We’ve been informed that Proton has changed suppliers for the four-speed automatic transmission used in the Proton Saga MC2 from Hyundai to Aisin. This running change wasn’t formally announced by the carmaker and sees no change in terms of equipment or pricing.
No reason was given for the change, but as we understand, it’s simply a change of suppliers for a given part, and not one made due to any reliability or performance concerns. As such, the Saga with the new Aisin 4AT should behave very similarly to the older one sourced from Hyundai, which was introduced when the Saga was facelifted back in 2019 and carried over with the MC2 update last year.
The changeover was carried out in May 2023, so new units of the Proton Saga delivered from now on should come with the Aisin gearbox.
The Saga MC2 comes in four variants priced between RM34,800 and RM44,800, all powered by a 1.3 litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine with 95 PS and 120 Nm of torque.
While some may assume this is the same 4AT used by older Perodua models (Aisin is owned by Toyota, hence the connection to P2 and Daihatsu), it’s actually not. Perodua’s 4AT was produced by Akashi Kikai (as is the current D-CVT), which is a different transmission manufacturer.
Proton has added a new Standard Lite AT variant to the Saga MC2 facelift line-up, which joins the initial four (Standard MT, Standard AT, Premium AT and Premium S AT) that were launched back in May this year.
Priced at RM38,300 on-the-road without insurance, the fifth variant gets most of the Standard AT’s equipment, although it does lose out on some features and is RM500 cheaper by comparison. A five-year/150,000-km warranty and three times free labour service accompanies each purchase.
Like other Saga variants, the Standard Lite AT uses the familiar 1.3 litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine with 95 PS at 5,750 rpm and 120 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. This drives the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission.
2022 Proton Saga MC2 facelift spec sheet; click to enlarge
Standard kit includes halogen headlamps, 14-inch alloy wheels (with 175/65 profile tyres), manual-folding electric side mirrors, a boot lid spoiler, a urethane steering wheel, a multi-info instrument cluster display, ECO Drive Assist, fabric upholstery, two rear USB charging ports, manual air-conditioning (with N95 cabin filter) and a regular head unit (with Bluetooth and two speakers).
These items are the same as what you get with the Standard AT, as are the two airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchors, ABS, EBD, brake assist and two rear parking sensors. However, the Standard Lite AT misses out on ESC, traction control and hill hold assist.
As such, the Standard Lite AT does overlap (in terms of kit) with the base Standard MT that retails at RM34,800, although the latter only comes with 14-inch steelies and doesn’t get rear USB ports and an automatic transmission.
The refreshed 2022 Proton Saga was launched yesterday with several new features, but what was conspicuously missing was any kind of driver assistance. Yes, the national carmaker did expand the availability stability control to the Standard AT variant, but the entry-level sedan still lacked more advanced systems like autonomous emergency braking – something its rival, the Perodua Bezza has had since 2020.
Asked about this during the event, Proton’s deputy CEO Roslan Abdullah admitted that Perodua had an advantage in terms of safety – something Proton had and lost. The lack of AEB, he said, comes down to what “value-added” items the customer wants and is willing to pay.
“If you want to add [AEB], you have to delete some other features in order to balance the price,” Roslan said. “Our competitor might have this, so those customers who want to have this can [go buy their car]. But if the customer wants something else, like comfort, [handling], other things, they can come to us.”
The Saga continues to lack AEB, even on the new range-topping Premium S variant
In effect, Proton is happy to cede its reputation in safety to provide other features that it believes buyers will want. These presumably include the Saga’s latest additions, such as a bodykit, keyless entry, push-button start, auto-folding door mirrors and an external boot lid release – all of which are limited to the new range-topping Premium S variant.
The urge to appeal to customers is understandable. All these features are indeed popular with Malaysians, and adding them to a car they was not originally designed for (remember, the Saga can trace its roots to the 2008 model) costs far more money than if they were implemented early on in the development process. And it’s true that the Saga is markedly more comfortable than the Bezza, with better handling to boot.
