The current generation of Proton Saga has been on sale in Malaysia for six years. The mini-sedan is set to undergo a mid-life cycle facelift with some upgrades.
Saga has been Malaysia’s top-selling car for a long time before Perodua Bezza dethroned it last year. Proton seeks to get its market share back by marginally enhancing the cheapest sedan.
Upgrades
According to a report, the vehicle will feature the same engine as in Pakistan — a naturally-aspirated 1298cc 4-cylinder petrol engine that makes 95 horsepower and 120 Newton-meters of torque. This is a slightly smaller engine as originally, Saga had a 1332cc engine in Malaysia. Fortunately, the power output is the same.
The Standard trim-level will have a similar 5-speed manual gearbox. Although previous reports suggested that the new Standard Auto and ACE Auto shall have a CVT automatic gearbox, the latest report says that it will keep the same 4-speed automatic transmission.
The upgrades in the facelift are as follows:
- A center console with an armrest
- Front parking sensors
- Noise Vibration Harshness (NVH) guard for the bonnet
- NVH guard on the boot lid
- Strut tower brace
- Keyless entry
- New Logo
- New alloy wheels
- Gloss-black trim pieces on the exterior
The carried-over features include dual front airbags, ISO Fix Child Seat Anchors, a seven-inch Smart Infotainment System, an anti-lock braking system, DRLs, stability control, traction control, parking sensors, and a reverse camera. Reports add that the new Malaysian Saga will debut in May 2022.
Pakistani Variant
Ironically, Pakistan already has the new and improved model of Proton Saga. Yet, due to Al-Haj Automotive’s leisurely production and supply, people have stopped taking interest in the brand.
Proton’s lineup has huge potential to be successful in Pakistan. That, however, requires the company to speed up its operations and catch up to its competition.
