keys and smartphone. Just beyond that, there’s a pair of USB charging ports (standard on all variants), along with a spot to place the phone while it gets juiced up.
Borrowed bits from other Proton models include the new steering wheel lifted straight from the Exora/Preve/Suprima S, which looks a little oversized in a car this size, mainly due to the large centre boss. There’s also the rearview mirror from the Exora that features an integrated screen for the reverse camera (Premium only).
The instrument binnacle is also reshaped, and the graphics on the meters (similar to the Persona) have been revised to offer better readability. Shorter drivers may have their vision blocked by the protruding binnacle, but that can be helped by adjusting the seat height via a rotary dial.
The seats are upholstered in fabric for all trim levels, with plain black on the Standard, and patterned trim higher up. Rear passengers now sit more upright than before (it was a touch too reclined before), and thanks to the more scalloped rear section of the front seats, there’s slightly more knee room than before too, though no where near as much as the Bezza which is larger. The rear bench base is still a little short though; the gap under the front seats to tuck your feet is a little small, and just like the Persona, you don’t get proper rear headrests – only embedded ones.
Powering this new Saga is the same 1.3 litre VVT engine from the Iriz, which replaces the IAFM+ unit in the previous model. Here, the mill sits on three redesigned mounting points instead of four for better NVH, and outputs the same amount of power as before – 94 hp at 5,750 rpm and 120 Nm at 4,000 rpm – directed to the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox or a CVT automatic.
The latter is dubbed CVT2+, and is offered on the Standard, Executive and Premium. Proton claims it to be a major improvement over the Iriz’s unit (even more so over the Saga FLX), but we’ll get to that later. There’s also a five-speed manual but it is only available on the Standard.
This new powertrain combo sees a quicker 0-100 km/h time of 12.2 seconds (0.8 seconds quicker than before) for the MT, and 13.1 seconds (1.4 seconds faster) for the AT. Fuel economy also gets an improvement here, with Proton claiming 5.4 litres per 100 km (vs 6.0 l/100 km) on the MT and 5.6 l/100 km (vs 6.3 l/100 km) on the AT at 90 km/h – the 0.33 drag coefficient could be of help here as well. That’s 17.9 km/l at a constant cruise for the Saga 1.3 AT, while Perodua claims 22 km/l for the Bezza 1.3 Advance in the mixed driving ECE mode.
Proton also made improvements to the Saga’s chassis, with new dampers, springs and engine bay strut bar to ensure better handling and control, while maintaining comfort and stability. It has also lowered the steering ratio (16:1 vs 20:1), reduced steering effort (2.75 kgf vs 3.0 kgf), and introduced a steeper steering rack angle, allowing for a tighter turning radius (5.1 m vs of 5.3 m). Torsional rigidity also gets bumped to 12,000 Nm/deg from 10,000 Nm/deg previously.
Has any of these changes made a difference to on-road performance? In terms of handling, the new Saga is certainly an improvement over its predecessor, and as far as I can tell, gains an upper hand compared to its main rival, the Perodua Bezza.
Steering response here is good, and even without electrical assistance (it’s a hydraulic power steering setup), the revised ratio does help quicken the response a little. Combined with the uprated suspension setup, the Saga remains very stable at high speeds, even while pushing 140 km/h on the Proton test track’s embanked corners.
We first had a go in the base Standard, followed by the mid-tier Executive variant, and both proved to be pretty capable at speed, although the embankment portion of the track didn’t inspire the most confidence. Things were a lot better in the Premium, where the car’s ESC system dialled down the power when it felt things were getting a bit lairy.
One should take note that ESC (and hill hold assist) is only offered on the top-spec Premium variant, and won’t make its way into the Executive and Standard trims. Standard safety kit on all cars include dual airbags and Isofix child seat anchors (with top tether), enough to earn the Saga a four-star ASEAN NCAP crash safety rating on all models. Unfortunately, the base Standard misses out on ABS, EBD are BA – a jarring omission.
Away from the “not-your-everyday” corners, driving on a smooth track means it’s hard to ascertain how well the Saga will cope with our famed public roads, but for any minor undulations experienced during the preview, the car did well to soak everything up to ensure things remain comfortable whether you’re a driver or a passenger.
Getting up to speeds mentioned above is also a much better experience, as the Punch CVT unit does a better job of transmitting power from the capable VVT engine compared to the sluggish one on the Iriz. Better yet, it certainly makes less of a whine than before too. The engine features a retuned ECU to complement the CVT’s response, but it still isn’t the most brisk in terms of delivering acceleration. However, it’ll potter around at a respectable pace, so long as you don’t expect miracles.
Maintaining highway speeds (80 km/h and 110 km/h) didn’t see a significant amount of noise intrusion from the engine or CVT. However, one should plan their overtaking manoeuvres, because stomping on the accelerator results in a spike in rpm and engine noise, as to be expected of a CVT. As mentioned, though, the CVT2+ does ensure power gets delivered quicker now, so that’s a plus.
