The cheapest sedan you can buy in South Africa

The cheapest sedan you can buy in South Africa is the Proton Saga, which retails for a minimum of R209,900.

Sedans were once one of the most popular vehicle types in the world, being ubiquitous across a variety of settings from Europe to Asia, America, and South Africa.

However, the sleek design has mostly fallen out of favour with the public, as the rising cost of new cars has led to a dramatic shift in consumer spending.

Sedans are a great complement to bakkies, being well-suited to urban environments while the latter is a solid choice for practical tasks and holiday exploration.

However, many households are downsizing to a single car, which means they have ditched the sedan in favour of crossovers and SUVs.

This body type ostensibly offers the best of both worlds, maintaining an easy driving experience while offering a large boot and increased ground clearance.

That’s not to say sedans have dropped off entirely, as luxury brands like BMW and Audi still see a lot of interest in their 3 Series and A4 saloons.

Of course, these options aren’t exactly cheap, as you can expect to spend just shy of R1 million for an A4 nowadays.

On the affordable end of the spectrum, your best bet is the Saga, an entry-level model manufactured by the Malaysian automaker Proton.

What’s included

The Saga is fitted with a 1.3-litre petrol engine good for 70kW and 120Nm.

It has a choice of a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox and is front-wheel drive – the combination of which results in a fuel consumption of 7.0l/100km on an average cycle.

As you’d expect, the equipment sheet is rather spartan, as the entry-spec “Standard” model comes with a 14-inch steel rims, a multi-information driver display, electric windows, central locking, ABS, two airbags, fabric upholstery, manual air conditioning, an Eco driving mode, rear parking sensors, and a Bluetooth sound system with two speakers.

The automatic version also features 14-inch alloy wheels and hill assist.

The range-topping Premium, meanwhile, adds LED daytime running lights, a reverse camera, front parking sensors, and a 7-inch infotainment screen with four speakers in total.

Buying this version will raise the price to R244,900, however.

Each purchase comes with a 5-year/150,000km warranty.