The Proton Saga is a series of subcompact cars and currently city cars produced by Malaysian automobile manufacturer Proton. Introduced in 1985, the Proton Saga became the first Malaysian car and a major milestone in the Malaysian automotive industry. The Saga is Proton's longest-running and best-selling nameplate, with over 2 million units sold worldwide over 39 years (1985 to 2024).
The first generation Saga was developed as the result of a joint venture between HICOM and Mitsubishi Motors. In Malay, 'Saga' refers to the hard red seed (abrus precatorius) of the Saga tree.
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First generation (C21A, C22A; 1985)
Proton Saga (1985–1992)
The Proton Saga saloon was launched on 9 July 1985. It is based on the second generation Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore platform, and powered by the 1.3-litre 4G13 Orion II engine. In January 1987, Proton introduced the 1.5-litre 4G15-powered Saga saloon.
The Proton Saga Magma was introduced in mid-1987, offering mild mechanical and cosmetic upgrades. A new hatchback variant called the Proton Saga Aeroback was launched in October 1987. The Saga was aimed squarely at the value end of the market, and not only took sales away from the established Eastern European marques such as Lada and Skoda, but also attracted customers who traditionally bought Japanese, as brands such as Nissan and Toyota had moved up-market to compete with European offerings.
In August 1990, the Proton Saga Megavalve was launched in Malaysia. It was largely identical to the 2006 Saga LMST, but was sold at a discount price of RM26,999 as opposed to the former RM33,240 price. The promotion was made in view of Malaysia's 50th Merdeka celebrations and as a symbol of Proton's gratitude to their customers. That year, the Proton Saga became the second best selling car behind the Perodua MyVi.
Awards and accolades
- Best Value Car of the Year (Proton Saga 1.5E Aeroback) - What Car? 1991 It also replaced the older Saga Iswara as Malaysia's taxi of choice from 2008 to 2010. The taxi variants were equipped with 1.6 litre 110 bhp CamPro engines and were later converted to natural gas vehicles.
The Proton Saga SE was unveiled in July 2009. It was sold as a premium variant with just two colour options and a unique body kit, mated to the CamPro 1.3 engine found in the other models. In that same month, Proton showcased the emission-free Saga EV Concept at Universiti Putra Malaysia in Serdang. Powered by a 125 kW (168 hp) DC motor mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, it had a maximum range of 109 kilometres (68 miles) and could be charged over a standard household outlet. On 24 December 2009, Proton launched the S16 in the Australian market. The S16 was identical to the Saga, but featured the more powerful 110 bhp CamPro 1.6 engine. At the time, it retailed for AUD$11,990, making it the cheapest new car in Australia.
Proton Saga FL (2010–2012)
On 30 November 2010, Proton unveiled the facelifted Proton Saga FL at the Thai International Motor Expo 2010. It received large exterior updates, but the technical specifications and interior remain mostly unchanged from the pre-facelift Saga.
The Saga FL was launched in Malaysia two weeks after it was unveiled in Thailand. It was sold in two trim lines and both were available with 4-speed automatic and 5-speed manual transmissions. Every Proton Saga FL came standard with 4 power windows. Later in May 2011, a more powerful model called the Proton Saga FL 1.6 Executive was launched.
Proton Saga FLX (2011–2016)
Eight months after the launch of the Saga FL, Proton added to its line-up the Saga FLX in which 'X' stands for extra. The FLX is available in two trim lines which can be mated to a choice of either manual or continuously variable transmission (CVT) drivetrains. The fine-tuned CamPro IAFM+ engine is utilized and there are options for dual airbags and anti lock braking (ABS) with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD). The handling has been vastly improved with a new suspension setup which strikes a balance between ride comfort and handling performance. The exterior of the Saga FLX is identical to the Saga FL.
The Proton Saga FLX SE was launched on 30 November 2011. It is powered by a 108 hp CamPro IAFM+ 1.6 litre engine, paired to a CVT. Driver and passenger airbags as well as ABS with EBD are standard. The FLX SE is equipped with sportier kit and is only available in two colours, white and red.