The lesson here is that hard acceleration isn’t rewarded by instant results, so it’s best to be progressive rather than sudden in your throttle applications. Those looking at rowing your own gears should know that the Getrag-sourced manual gearbox throw is a little long, and the shifter feels a little loose on our test car. Still, it does provide a more immediate access to the engine’s power. As for the brakes, the pedal feels a little “spongey” – a common Proton trait – with a bit more travel than necessary before anything happens.
Overall, NVH is pretty decent, save for the air-con compressor that becomes pretty audible when it kicks in, as well as bit of wind noise. Tyre roar is mostly absent on the Standard, thanks to the thicker rubber fitted on the 13-inch steel wheels, followed by the Executive on 14-inch alloys and finally, the Premium on 15s.
More comfortable and refined, the new Saga is big step forward for Proton. The company hopes to sell up to 5,000 cars a month following its introduction, with plans to export the model to right-hand drive ASEAN markets soon after.
Closer to home, though, the majority of the Saga’s target market is made up of young individuals looking to purchase their first car. As such, affordability, design, practicality, convenience and performance must be integrated into the new Saga.
Sitting at the entry level of the company’s range, the new Saga is priced at RM36,800 for the Standard manual variant and RM39,800 for the CVT. Moving up, the Executive CVT retails at RM42,800, while the Premium tops out at RM45,800. All prices are on-the-road inclusive of insurance and a five-year/150,000 km warranty, up from the old model’s three-year/100,000 km coverage.
The pricing could be enough to pull potential customers away from the Bezza from both ends of the range – the base model has a four-cylinder, 1.3 litre engine compared to the 1.0 litre three-pot Perodua offers, while the top-spec Saga Premium with the all-important ESC is a fair bit more affordable than the equivalent Bezza Advance (RM51k).
All variants, meanwhile, have a sizeable advantage over Perodua’s sedan when it comes to ride and handling – it’s always hard to fault Proton in this department, and this one is no different. Pair all that with the significant improvements introduced across the board, and Proton appears to have its head back in the game.
So folks, the much improved 2016 Proton Saga. Yay or nay?
Here’s the variant breakdown in detail:
Proton Saga 1.3L Standard – RM36,800 (MT), RM39,800 (CVT)
- 1.3 litre VVT engine
- 94 hp at 5,750 rpm, 120 Nm at 4,000 rpm
- ECO Drive Assist
- Reflector halogen headlamps
- Rear fog lamp
- Front and rear parking sensors
- 13-inch steel wheels (with 175/70R13 Silverstone Synergy M3 tyres)
- Unpainted side mirrors, door handles and rear garnish
- Manually-adjustable side mirrors
- Body-coloured B-pillars
- Black interior
- Tilt-adjustable steering wheel
- Single-DIN headunit with Bluetooth, USB and AUX input, two speakers
- USB charging ports
- Fabric seats – plain black upholstery
- Height-adjustable driver’s seat
- 420-litre boot with space saver spare tyre
- Folding rear bench seat
- ISOFIX child seat anchors with top tether
- Two airbags
- Front disc brakes, rear drums
Proton Saga 1.3L Executive CVT – RM42,800
- Adds on:
- Front fog lamps
- 14-inch snowflake Y-spoke alloy wheels (with 185/60R14 Silverstone Kruizer1 NS800 tyres)
- Body-coloured side mirrors, door handles and rear garnish
- Power-adjustable side mirrors
- Black B-pillars
- Rear bootlid spoiler
- Gloss grey trim on outer air-con vents and steering wheel
- Single-DIN headunit with Bluetooth, USB and AUX input, four speakers
- Fabric seats – mesh pattern upholstery
- Front seat back pockets
- ABS with EBD and BA
2016 Proton Saga 1.3L Premium CVT – RM45,800
- Adds on:
- 15-inch turbine split-spoke alloy wheels (with 185/55R15 Silverstone Kruizer1 NS800 tyres)
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
- Hill-hold assist
- Double-DIN headunit with Bluetooth, USB and AUX input, four speakers
- Reverse camera (with integrated rear-view mirror display)
- Steering wheel audio controls
- Gloss grey trim on gear lever and surrounds
- Fabric seats – wavy pattern upholstery
All models get these improvements:
- 1.3 VVT engine (replaces IAFM+)
- Manual performance – 0-100 km/h in 12.2 seconds (from 13.0 secs)
- Manual economy – 5.4 l/100 km at 90 km/h (from 6.0 l/100 km)
- CVT performance – 0-100 km/h in 13.1 seconds (from 14.5 secs)
- CVT economy – 5.6 l/100 km at 90 km/h (from 6.3 l/100 km)
- Three-point engine mounts for better refinement
- Retuned ECU for better CVT throttle response
- Improved ride and handling package
- Tyres with lower rolling resistance, better wet grip (quieter by 2 dB)
- Four-star ASEAN NCAP crash safety rating (from three-star)
- Quicker, more direct steering rack (16:1 ratio, from 20:1)
- Tighter turning radius (5.1 m, from 5.3 m)
- Lighter door closing effort (15 kgf, from 25 kgf)
- Lighter steering effort (2.75 kgf, from 3.0 kgf)
- Improved torsional stiffness (12,000 Nm/deg, from 10,000 Nm/deg)
Browse full specifications and equipment of the 2016 Proton Saga at CarBase.my.