But we also know Malaysian buyers will pay more for safety – enough for a rational, left-brained carmaker like Perodua to fit AEB on all but the base variant of the Myvi. And it’s not just the cheap-as-chips Saga that is affected by Proton’s current strategy – the larger, pricier Iriz and Persona aren’t available with AEB, either, even though they received their own significant facelifts last year.
Perodua is leading the way when it comes to active safety
Even on the X50 and X70 SUVs, which compete in segments that are less price-sensitive, the system is only fitted on the expensive range-topping variants, which cost over RM100,000. By contrast, the Perodua Ativa has AEB as standard, and that car starts at RM61,500.
The message that Proton is sending out is simple – vote with your wallet. Buy enough cars with AEB and other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and the company will have no choice to give in.
The Proton Saga was updated yesterday with some mild design changes and several new features, helping to keep the evergreen entry-level sedan fresh on the market. Of course, we have read your comments, many of which are a variation of “why is this yet another facelift?” and “why still no new Saga?” and “Proton is now a facelift company.”
We put these comments to deputy CEO Roslan Abdullah and he said he understood the public sentiment, although he did list the company’s reasons for opting against a full redesign. He said a company as small as Proton, which derives a vast majority of its sales from the Malaysian market, doesn’t have the volume to recoup the investment of an all-new model. “If we want to follow the footsteps of, for example, Japanese OEMs [in developing a new model] every five to six years, we need a big volume for amortisation.”
Essentially, Roslan is saying that without the economies of scale, the national carmaker needs to maintain the same base structure underneath to keep costs low, only making “enhancements for certain requirements so that the price meets the customer’s expectation.” He likened the Saga to the Maruti Suzuki 800 in India, which received few changes from its second generation in 1986 to its discontinuation in 2014.
“If we change everything, the vendors will surely make noise because of the unmet volume. We could price it higher so that everyone is happy, but then the customers won’t be happy,” he said. “We cannot just change. If customers can afford to pay for it, I’m OK, but actually they cannot.” We should point out that any price increase would put the Saga within range of the larger and more advanced Persona, which starts a RM45,200 – less than RM1,000 more expensive than where the A-segment sedan tops out.
Exports to other countries – including Proton’s largest export market Pakistan, where local assembly of the Saga kicked off in October – are part of the company’s efforts to build sales volume, Roslan said, presumably to justify a larger investment in a new model.
Lest we forget, the Saga has been kicking around for nearly 15 years. It received a comprehensive makeover in 2016, but the car can trace its roots – and its platform – to the Base Line Model (BLM) that reintroduced the Saga nameplate in 2008. It lineage goes back even further than that, as the BLM was essentially a sedan version of the Savvy hatchback, which first made its appearance back in 2005.
The Saga’s roots trace back to the BLM from 2008
That 2016 revamp was significant, however, with far-reaching visual, mechanical and structural changes – enough that Proton refers to the car as the third-generation Saga. The 2019 facelift built on that strong base with considerable updates of its own, including a new infotainment touchscreen and a switch from the much-maligned Punch CVT to a Hyundai-sourced four-speed automatic.
Yesterday’s Minor Change 2 (MC2) was less major but it did bring some welcome upgrades, such as the new Proton logo, redesigned 15-inch alloy wheels, a bodykit on the new range-topping Premium S variant, a retuned chassis, expanded availability of stability control and the third interior makeover in six years.
It also introduced a number of convenience features Proton added to its other models over the years, including keyless entry, push-button start, auto-folding door mirrors and (finally) an external boot release. Pricing ranges from RM34,400 to RM44,300; you can read our launch report here for full details.
This year’s update for the Saga may be a smaller one than the previous change that happened in August 2019, but there’s still a new sporty variant, a revised dashboard and an enhanced kit list to help the budget A-segment sedan remain competitive.
In a nutshell, the 2022 Saga MC2 gets a new logo and grille on the outside, and a rearranged centre console inside that should improve daily use. Electronic stability control (ESC), previously exclusive to the Premium, has been brought down to the Standard AT level, leaving just the base Standard MT (the only manual Proton on sale today) without the safety feature.