The Saga FLX entered the Australian market in June 2012, where it was renamed the S16 FLX. It replaces the old S16 in Proton Australia's fleet. The S16 FLX comes in two variants, the GX and GXR, each with manual and CVT
drivetrain options respectively, with dual airbags, ABS and EBD standard across the range.
On 15 June 2013, Proton introduced a new sub-variant of the Saga FLX, called the Saga SV. SV is an acronym for Super Value, with prices starting from just RM33,438 for the manual transmission variant. Despite the reduction in price, the Saga SV offers improved safety standards with dual airbags and a reinforced frame with only minimal exterior changes when compared to the Saga FLX Standard. The Saga Plus was produced in five colours, namely Tranquility Black, Fire Red, Genetic Silver, Solid White and Elegant Brown. Despite the added cosmetic upgrades, prices for the Saga Plus remained unchanged from the Saga SV, ranging from RM33,242 for the manual with solid paint to RM36,577 for the CVT with metallic paint, all of which were on-the-road prices with insurance. A three-year or 100,000 km warranty was also offered.
Awards and accolades
- Best Compact / People's car of the Year – Asian Auto-VCA Auto Industry Awards 2008
- Entry Level Category Winner – NST / Maybank COTY Awards 2008
- Best Value Compact Sedan of the Year (NST/Maybank COTY Awards 2012)
- Proton Saga SV awarded Debut Model of the Year during Frost & Sullivan Awards 2014
Third generation (BT3; 2016-present)
The third generation Proton Saga, codenamed P2-13A is an A-segment saloon engineered by Malaysian automobile manufacturer Proton. It was launched on 28 September 2016 as the successor to the second generation Proton Saga.
On 9 July 2020, the Saga Anniversary Edition was launched to celebrate Proton's 35th year in the automotive industry. It featured optional skirts around the car, darkened alloy wheels and yellow accents in and out.
On 18 February 2021, the Saga R3 Limited Edition was launched alongside the Iriz R3 Limited Edition, Persona Black Edition and Exora Black Edition. It is limited to only 2,000 units. The looks are almost the same with the Anniversary edition with the exception of some R3 body stickers and windshield stickers.
On 12 May 2022, Proton launched yet another revision of the updated Proton Saga. This time, it gains a new variant called the Premium S and that gets new kit like a keyless entry and start system, automatic folding mirrors, a black and red theme inside and leatherette-wrapped steering and seats. The latter in a semi leatherette and fabric upholstery combo.
On 26 September 2025, production of third-generation Proton Saga ended at Shah Alam plant, with the last unit rolling off from the production line on the same day. Production of the facelift model was moved to Tanjong Malim.
On 27 November 2025, the facelifted version of the third-generation Proton Saga (MC3) as the proton saga 2026 was launched.It used a geely engine
Awards and accolades
- Rising Star Award Car - Asean NCAP Grand Prix Award 2016
- Value-For-Money Car - Malaysia Car of the Year 2016
- Compact Sedan of the Year - DSF.my Allianz Vehicle of the Year (VOTY) 2017)
- Best 3 City Cars of Malaysia - Aurizn Awards 2018 'Cars of Malaysia'
- Budget Car (Bronze Winner) - Carlist.my People's Choice Awards 2018
- Best Compact Sedan (below RM70K) - CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards 2019
Sales
{| class="wikitable"
|+
|-
!Year
!Malaysia
|-
|2008
|66,057
|-
|2009
|69,754
|-
|2010
|69,835
|-
|2011
|74,334
|-
|2012
|65,490
|-
|2013
|68,762
|-
|2014
|57,014
|-
|2015
|41,723
|-
|2016
|31,662
|-
|2017
|30,485
|-
|2018
|27,916
|-
|2019
|38,144
|-
|2020
|45,561
|-
|2021
|40,783
|-
|2022
|53,469
|-
|2023
|68,020
|-
|2024
|69,863
|-
|2025
|70,903
|}
References
External links
- Saga FLX microsite
- Proton Saga FLX / Saga SV
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120804064908/http://www.keretaproton4u.com/harga-proton-saga-baru]