GALLERY: 2016 Proton Saga 1.3L Premium
GALLERY: 2016 Proton Saga 1.3L Executive
GALLERY: 2016 Proton Saga 1.3L Standard
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Ok. Decent car. Good job, Proton.
Good job proton. Huge improvement from previous saga. Just need to add after market pu leather seats cover.. For many malaysian with childrens to protect the seats from the mess Their childrens make.
I have to admit, Proton has come up with a good car. But cars to Malaysians are a big investment. No Malaysian is willing to take a risk when they are investing RM50k.
The problem with Proton, nama sudah busuk. As compared to Perodua which has a very good name. Most of the Proton buyers are the Y generation, most of whom, their own fathers have used the Saga, Iswara, Wira and Waja. Most have heard the horror stories told by their parents and how the Proton SC ketuk them puas puas with high bills and low standards.
Perodua on the other hand has such a sweet name. Now, where branding is concerned, the younger generation will go for the name that is less problems and reliable.
Don’t forget, the past 30 years, every single launch of the car, namely Saga, Iswara, Wira and Waja and Preve all had big hypes and big launches.
Each launch also, Proton said it has taubat and changed and are now using high quality parts and SC has changed their attitude.
But every 5 years, it is the same story. Each generation, those who bought, still came out with the same complaints and so on. This Saga, is just another launch. Looks great but wait a few more years and see what happens.
Well done proton
Don’t talk empty here. Buy the car! Put your support in action. I am so sick of donating Proton RM1.5bil soft loan (aka duit raya).
“In terms of handling, the new Saga is certainly an improvement over its predecessor, and as far as I can tell, gains an upper hand compared to its main rival, the Perodua Bezza.” … ok no more fighting people, the boss has spoken
All over the world, all cars got ABS. If a car has no ABS, the given government in any country will themselves sue the car company and penalize the car company with a high saman.
In Malaysia, Government owns a big chunk of Proton. They cannot be neutral. If Proton refuses to give ABS in their cars, our Government will never sue Proton on behalf of the rakyat or compel them to put basic safety spec into their cars.
In year 2016, ABS is a BASIC safety right. It is like having safety belts. It is a basic safety right. Driving a car with no ABS is like driving a car with no safety belts even.
All over the world, car makers sell their cars with at least ESC in their top range spec. But ur godkompeni toyota until today still refuse to put ESC in ur 10 year old still selling vios. Instead, ur kompeni ask u salesmen to convince customers that the T badge and high RV will save them from disaster.
What kinda kompeni is this?
Oi, only standard variant no ABS, cheapest Axia oso dun have
Topkek
Axia Standard E is 24k la woi.
It is a super empty car that is only MT will be mostly used by driving schools.
Saga standard is 37k. 13k more! and no ABS?
Axia G onwards all have ABS
Super empty axia E – 24k
No ABS but not so empty Saga – 37k
No agument there.
Ini lah kebuduhan kebod wariyor (kununnya)… Pi laa baca buku dulu sebelum taip… nati nampak makin buduh..
For lightweight vehicle like saga, do you really need ABS?
ABS only reduce 10% the risk of frontal crash in dry roads. Based on European study, ABS do not contribute on crash prevention at all. Why bother?
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/knowledge/esave/esafety_measures_known_safety_effects/anti_lock_braking_systems_in_cars_abs_en.htm
Every % related to safety IS important because we are talking about people lives , not about driving pleasure or whatnot
If that 10% can means you have live or die.
Important or not?
just need to improve from current version, should be ok..fuel efficient is the biggest challenge and if that can be handle decently, this can be a hit.
Campro & CVT bising Punch again? Come on Proton!
I am not so happy with proton. I have one Perodua and recently bought the new saga…The manual gear box of the saga does not feel natural. The speed indicator does not reflect the real speed (almost 10km/h higher than real speed), the fuel consumption is much higher than the specs says. Moreover, I had to have the fan serviced already. And on top of that I have troubles with the radio (or elctric), where all the settings like radio stations and sound settings disappear. I have been to proton to find out why, and all they did was to reset the car radio system (of course the problem still persists). So, to be honest (I am not Malaysian and do not care for politics regarding cars) Proton is a poor choice and I am paying now for trying, sad. The story is that I chosed Proton over Bezza, because Bezza is quite an ugly car, but most probably more reliable and cheaper to run.