A big chunk of the new-for-2022 items are reserved for the new Premium S variant. The range-topper gets two-tone “four-spoke” shuriken-style 15-inch alloys (Premium downgraded to single-tone), front bumper/side skirts, an all-black interior, red accents and stitching, keyless entry/push start and a new infotainment system OS. There’s also an exterior boot release button and auto-fold wing mirrors.
The Saga range now starts from RM34,400 for the Standard MT, and it’s RM38,300 for the Standard AT. The Premium is yours for RM41,300, while the Premium S tops out the range at RM44,300. Prices are on-the-road excluding insurance, with sales tax exemption, valid till June 30.
These Saga prices are a fair bit higher than before, by RM2,000 (Standard MT), RM3,000 (Standard AT) and RM2,000 (Premium), respectively. Segment rival Perodua Bezza starts slightly lower than the Saga MT (RM33,456 for the 1.0 G MT) and tops out much higher than the Saga Premium S (RM48,356 for the 1.3 AV AT). However, the base Bezza is a 1.0L car and the top one has the ASA safety pack.
To sum it up, the 2022 Saga MC2 gets a new logo and grille on the outside, and a rearranged centre console inside. Electronic stability control (ESC), previously exclusive to the Premium, has been brought down to the Standard AT level, leaving just the base Standard MT (the only manual Proton on sale today) without the safety feature.
A big chunk of the new-for-2022 items are reserved for the new Premium S variant. The range-topper gets two-tone “four-spoke-style” 15-inch wheels (single-tone for Premium now), front/side skirts, an all black interior with black headlining, red cockpit accents and stitching, keyless entry/push start and a new infotainment system OS. There’s also an exterior boot release button and auto-fold wing mirrors.
The Saga range now starts from RM34,400 for the Standard MT, and it’s RM38,300 for the Standard AT. The Premium AT is yours for RM41,300, while the Premium S tops out the range at RM44,300. Prices are on-the-road excluding insurance, with sales tax exemption, valid till June 30.
These sticker prices are a fair bit higher than before, by RM2,000 (Standard MT), RM3,000 (Standard AT) and RM2,000 (Premium), respectively. Perodua’s Bezza – the Saga’s segment rival – starts slightly lower than the Saga MT (RM33,456 for the 1.0 G MT) and tops out much higher than the Saga Premium S (RM48,356 for the 1.3 AV AT). Note that the base Bezza is a 1.0L car and the top one has the ASA safety pack.
No change in available colours, which are Snow White, Armoured Silver, Jet Grey, Rosewood Maroon (purple) and Ruby Red. The Standard can be had in all colours except for Ruby Red, the Premium is available in all five colours, while Premium S buyers can only choose from silver, grey and red.
Which variant gets what exactly? As usual, we’ve done the work for you and here’s the spec-by-spec comparison in point form. The equipment list is accompanied by full galleries of Standard, Premium and Premium S grades, plus a walk-around video, so check those out as well. For further reading, read our full launch report.
