New Proton Saga - 5 things we like

Widely recognized as Malaysia’s first-ever indigenously developed and produced mass-market cars, the Proton Saga has been around since the mid-1980s. Though Malaysians have welcomed many luxury cars since the first generation of the Saga went on sale all those years ago,

that hasn’t prevented Proton from introducing newer and better iterations of their most iconic model. However, despite its incredible popularity and love amongst the masses, the B-segment pie in the Malay car market isn’t what it was a few years ago. Now, the Proton Saga has to contend with other worthy cars, one of which is its closest rival, the Perodua Bezza.

To help boost its stance, Proton has gone ahead and released a new, facelifted Saga - hoping to cash-in on the ever-increasing demand for affordable, decently engineered, fairly safe family sedan -- all of which the new Proton Saga (seemingly) encapsulates. As for the variants offered,

the new Saga is available in three personalities; there’s the RM 32,800 Standard trim with a manual transmission, followed by the RM 35,800 for the Standard with an automatic transmission, and the range-topping Premium that comes in at RM 39,800.

And now, for the 5 things we like about the new Proton Saga…

1. Price

When buying an affordable family transport, one of the first things to consider is the car’s initial cost of purchase. Thankfully, this will never be an issue facing prospective buyers who walk into a Proton showroom, as the new Saga’s starting price is nearly 2,000 ringgit cheaper than that of its nearest competitor from Perodua.

Considering that the Saga has just gone through some notable revisions for its new facelift incarnation, the aggressive pricing strategy by the Malay carmaker surely makes their star B-segment sedan seem confident and sure-footed in its class. And if you’re considering going in for the fully-loaded trim of the new Proton Saga, that’s still a whole 8,000 ringgit cheaper than its equivalent from Perodua’s stable.

2. Design and dimensions

Being affordable is the first victory, but that won’t matter if the exterior design of your best-selling sedan looks like it’s already a decade old. Again, fortunately, the recently conducted facelift has given the new Proton Saga a fresh lease of life. Now, the Saga’s design isn’t going to strike you with a newfound sense of profound excitement or enthusiasm, but the changes made will certainly entice you more than ever before.

The most apparent additions upfront come in the form of the marque’s “Infinite Weave” design for the grille that’s now underlined by a shiny chrome garnish. Meanwhile, the revised bumper features LED DRLs (top trim), with the lower apron receiving restyled air intakes and side housings. There have been no real alterations to the side profile of the new Saga, save for the inclusion of new, dual-tone 15-inch alloy wheels (again, on the top trim).

The rear of the new Saga gets a slightly revised boot-lid/spoiler arrangement, but there is also a new body-coloured license plate holder and bold ‘PROTON’ lettering. Finally, the rear bumper has been redesigned to look sportier and more modern by way of adding side vents, air diffuser and chrome exhaust surround - all of which are fake,

though most buyers won’t really care about that. Overall, the new Proton Saga’s design is good enough to attract customers, most of whom would be glad to see the new changes. One of the other really attractive aspects of the new Saga has to do with its dimensions, which, haven’t technically changed, but the Saga looks larger than what it really is -- entailing the feeling of it being a larger car, further adding to its appeal.

3. Cabin space and NVH

Who doesn’t appreciate a spacious cabin? The answer is everyone. The new Proton Saga’s interior feels reasonably roomy for a B-segment sedan, benefitting from its 2,465mm wheelbase and 1,689mm body width. Passengers sat at the back will usually have absolutely no issues as far as legroom,

knee room and headroom are concerned, and the Saga’s interior doesn’t come across as cramped or uncomfortable at all. Even better, Proton has added more sound insulation to the new Saga, which has made its cabin much quieter and more refined than its predecessor or the Bezza. This not only makes the new Saga’s cabin feel a touch more upmarket but also a little extra comfortable.

4. Ride quality

Like most cars at this price-point, the new Proton Saga also comes equipped with MacPherson struts with a stabiliser bar up front and a torsion beam setup at the back. However, fine-tuning by Proton engineers means that the new Saga is gifted on the ride quality front -- it surely feels softly sprung, which leads to a forgiving ride over broken pavement and nasty potholes.

Basically, the Saga’s suspension setup is not only well-suited if you like going on long road trips but also for short city commutes. The overall experience is further enhanced because Proton has installed some amount of sound dampeners around the suspension as well, leading to fewer suspension noise entering the cabin.

5. Safety features and other equipment

 

The top variant of the new Proton Saga is the Premium, and it comes with some important safety features like upgraded brakes, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Hill Hold Assist (HHA), front & rear parking sensors plus a rear parking camera. Then there are the usuals such as dual front airbags, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), ISOFIX anchor points and front seatbelts with pre-tensioners & load limiters.

The new Proton Saga also comes with other features such as a 7-inch touch-multimedia head unit with Android smartphone connectivity, manual air-conditioning, multi-function steering wheel, height-adjustable driver’s seat, four-speaker sound system, dual USB charging ports, keyless entry, electrically-operated wing mirrors with LED turn signals and Bluetooth telephony among others.

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