Bravo Saga!
Macam Yes? Confirm Yes nie !!!
gg p2 bezza
P1 is back in the game. Goodjob
Please…redesign that rim..
rim je pun..you can always change it unlike other parts of the car
Why u wan to spend more money when they can sell u correct thing at the first place? Plus, for the income group that buying this car, u think buying aftermarket rims cost nuts?
The adage: one mans meat, is anothers poison, reflects here. The rims looks modern and if the colour really is gunmetal diamond cut finish, its rather stylish. But it might not suit everyones taste. Thats why theres klang for u.
Rim looks are not that important. Btw it looks ok for A segmenter car
I would say yay, but for them to exclude ABS from their base variant, its a big NAY for me. As their target audience is the young adults eager to get their first car, ABS (for me, personally) is a must. Even the base variant of Bezza 1.0 comes with ABS and EBD. That, Proton, is a HUGE disappointment for me.
I would say that this Saga won’t be much of a threat to Bezza. Was expecting more from Proton, but am utterly disappointed.
I oso bit disappointed.. Pipu who consider to buy Saga should be aim for at least Executive variant. Get the premium if u can.
it’s a big mistake for Proton to take away ABS,EBD, BA as their standard equipment…
Years to build their image for quality and safety, and this simple move can ruin their years of works.
it is YAY for you to take away the front foglamp (some might not agree), the electronic adjustable side mirror, unpainted side mirror and the alloy rims, but taking away life saving specs? it is a big NAY
Actually, remove the front/rear fog lamp from all cars. They are more like used to shine other peoples rear end than to assist driving. Redesign the switch to only allow the foglight to be on only when the headlight is on.
the presence of front and rear foglamp is not the problem there
mentality is..
I still remember what the current Vios with rear foglamp as standard equipment have causing a problem when the driver may turn on the rear foglamp accidentally( or intenfully ?)..the Toyota Malaysia reacted by teaching the car owner to use the rear foglamp wisely
(video here: https://youtu.be/SnNDNnVFCFQ)
some countries have laws to regulate the use of foglamp other than omitted it to avoid abusive usage…
The omission of basic ABS from the Standard is indeed jarring given Proton recent advocating of better safety. But Proton probably predicted most buyers would go for the Executive and Premium models. With price of RM40k for the Standard CVT (about 43k for Executive, 46k for Premium), most buyers would choose the better equipped models given the small increase in monthly instalments.
Saga basic, probably for taxi spec or driving skool spec. At that low down price, normally pipu dun go for it.
“Normal pipu”. What do you mean? All those driving Saga today aren’t normal? Think before you speak. You don’t know how hard life is for many people out there. Go out, walk around, mingle and ask yourself what you can do for the community.
Normal as in those who dun look at non-painted bumpers. Thats basic spec.
Since u have so much experience of going around and mingling about, do u notice any non-driving skool viva/axia that is this basic spec (non-painted bumpers)? Im not gonna provide u with the answer since u have so much contribution for this community here, so i’ll leave to u to find out and come back.
Datuk Colin
Insaf John was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
He never knew what is HARDSHIP.
Yours truly has no degree,but gone thro the UNIVERSITY OF HARD KNOCKS and is selling Rolls Royce at petaling jaya.
When I sell a unit of Royce,Johnnie has to sell 10 units P2 to match my achievement.Yet yours truly like our dear Mr.paultan is humble to the core.
Dont you ever believe the garbage Jonnie writes.It STINKS.
With this saga3, nobody will ever go for ur toyota junks. U better pay kopi to my boss to approve ur transfer to my P2. Its reallly low down the application pile.
do you actually know how to use abs? i don’t think you know. just for the sake of the name abs seems wow to the parts admirer…
another question is do you know whats the disadvantages of abs? longer travel distance during braking..
most probably only 10% of the malaysia population know how to use it properly. you are just same like those people who want signal lamps on their car but never intend to use it. and sorry if i was having wrong impression on you.
by the way.. the new proton design do looks better than before.. but i will still stick with my old S13.. haha
Why do Proton always put their fuel consumption at 90km/h? At that constant speed even the 328i has the same FC.
Maybe due to that’s the standard for calculating fuel consumption ?
The standard of calculating fuel consumption is 110km/h
Normal FC reading is taken at 90kmph. This is very common in MY (does Biza have mixed NEDC cycle FC figures? Or JIS mixed cycle FC? No, right?)
Compare Saga with 328i?
Why you dun go more insane and compare it with with tesla?