2022 Proton Saga Standard MT – RM34,400 Gets as standard:
Mechanicals
1.3 litre VVT DOHC engine
1,332 cc naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol
95 PS at 5,750 rpm, 120 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Five-speed manual transmission
Ventilated brake discs (front), drums (rear)
Exterior
Halogen reflector headlights
14-inch steel wheels with 175/65-section tyres
Power-adjustable door mirrors with manual fold
Wing mirror turn signals
Bee sting antenna
Remote trunk release
Interior
New centre console, new AC control panel
Urethane steering wheel, tilt adjustable
LCD multi-info display
ECO drive assist light
Power windows
Black fabric seats with manual adjustment
Folding rear bench
Manual air-con with N95 cabin filter
Radio with Bluetooth connectivity
Two speakers
One front USB port
One 12V power socket
Safety
Dual airbags
ABS with EBD and brake assist
Rear ISOFIX child seat anchors
Rear parking sensors
2022 Proton Saga Standard AT – RM38,300 Adds on:
Mechanicals
Four-speed automatic transmission
Exterior
14-inch alloy wheels with 175/65-section tyres
Interior
Two rear USB ports
Safety
Electronic stability control
Traction control
Hill hold assist
2022 Proton Saga Premium – RM41,300 Adds on:
Exterior
LED daytime running lights
15-inch alloy wheels with 185/55-section tyres
Black B-pillar trim
Black-painted wing mirror caps
Body-colour door handles
Interior
Multifunction urethane steering wheel
Fabric seat upholstery with quilted pattern
7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android phone connectivity
Four speakers
Boot lamp
Safety
Front parking sensors
Reverse camera
2022 Proton Saga Premium S – RM44,300 Adds on:
Exterior
15-inch two-tone alloy wheels with 185/55-section tyres
Front bumper skirts
Side skirts
Red ‘Ethereal Bow’ strip on grille
Black rear number plate garnish
Auto-fold wing mirrors
Keyless entry with boot release button
Interior
Leatherette steering wheel with red stitching
Leatherette-fabric seats
Push start button
Driver’s side auto down power window
Red meter rings, AC vent borders, steering/AC button trim
Black headlining and pillars
New 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android/iOS phone connectivity
Here it is, the 2022 Proton Saga MC2 facelift. You’ve seen the spyshots and teasers; now here’s the ‘minor change’ of Proton’s A-segment sedan in full, officially launched this morning. As you can see, the changes aren’t major. This update focuses on equipment to keep the Saga competitive against its chief domestic rival, the Perodua Bezza, plus minor aesthetic details in and out, which we will detail here.
No changes mechanically – the Saga continues with the familiar 1.3 litre four-cylinder NA engine with 95 PS at 5,750 rpm and 120 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. The DOHC VVT unit is paired to a five-speed manual gearbox in the base Standard MT or a Hyundai-sourced four-speed auto in the other variants. This 4AT replaced the previous CVT in the August 2019 facelift. Since then, Proton sold 123,512 units of the sedan.
By the way, the Standard MT is now the only manual variant in the entire Proton range after the 2022 Iriz/Persona facelift went full auto. Speaking of variants, the 2022 Saga range starts from the Standard MT and Standard AT, before jumping to the Premium (no Executive in the middle). New for 2022 is the range-topping Premium S, which exclusively gets many of the new features you’ll read about here.
The Saga range now starts from RM34,400 for the Standard MT, and it’s RM38,300 for the Standard AT. The Premium AT is yours for RM41,300, while the Premium S tops out the range at RM44,300. Prices are on-the-road excluding insurance, with sales tax exemption, valid till June 30.
If you’re keeping count, these Saga prices are a fair bit higher than before, by RM2,000 (Standard MT), RM3,000 (Standard AT) and RM2,000 (Premium), respectively. By the way, P2’s Bezza starts lower than the Saga MT (RM33,456 for the 1.0 G MT) and tops out higher than the Saga Premium S (RM48,356 for the 1.3 AV AT), but the base Bezza is a 1.0L car and the top one has the ASA safety pack.
New exterior details
The changes are minimal, and the Saga continues with the same bumpers and lights at both ends, which means that there’s no upgrade to LED headlamps from halogens. There’s a small change to the grille – Proton’s new round logo is present, after the ‘uncaged’ tiger appeared on the Iriz/Persona. The ‘Infinite Weave’ pattern remains, but there’s an indent on the ‘Ethereal Bow’ strip below where it cradles the logo – the previous strip was a straight line.
The strip is in red only on the Premium S though; it remains as silver on the Standard and Premium. The Premium S (for Sport, we presume) is also the only one to get side skirts and front bumper skirts. The latter consists of two pieces of add-ons at the corners of the front bumpers, as opposed to a full width piece. Together with the side skirts, it gives the Saga slightly lowered look.
However, the rear bumper has been left alone and there are no side add-ons at the back, so it’s not quite a full bodykit. The neat bootlid spoiler has been on every variant of the 2019 Saga, and so is the case here.
