Proton Saga

Highly anticipated and sought-after, the national brand’s latest release (2025), the new Proton Saga, upgraded and launched in Malaysia.

A fourth-generation (MC3: Minor Change 3) build, the A-segment (compact sedan) runner underpins Proton’s Advanced Modular Architecture (AMA) platform.

Locally assembled (CKD – Perak), offered via Proton Edar Sdn Bhd are three variants (Standard – RM38,990, Executive – RM44,990, Premium – RM 49,990).

Prices (OTR, w/o insurance) include a vehicle warranty (five years/150,000 km) and a service package (three times free labour: five years/150,000 km).

Exterior (single-tone) colours (Marine Blue, Space Grey, Ruby Red, Armour Silver, Snow White). 

Interior (single-tone – dual-tone) colours (Standard, Executive: Black – Premium: Black-Dark Grey).

The new Saga gets a horizontally symmetrical and tiered dashboard, linked to a low-rising centre console (armrest, storage).

Soft/hard-touched (dash, steering wheel, centre console, doors), it sees one colour scheme (single-tone: Black) with contrast panels (‘Pantai Wave’ design) and trims (Satin Silver, Matte Black).

Equipped are floating driver/central displays (single-piece: instrument cluster, infotainment – Executive, Premium) and air-conditioning vents/control panel (‘Congkak Board’ vents: oblong-shaped – physical controls: knobs, buttons).

Inclusively, the layout is ergonomic (functional) with accessibilities purposefully arranged (driver-centric, passenger-oriented).

Installed (Standard, Executive, Premium) is a 7.0-inch colour TFT-LCD (Thin-Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Display) fully digital (Multi-Information Display – MID) driver display (instrument cluster).

Features are vehicle telematics, Bluetooth and customisable interface (two modes: ‘Traditional’, ‘Digital’).

A five-seater (compact sedan), the cabin offers adequate space, providing comfortable seatings with ample interior mobility for the occupants (front, rear).

Sufficient head, shoulder and leg rooms.

Practical storage compartments. E.g., glove box, centre console spaces (partitioned) and pockets (seat backs, side doors).

Provided are two cup holders (two – front) and four bottle holders (one – side doors).

Accessing (Standard, Executive, Premium) its manual-operated (button: remote/key fob, interior button, tailgate button – Premium) tailgate, opens to 420 litres (rear seats up) of load capacity.

Tapered, it continues the smooth sculpted exterior, emphasised by symmetrically and angularly shaped creases.

The rear-end sees a flowing roofline (shark fin antenna), mildly flat quarter panels, an upright tailgate (aero boot lid, centre bar trim, Proton script, Saga emblem) and a covered bumper (diffuser: corner exhaust).

Accentuations, body clad (Black: diffuser), body trims (Gloss Black: tailgate centre bar, shark fin antenna – Black: window surrounds – Chrome: Proton script, Saga/i-GT emblems, exhausts tip), side skirts (body colour: Premium), B-pillars (body-colour: Standard, Executive – Matte Black: Premium) and door handles (Chrome).

Fitted are sets of 14-inch (Standard) and 15-inch (Executive, Premium) eight-‘Arrow’-spoke (single-tone: Standard, Executive – dual-tone: Premium) alloy rims.

The sets are wrapped in 175/65 R14 (front, rear – Standard) and 185/55 R15 (front, rear – Executive, Premium) Atlas AS380 (Standard, Executive, Premium) tyres.

Passive safety includes two (driver-passenger: Standard, Executive) and six (driver-passenger, front-sides, front-rear curtains: Premium) airbags, seat belts (reminders, pre-tensioners, anchors), ISOFIX (two – rear-outer-seat), parking sensors (two-front: Executive, Premium – two-rear: Standard, Executive, Premium), parking cameras (reverse: Executive, Premium), side mirrors (BSM – Premium), impact beams, door ajar warning, automatic headlamps (On/Off: Executive, Premium), automatic-door locks (speed-sensing, central-locking), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent) and anti-theft system (security alarm, immobiliser).

Entertainment is channelled via a standard audio system (two speakers: Standard – four speakers: Executive, Premium).

The new Saga (Standard, Executive, Premium) underpins an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powertrain (Geely-developed).

Nestled is a (BHE15PFI: Intelligent Green Technology – i-GT) 1.5-litre, inline four-cylinder 16-valve, naturally aspirated multi-port injection (NA-MPI) with dual variable valve timing (DVVT) DOHC petrol engine (120 PS/88 kW, 150 Nm).

Power is transmitted to the front (Standard, Executive, Premium) wheels, via a Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) system.

Fuel tank capacity is at 40 litres (Standard, Executive, Premium). Fuel consumption reads at 5.1 l/100 km (Standard, Executive) and 4.9 l/100 km (Premium).

The new Saga features these conveniences.

E.g., Intelligent Entry System (keyless entry, engine Start/Stop button), steering wheel (multi-switches, column adjustment, EPS), interior illumination (cabin/boot), infotainment (voice command: Hi Proton, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto – wireless, navigation, Bluetooth), charging ports (USBs, power socket), automatic headlamps (On/Off: Executive, Premium), automatic-door locks (speed-sensing, central-locking), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent), parking sensors (two-front: Executive, Premium – two-rear: Standard, Executive, Premium), parking cameras (reverse: Executive, Premium), side mirrors (BSM – Premium), impact beams and door ajar warning.

A suitable daily driver, the ride comfortability feels flexible and firm at the same time.

Suspension fitted is a setup of Macpherson strut (front) and torsion beam (rear). Inside and out, performance- and comfort-wise, the ride quality is satisfactory.

Good sound insulation with the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) aspects accounted for. The cabin is well-designed, enhancing the in-car ambience.

Overall, the cabin can suppress unwanted noises well and make them barely noticeable, even when cruising through bumpy asphalts or at high speeds.

The new Proton Saga is built with a sleek modernised appeal, offering appearance, space and practicality.

Angularly smooth sculpted, its exterior is well-designed with roundly sharp lines donating to a strong overall character. 

Inside and out, the quality of the equipment installed is adequate with clean and minimalistic detailing.

Ultimately, the new Saga bargains more than just good looks, as it also offers plenty of other amenities at the price it comes with.