Better than Toyota at 60km/h only.Higher than that fuel consumption get bigger.
does anyone know what is the final gear ratio of the CVT?
Those rim..are they same manufacturer as the bezza advance? Specs and features I vote the bezza 1.3 this round, ermm…except the rear bumper design.
Fabric seats – mesh pattern upholstery…yucks!! It’s that an add on??
Where is the push start button? Pls…
You can find the push start at 51k bezza…hee
At that price, rather get Persona2 instead. And it comes with push button as well.
Why is it such an issue for a mere push start button? Seriously? Is it as severe of a move as when they decided to NOT give ABS as standard on their base Saga? Its just a button, not a necessities.
I am looking forward to compare the new Saga with the new Bezza, which one is more higher measured in ‘tonggek’ (high buttock)?
The higher in ‘tonggek’ mean it is higher from ground clearance and susceptible to less stability during cornering and turbulence from bigger vehicle or strong cross win blow.
Regards
The tonggek is a safety feature. When some one were hit you from the rear, he/she will totally miss the car and go underneath it. Saving u repair costs. See? All those years of designing bumpers are all put into good use
Good job Proton, 1 step ahead!!!!!!
Ugly steering wheel…..
Better than old lol…..
Aircond vents. still very small and low…Exora’s steeling looks too big for Saga…haha
2016 and they still dare to omit ABS EBD..even the cheapest Axia got it laaa
woi.. axia standard basic mana ada ABS.. SENGAL
cheapest axia (e spec) didn’t get abs+ ebd either
not even rev meter
not to mention the rear foglamp
The new 2016 Axia G Spec got ABS but not E spec
Just to add the above, cheapest axia don’t even have a decent radio. Pfftt.
Nay
Why still hydraulic power steering
Less electronic go crazy.. if they put eps on it. Fuel consumption would be lower. But then again.. cost.. as long as the steering effort is less, normal people can tutup mata..
unless ride n handling team make it as hard as go cart steering, I’m sure it is impossible for proton top notch ride n handling.
Cuz Saga2 platform was developed with hydraulic PS, so it got carried over.
This is the first time I read the comments that there are not much people condemn proton new cars. Guess the Malaysian mentality changed.
Haha.. yup..maybe they still not waking from their sleep.. please p1 basher, do ur job properly
P1 bashers cannot sell their junks (esp toyota). So they rely on bashing count commission to survive. Some r creative like Albert to create 50+ dupes to fool pipu thinking the rakyat is against P1, but smart & regular readers can see thru his futile efforts.
yes, i agreed with you john, it make people here believed that many dont like certain brand, but actually it is the same person created 50+ nicknames, and post the same ayat over and over again, same as kunta and he is also policeman..and operation manager..the list goes on… pathetic isn it?
lol. those keyboard warriors. all talk only, but never drive a proton car for their whole life. so much bullshit.
Because almost all people here are proton staff paid by drb to make comments here. They are rude in their comments and can see where they come from. Maybe alarm flora.
Because the economy is not good lah
Now most are crawling back swallowing their own spit hehe . Jap and Conti cars spare parts are too expensive with falling ringgit . Mana tahan bro
Tired of bashing already. Just keep quiet and buy Bezza.
If Proton were to have VSC across all range, then it will be a game changer since Bezza only offer it in high spec.
No one ever bashed Proton with no basis. But many have defended Proton blindly.
My wife drives a saga. So far no complaint. Got me and my family from point a to point b. Covered from the sun and rain. Its far behind from my audi a6, but hey its a decend and well i could say economical car. Proton is still a proton. Either you love it or you hate it. That’s my point of view folks.
Maybe. But others also being very blind towards the quality of other brands. For example, my friend Perodua Axia compressor already broken after 1 year of use. My friends Perodua Myvi already change plastic at front wiper for the 3rd time and his Myvi is 7 months old. His clutch already squeaking and his rear bumper already squeaking. And did they say Perodua quality also bad? Nope.
This saga will definitely sell… either it will beat the P2 Bezza sales remain to be seen… but being offered without ABS for base model & only scored 4 star Asean NCAP, that not gonna shut the P2 Bezza fanboy mouth, beside proton fanboy will kena bahan all the way…
It’s can only conclude once official price is released. If executive price is near to bezza 1.0 entry spec. Consumer would decide with same amount of money spent is it worth to take saga 1.3 engine or bezza 1.0 engine.
i know all are complaining the lack of features of the base spec , and u know very well , most people will be buying the mid and high spec ….
just as the Persona , i remember reading that something like more than 70% of the bookings are for the high spec ,full spec variant….customers dont mind paying abit more for specs and features…
Saga is not competing against the Axia bare spec , its taking on the full spec Axia and the Mid spec Bezza , u can tell from the way they are pricing it…
this is gonna sell in good numbers , but as usual , P1 prediction of 5000/mnth is imaginary !