Only the Premium S gets a black number plate garnish for the Proton script to sit on; it’s body coloured for the rest. Speaking of black paint, the wing mirrors are now in that instead of body colour. On the Standard, the mirror caps and door handles are also in black, but that’s because they’re unpainted plastic.
Lastly, rims. The 2022 Saga gets a striking set of 15-inch alloys. The two-tone wheel design has many spokes, but only four are picked out in bright silver for a “four-spoke look”. This look is reserved for the Premium S – the Premium actually has the same wheel, but it looks a lot more “regular” in single-tone. The Standard AT carries over the same 14-inch alloys while the Standard MT gets steel wheels with caps.
Both wheel sizes come with Atlas AS380 tyres – 175/65 for the 14″ and 185/55 for the 15″. Atlas is a brand of China’s Linglong Tire. Proton says that the new tyres reduce road noise and increase grip, while damping rates have been revised for better ride comfort and handling.
Interior changes
The interior changes might be more meaningful. Proton has given the Saga’s centre console another redesign. Compared to the outgoing version, the phone slot below the central AC vents are gone, replaced by a much larger cubby next to the 12V socket and USB port. This layout should be better for phone charging – at present, the wire needs to “climb a few floors” and a charging phone that juts out high in the console is unsightly.
The better utilisation of space continues at the cupholder area, which now gets an extra storage pad. Also new is the air con control panel, which has two Iriz/Persona-style knobs and two buttons in the middle. Unlike the B-segment duo, there’s no display or piano-style keys here (no air flow adjustment too), but it looks much better than the previous three-knob layout.
Interestingly, only the Premium S gets a new infotainment system. Still with a 7.0-inch touchscreen, it gets a new OS with new graphics, a slightly different home screen, a Proton logo home button and Perodua-style ‘please check your belongings’ reminder screen when you turn off the car. For smartphone integration, it supports Android and iOS. Note that the connection is via screen mirroring and not Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
The Premium’s touchscreen system is carried over, with only Android connectivity. Both are hooked up to four speakers (two speakers for Standard’s screenless head unit), but only the Premium S screen bezel is in black (silver for Premium). Elsewhere, the steering wheel gets a new airbag boss with the new Proton logo.
Red bits for the new Premium S
You won’t mistake the Premium S interior for any other Saga variant’s, thanks to the prominent red highlights on the AC vent frames (side and central, including directional tabs) and meter rings. The tiny button borders on the AC control panel and steering buttons are also in red.
Coloured meter rings aren’t a new idea for the Saga – the Anniversary Edition from 2020 had yellow rings plus yellow highlights on the air con vents and centre stack, but the MC2 goes further with its red. Exclusive to the Premium S is leatherette wrap on the steering and semi-leatherette seats – the stitching on these are red, as are the piping for the floor mats.
All the red dash bits are silver in the Premium and unpainted (black) in the Standard. The full-fabric seat covers for both these variants are carried over – they’re monotone, but the Premium gets a subtle quilted pattern.
Convenience features
Saga owners can finally get a taste of keyless entry with push start, but that’s only available on the Premium S. The start-stop button is on the lower right of the steering wheel, next to where the keyhole is on the Standard/Premium.
The range-topper is also the only 2022 Saga to have an auto-down driver’s power window and auto-folding wing mirrors (electronic adjustment is standard). It’s not mentioned in the spec sheet, but the Premium S gets an exterior boot release button. As for the other variants, one can open the boot from the inside of the car, or via the key fob.
Interior of the 2022 Saga Premium AT
Let’s run through the spec sheet. The Standard gets electric side mirrors, the above-mentioned boot release button on the remote, tilt-adjustable steering, Eco drive assist, power windows, driver’s seat height adjuster (knob), fold down rear seats, AC with N95 cabin filter, a 12V power socket, Bluetooth and rear parking sensors. The MT gets only one front USB port, but the AT has three (one front, two rear).
