How would you know if a car is good or not? Is it just its performance, style, design, or features that make a car good, or is it the simple fact that the car is reliable? Current trends have suggested that consumers want a car that is reliable (according to a study by the consumerreports.org) – which means it has to be safe, durable, and have an array of aftersales services for easy maintenance. This is where the Proton SAGA has proven itself, especially in such a short amount of time. The Proton SAGA offers a variety of safety features such as ABS and EBD, Brake Assist, hill-hold assist, airbags, and obviously, parking sensors. Parking sensors may not be the most important but they ensure drivers are aware of any situation behind blind spots. Proton SAGA also has a history of competing in Motor Sports, in circuit racing and rallying. This shows SAGAs stability and reliability. The most important feature that guarantees the SAGA’s safety and reliability is its ASEAN NCAP rating of 4 stars. The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) for South Asia Countries (ASEAN) aims to elevate vehicle safety standards and improve consumer awareness. The ASEAN rating implies how safe the car is in the event of an impact. The system crash tests different cars at different speeds observing how safe the dummies are after the impact, what parts of the car are unsafe and how effective are the Crumble Zones. These are zones or areas of the body of the car that crumple to absorb impact. This acts as a safety feature to keep adult and child passengers safe. The SAGA is ranked at a 4-star rating, this rating is not only dependent on crash tests but the materials used and also all the safety features available in the car, such as the Isofix points for children's seats. Having a high NCAP rating means the car is safe and reliable but when it comes to the durability it all comes down to the aftersales services and the materials used. Proton SAGA takes pride in its products by ensuring a 150,000km or 5-year warranty. Indirectly it means the company is so sure of the quality of their product they’ll back it up with a massive warranty. This should clear most of the confusion that consumers may have. Automakers today always consider all these possibilities when putting out a new car, and the ASEAN NCAP rating ensures that the car produced is up to the mark. When all things considered reliability comes down to credibility. An automaker can only establish the credibility of their car through testing, adding aftermarket warranties and engaging with entities that guarantee car safety and reliability, such as the ASEAN NCAP rating. Let us know if you would test drive this car!  

After six years of slaying the market, Malaysia’s national car is finally getting an upgrade. The upcoming Proton Saga Facelift has been spotted a few times in Malaysia. So, there’s plenty of information about what’s new in the car. The only missing thing was the official launch date, not anymore. As per the company’s official press release, the 2022 Proton Saga (codenamed MC2) will be launching tomorrow, the 12th of May, for the Malaysian market. A New Variant Everyone knows a refreshed Saga is coming for a while now, but the real surprise is a new variant. The 2022 Proton Saga lineup will have four variants: three old, 1.3L Standard MT, 1.3L Standard AT, 1.3L Premium AT variants, and a new range-topping 1.3L Premium S AT variant. Same Old Powertrain The mechanical specifications of the Saga will remain unchanged. All four variants of the new model will be powered by a 1.3-litre four-cylinder naturally-aspirated engine, just like the ongoing model. The engine produces 93 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 120 Nm torque at 4,000 rpm. As for the transmission, the Hyundai-sourced 4-speed automatic will replace the CVT gearbox for the top-end variants, whereas the 5-speed manual gearbox will remain the same for the standard variant. Mild Exterior Changes The 2022 Proton Saga has more or less the same appearance as the current model. This one has a round front with the new circular Proton logo, new body kit, and side mirrors, all covered in black.  All the rear elements look exactly the same as the current model. The new 15-inch multi-spoke two-tone alloy wheels on the Premium and new Premium S variants are the exterior highlight of the facelift model. Feature Upgrades The infotainment screen looks the same but has an updated operating system. It has more icons, colours, and notifications. Other than that, there’s a suite of new features limited to the new Premium S variant.  Smart keyless entry Engine push start Auto-fold side mirrors External boot release Leather seats Get ready, folks; the new Proton Saga Facelift MC2 will hit the Malaysian market tomorrow and probably break Saga’s old sales records. Meanwhile, the car is still struggling in Pakistan due to late deliveries.

In a good news to Proton X70 consumers, Proton Pakistan has started the locally assembled units of the crossover SUV. As per details, the first unit has been handed over today in Lahore and this is indeed a good news. It is pertinent to mention that people who have booked the car hasn't received them till today. The reasons behind the delayed deliveries is COVID-19, its restrictions in Malaysia which led to start of local production. But now it seems that the company has overcame the issues and deliveries have finally started. Yesterday, we told you that the company is all set to start deliveries as one of the officials of the company told us that the process will start in next couple of days. Late Deliveries of Proton X70 - A Bit of Background  Soon after the Malaysian crossover came to Pakistan in December 2020, COVID-19 hit Malaysia with a heavy blow. There was a series of lockdowns in the country, leading to import restrictions and late deliveries of Proton X70.  Once the situation got better and industrial activities resumed in Malaysia in September 2021, Proton made the earliest possible shipments to Pakistan to resume its operations. Proton Pakistan rolled out the first locally assembled unit of X70 in January 2022.  With that, the company promised to start the mass production of the X70 in March 2022 and finally deliver the car to its awaiting buyers. But it delayed again, but the wait is over and hopefully we will see more and more Proton X70 on roads.  We also hope that the company will maintain the build quality in locally assembled units. In many cases, the car companies reduce the quality of the car compared to CBU ones. But we hope Proton Pakistan will not follow this practice. Have you booked a Proton X70? Have you got a delivery date by the company? Please share with us in the comments section

It’s been a year and a half since Proton launched its crossover in the market, but we have hardly seen any units on the road. And now, market reports are suggesting that the sales of Proton X70 have dropped to absolute zero in March 2022. Has the car already said its goodbyes and left the market, or is about to? Let’s uncover the facts. No Sign of Deliveries Soon after the Malaysian crossover came to Pakistan in December 2020, COVID-19 hit Malaysia with a heavy blow. There was a series of lockdowns in the country, leading to import restrictions and late deliveries of Proton X70.  Once the situation got better and industrial activities resumed in Malaysia in September 2021, Proton made the earliest possible shipments to Pakistan to resume its operations. Proton Pakistan rolled out the first locally assembled unit of X70 in January 2022.  With that, the company promised to start the mass production of the X70 in March 2022 and finally deliver the car to its awaiting buyers. That helped restore customers’ faith in Proton, but they have started to lose it again. It’s the end of April and, still, there have been no deliveries.  Proton customers have been waiting for their booked X70 for more than a year now, and there’s still no sign of deliveries. Proton keeps saying, “It is worth the wait!” but how long is that wait? Customers want to know. Booking Cancellations As per different media reports, due to late deliveries, many buyers have cancelled their bookings for Proton X70 and chosen other crossovers available in the market. To test their last drop of patience, Proton has not yet paid the refund amount to some of these customers, the reports added. Statement by Proton Pakistan Proton, on the other hand, straight away rejected the zero sales report, saying it's not true. As per a company official, bookings for X70 are still open and deliveries will start this weekend, just before Eid. Let’s hope that's true, Proton does some damage control and delivers the booked cars to its patient customers ASAP. Otherwise, it's game over for X70.