I’m not sure about that. Not everyone can afford to fork out an extra rm20+++++ per month just to pay their loan, there are so much more things to consider when buying a car for them. So I do think that their decision to omit ABS from the basic Saga will more or less affect their sales, and Bezza’s sales.
Proton and Perodua are supposed to cater to different market segments. At least that was the original intention when Perodua was started many years after Proton. How and why did these two companies become direct competitors instead? It looks like Proton is the one muscling into Perodua’s territory by first making small cars like the Tiara, Savvy and the outgoing and new Saga. Not only did Perodua defended their market well with a good product, they also overtook Proton to become the market leader in volume since several years ago.
The main reason Perodua took the lead is because of their customer service at service centres. They know they can’t win in terms of volume in the early stage of the game, since Proton has been around for years and has the govts to back them up, so they make it up by providing exceptional after sales service which then eventually lead to people migrating to Perodua. Oh and Japanese bred car.
In such a short time, Proton under new DRB team has managed the impossible dreams to possible realisation that to launch three New models in short four month time frame. The ambience in this new team seem positive now, just in June this year when every single Malaysian population think that Proton will be very soon failed, closed shop and bankrupted. But suddenly they are back and life like legendary Greek mythology phoenix, that is a long-lived bird cyclically regenerated and reborn.
I am looking forward to these Proton story much in positive enthusiasm.
Regards
You will get a bonus from your bosses at drb this year brother. Even though they lose 5billion a day.
What a waste of my time waiting for Saga…
I should book Bezza earlier…
Now sure Bezza bookings are longer…
Sorry Proton, totally no more faith for you.
So WTH u come here posting nonsense for? Better go book ur Biza now cuz time and tide waits for no man.
Said P2 SA in disguise
Looks much better than Persona or Bezza. Congrats Proton!
4 star for a budget car is more than perfect for a first time buyer.Those budget car by other manufacturers sells at 1 or 2 star only.Some don’t get a single star at all! But dare to sell without complain.Wan’t more star pay more loh! Want 8 stars but 2 cars! Stupid Malaysian always complaining,empty pocket but demand moon and sky.We Singaporean drive fancy cars but we pay 5x higher!
So drive your fancy car in your own nation. You will be safer there. My observation on Singaporean number plate car on PLUS highway, most of you are bigots driving madly fast. Kiasu to the max.
Malaysia has one of the highest car accidents in the world lah sohai. Get real. The buck stops at us . Why blame the Singaporeans .
What is the constant engine rpm at 110km/h for the cvt variant at flat road ?
Below1500
With CLA250
Interior looks very decent and clean like a VW. steering wheel looks a tad too big though. Exterior looks a bit droopy. Overall seems quite bang for buck and should regain lost ground from Perodua if reliability is good
Interior looks good except for the steering which looks like a gigantic frying pan or wok. Why can they make the steering smaller and more balanced.
Belt-Timing Driven or Chain-Timing Driven? What are its Disadvantages/Advantages…. Please comment, PaulTan.Org. Thank You!
Is the car Chain-Driven? Which is a BETTER buy, Chain or Belt-Driven?
Just little bit sad, no manual transmission for premium. Same apply to persona.
Bezza challenger? It actually challenges their own persona. Both cars are in same B segment. Bezza already a huge success and can see many on the road. I’m not fan of either companies as I drive Japanese and British car SUV but I can say no chance for saga against persona as persona is drb hicom baby same as iriz and they want them only to survive. Perdana was tun toy project and it has failed and will be a full failure as they want to make it fail so they can scrap it. Same with preve and rest. Saga also will meet the same faith. It’s not pretty design as I saw the car in proton last week. It looks like old 1990’s cars from turkey or Iran. Interior is 80’s look and outdated. It’s basically same BLM platform made by LG in 2008 with a face lift. Still first generation saga BLM under LG is the best overall design. IMHO whoever could afford a small sedan has already bought the Bezza and rest with more money will buy Japanese or other cars in same class. Drb is the main reason for proton losses and miss management.
Obviously you are not jepunis or conti driver. Lol
Saga3 is B segment? If u din read properly, then whatever “facts” u quote is crap
this guy might have waken up after years in coma. The sedative might still be working on him.
Persona is B segment (vios, city etc challenger) whilst saga is A segment. In view of that, saga is bezza challenger. Hope you don’t skip class and please do your homework next time.
I want full spec Manual…
saga hispec vs bezza hispec
1. boot space: saga 420l vs bezza 508l
2. safety point: saga 13.33/16 vs bezza 15.47/16
3. fuel economy: saga 5.6l/100km vs bezza 4.5l/100km
4. engine tech: saga vvt timing belt cast iron block vs bezza dual vvt timing chain aluminium block
5. power steering: saga hydraulic assisted vs bezza electric assited
6. min turning radius: saga 5.1m vs bezza 4.5m
7. coef of drag: saga 0.33 vs bezza 0.28
8. transmission: saga cvt vs bezza 4AT
9. Other features: almost similar
9. price: saga rm46k vs bezza rm51k
Very good comparison of Saga and Bezza.In conclusion ,Bezza is better in terms of fuel efficiency ,engine tech ,transmission etc.