The Premium will be where it starts for some, as it adds on LED daytime running lights, 15-inch alloys, a luggage lamp, the mentioned carryover 7.0-inch touchscreen with reverse camera, steering buttons and front parking sensors.
Going for the top Premium S gets you all the new features detailed above plus a full-black cabin. It’s all dark, from the seats to the headlining (including the map lamp housing and grab handles), but it is as if Proton forgot to black out the B pillars and seatbelt heads, which are in light grey (front and rear pillars are black).
Push start button, exterior boot release and black headlining are exclusive to the Premium S
In the safety department, two airbags plus ABS/EBD/BA and rear seat Isofix child seat mounts are standard across the board. Electronic stability control (ESC) and hill hold assist – previously exclusive to the Premium – are now standard from the Standard AT onwards. As mentioned, reverse camera and front parking sensors start from the Premium. Autonomous emergency braking is not available.
To sum it up, the 2022 Proton Saga MC2 is pretty much the same car as before, save for a new logo and a rearranged centre console. ESC has been brought down to the Standard AT level, while the Premium is largely unchanged (no more two-tone wheels). All the headlining new equipment are reserved for the new Premium S, which gets the flashy wheels, semi-bodykit, all-black interior with red accents, keyless entry/push start and updated infotainment, among other things. Boot popper and auto-fold wing mirrors too.
No change in available colours, which are Snow White, Armoured Silver, Jet Grey, Rosewood Maroon (purple) and Ruby Red. The Standard can be had in all colours except for Ruby Red, the Premium is available in all five colours, while Premium S buyers can only choose from silver, grey and red.
The 2022 Saga range starts from RM34,400 for the Standard MT and RM38,300 for the Standard AT. The Premium is priced at RM41,300 while the new Premium S with all the bells and whistles is yours for RM44,300. All are OTR without insurance, with SST exemption. Walk-around video, specs and galleries of all three grades below.
2022 Proton Saga Standard MT – RM34,400 Gets as standard:
Mechanicals
1.3 litre VVT DOHC engine
1,332 cc naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol
95 PS at 5,750 rpm, 120 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Five-speed manual transmission
Ventilated brake discs (front), drums (rear)
Exterior
Halogen reflector headlights
14-inch steel wheels with 175/65-section tyres
Power-adjustable door mirrors with manual fold
Wing mirror turn signals
Bee sting antenna
Remote trunk release
Interior
New centre console, new AC control panel
Urethane steering wheel, tilt adjustable
LCD multi-info display
ECO drive assist light
Power windows
Black fabric seats with manual adjustment
Folding rear bench
Manual air-con with N95 cabin filter
Radio with Bluetooth connectivity
Two speakers
One front USB port
One 12V power socket
Safety
Dual airbags
ABS with EBD and brake assist
Rear ISOFIX child seat anchors
Rear parking sensors
2022 Proton Saga Standard AT – RM38,300 Adds on:
Mechanicals
Four-speed automatic transmission
Exterior
14-inch alloy wheels with 175/65-section tyres
Interior
Two rear USB ports
Safety
Electronic stability control
Traction control
Hill hold assist
2022 Proton Saga Premium – RM41,300 Adds on:
Exterior
LED daytime running lights
15-inch alloy wheels with 185/55-section tyres
Black B-pillar trim
Black-painted wing mirror caps
Body-colour door handles
Interior
Multifunction urethane steering wheel
Fabric seat upholstery with quilted pattern
7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android phone connectivity
Four speakers
Boot lamp
Safety
Front parking sensors
Reverse camera
2022 Proton Saga Premium S – RM44,300 Adds on:
Exterior
15-inch two-tone alloy wheels with 185/55-section tyres
Front bumper skirts
Side skirts
Red ‘Ethereal Bow’ strip on grille
Black rear number plate garnish
Auto-fold wing mirrors
Keyless entry with boot release button
Interior
Leatherette steering wheel with red stitching
Leatherette-fabric seats
Push start button
Driver’s side auto down power window
Red meter rings, AC vent borders, steering/AC button trim
Black headlining and pillars
New 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android/iOS phone connectivity
