Features / 19 April 2023 / Michael Taylor

Affordable sedans competing against the new Proton Saga

Proton recently launched the new Saga – the second-cheapest sedan in South Africa.

This marks the third car to be introduced by the Malaysian company since it re-entered the country last year, alongside two SUVs namely the X50 and X70.

Available in three specifications, the Saga is driven by a single 1.3-litre, naturally-aspirated petrol engine providing 70kW and 120Nm, and it can with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox.

It’s also front-wheel drive and has an average fuel consumption of 7.0l/100km.

Standard features on the Proton then consist of 14-inch steel wheels, halogen headlights, central locking, electric windows, manual air conditioning, rear parking sensors, a Bluetooth sound system with two speakers, an Eco driving mode, two airbags, and ABS.

The Premium specification adds to this with 14-inch alloy rims, hill assist, LED daytime running lights, a reverse camera, front parking sensors, and a 7-inch infotainment monitor with four speakers.

A dwindling market

Sadly, there are not that many sedans left on the affordable end of the spectrum, as hatchbacks and crossovers continue to dominate the space while saloons are now mostly relegated to luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

As such, the price gap between the handful of entry-level models increases quite rapidly, making the Proton Saga a notable entry in a shrinking segment.

These are the affordable sedans that you can currently buy in South Africa around the R200,000-R300,000 bracket.

Click on the underlined prices for more information.