Nice photoshop renderings…good job Proton…Btw Redesign the whole car please.
Proton, you are on track. Still a long way to go but keep on moving forward on this track. We will be right behind you. People bash here for fun, probably to keep their mind occupied during this hard time (some might not be as well versed or knowledgeable as they should). For now, try to be a good contender within Malaysian and SEA market (though like i said, insanely long way to go). Keep it up!
Since the base variant Bezza 1.0G equipped with ABS, EBD and BA, until now the Saga 1.3 Standard doesn’t equipped with important safety feature, ABS+EBD+BA…. Bezza wins..
Beza dont have hha,esc
Since the base spec bezza 1.0G equipped with retarded engine with not enough cylinder and with non adjustable height steering and driver seat which saga manage too, which is most important safety feature……Saga wins
Since the base spec bezza 1.0G equipped with retarded engine with not enough cylinder and with non adjustable height steering and driver seat which saga manage too, which is most important safety feature……Saga wins
The price is not yet out. You might be wrong
Much improvements for 2016 Saga, still way out to be at par with Electric cars. Proton’s sale could skyrocket with “Tesla” spec.5
Isnt that exora interior haha
For God sake, this is 2016. Proton should include ABS, EBD & BA as STANDARD equipment in this Saga.
Am sure M’sian don’t mind paying an extra 1 or 2 thousand for this crucial life saving assist.
Proton, I hope U are reading this article as pointed by the writer as the poor Rakyat life is more important than the omission.
Enough with this ‘support buatan Malaysia’ sentiment lah. Let’s call it what it is – a car made by an experienced but mediocre car company that can’t sell enough beyond these shores to make it economically viable.
Throughout the years, thick about how much wealth destruction proton has caused with with our people paying more than 2 year’s salary just to purchase overpriced cars. Think about how many lives are unnecessarily lost through accidents due to lower safety standards or the many motorcyclists who could have gotten a car if market prices are not artificially inflated. Worst of all, the people’s money are used to keep the company alive.
What are we trying to prove with this continued patronising comments? Feeding false sense of national pride. We should demand that the car market be liberalised, get proton to buck up or sink, sell it to any major manufacturer if they go bust, let market force decide which supplier is best and sack the management or staff that is not up for the job.
Then we will come back 2 years time to review cars that can be honestly exported and praised.
You must be kidding right? Blaming Proton for all the market car price here. All our neighbour country such Thailand, Indonesia, Philippine etc car prices almost the same here in Malaysia. Please compare all car price at all model and you will get the point.
It’s not about Proton. It’s about government policies which want to get profit from tax and such. Big F for govenment!!
All a alot of talk here like can buy 10 of these tomoro.
Yeah nice
as effort to rebuild its brand, safety shouldn’t be sacrificed to put cheaper price tag for entry level…
one thing not understand is key-lock for rear boot lid which spoil the overall design..
“Standard misses out on ABS, EBD are BA – a jarring omission.”
That ‘are’ should be ‘and’, right? Its on the 30th paragraph.
Now economy is not good . Many buyers are flocking to buy Proton and Perodua to tighten the belts . Myself included . All hail Proton ! You don’t give us steering wheels also we don’t mind we can top up from Brothers workshop
I believed, msia aware on proton improvements. Winning heart n mind
PROS:
1. Improved NVH refinement and throttle response
2. Stylish rear lights & roofline (but not the front)
3. Reinforced stiffness, strut bar, stiffer front springs & revised front damper settings allow for better driving dynamics
4. Parking sensor, USB & driver seat height adjust are standard for all variants. Tilt-adjustable steering gives the upper hand for Saga as Bezza has none.
CONS:
1. Missing safety specs on base (no ABS) & exec (no ESC) variants retract the strong safety image that Proton has built up since Preve.
2. The platform is very old (roots from BLM & savvy) for Proton to fully optimize interior design & space packaging, and it weighs 100+kg more than Bezza.
3. Ease of city maneuverability is hampered without electric power steering.
4. Rear seat remains lack in both thigh and lumbar support (if Proton remains the seating position as old BLM).
0-100 in 13.1 seconds?
jeremy clarkson will fall asleep while driving this car.
Go buy an expensive sports car and use it as your daily ride in Kuala Lumpur’s massive jams le…
wondering does it come with the multi-info display?
Saga FLX did well in Australia. Hope this one too.
No ABS…wow…..simply wow….just make a copy of Perodua specs and sell them at the same price or few k lower than Perodua.
For lightweight vehicle like saga, do you really need ABS?
ABS only reduce 10% the risk of frontal crash in dry roads. Based on European study, ABS do not contribute on crash prevention at all. Why bother?
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/knowledge/esave/esafety_measures_known_safety_effects/anti_lock_braking_systems_in_cars_abs_en.htm
Adakah Proton sudah insap?
it will be good with 36K is the top price with all safety feature minus fancy staff.
You like, you buy (Pull stop)
Hmmmmm….. interesting, very intriguing indeed this new saga. If it were up to my money, I’d opt for the premium without a moment’s hesitation, becoz for the price, its a complete no brainer. But i bet that everybody here (me included), by the account of proton’s track record these recent yrs, had expected that this saga would have ABS n ESC for all variants, and offer 6 airbags for the premium spec. Disappointed? definitely, but….. at this price point, u cant really expect much can u? But still, a good 1st car for someone starting a family. But like i said, by all means, get the premium….
saw the test drive model on the road. the roof is too high making the car look out of proportion. solution: get a black one or a bright colored one and paint/wrap the roof black and change to 16 inch rims.it will look awesome!!!
Don’t compare the price of Axia & Saga. Cos Axia is much cheaper. C d capacity; Axia 1.0 & Saga is 1.3!
This back row of this Saga has amazing support for your upper legs – almost none.
my family currently has a 1.3 iriz and a 1.3 bezza replacing our saga FLX which replaced the BLM. we look for cars with good fuel economy so high power output and torque isn’t something we bothered about. our iriz which was promoted to us as having good fuel economy was comparable to the FLX and both have poor fuel economy in our opinion. the BLM was the worst of the three in terms of fuel economy. comfort wise its pretty much the same for all cars including the bezza.
we travel to both alor setar and JB from KL often as that’s where our kampung is and the car is usually fully loaded. driving between 110 – 120 km/h and at >95% highway routes (we live just next to the highway) our iriz only achieved about 15km/L, the FLX was worse averaging 14km/L. the bezza that we replaced the FLX with, we got about 24km/L. that’s a huge difference for us.
this new saga having the same engine as the 1.3 iriz although about 100kg lighter than the iriz in my opinion would not be able to get much better fuel economy than the iriz. the bezza is still about 135kg lighter, thats about 2 people lighter, thus would have a higher power to weight ratio compared to the saga, which would help in the fuel economy. furthermore it has a much2 bigger boot space.
in my opinion cheaper pricing isn’t everything, in this case i would be better off paying slightly more for a bezza or another similarly priced EEV if any. since i do alot of city and long distance driving, in the long run i would save much more money by paying slightly more for the car price in the beginning and save thousands more on fuel. so now we’re also looking to sell or trade in our iriz for the bezza.
I testdrove Bezza Premium. The driving feel for me is not much better than my old MyvI. This is not deal breaker for me though.
What gives me poor impression is Bezza’s almost straight passenger’s seat. It give me impression of uncomfortable for adults to be seated back there.
What is your comment on this?
In Malaysia…ABS is a extra feature…not BASIC requirement for a CAR..this is really BAD…i believe Malaysia cars, less than 30% have ABS..less than 5% have ESC..AND proton marketing/promo strategy is really speechless….comfort cabin, quiet cabin can be a new feature? 420L luggage space can be a new feature?then increase 1L, is call another new feature?? 1.3L VVT engine also can call new feature?? proton should sack those marketing personels, only waste money!
It is said that come 2018 all cars coming off production line must the equip with ESC or VSA or VSC or similar system. So all car companies will in a hurry off load cars without VSA or ESC before
4Q2017.
looks abit out of proportion but its ok. it will do well. some cosmetics changes might help. bodykit and bigger tyres. black roof too.
Test drive today… I feel like need press the pedal hard for it to start move.. anyone feeling the same?
Love this new proton saga.. Never imagine proton could produce a car of this standard. I’m so impressed and got one premium proton saga. I’m so proud to own this great national car. Go for a test drive (non formula 1 type)and forget the ego for non national car for a moment, feel the smoothness and ambience and driving dynamics similar to highly praised more expensive cars. You know what I mean and forget the politics. We are talking about cars here.
3 mountings rather than 4 to reduce vibration….That’s new ! Hahah..All those big players with 4 mount points…Pls take note..lol
Still experiment the fuel consumption. 3 times fills so far average only 12.7km/l
Mr E. I agree with you. I myself also the new proton saga owner. Proton tipu kuat dengan Saga fuel consumption.
Thought of buying one for my daughter, but it looks very ugly…I prefer the BLM looks, more proportionate. Proton can save money by keeping the old body shell and change the weakest point of the car, the engine! With better engine and a better gear box will be a winner. No choice axia is the next candidate on my list…