Following last week’s spotting of several camouflaged vehicles believed to be the upcoming Proton Saga MC3 on a car carrier, there’s now new sightings of which were shared on social media.
These new pictures plus a short video captured by Facebook user Johnny Tan at a Petron service station provide us with a clearer look at the updated affordable sedan model.
Picture: Johnny Tan
From which, the Saga retains its familiar narrow and tall shell, even the wheels appear carried over from the current model. However, several design enhancements are evident, namely the redesigned front bumper, fender, bonnet, grille, and coverless headlights a la the Chevrolet Sonic.
Notably, a windscreen-mounted camera suggests the possible inclusion of some ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) features. Said camera likely enables Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), at the very least.
The arrival of ADAS features mark a significant leap forward in safety and tech for the Saga nameplate. Critically, this also reflects the benefits of Proton’s ongoing partnership with Geely.
While the Saga MC3 is not an entirely new model - Proton CEO Dr. Li Chunrong hinted a fully in-house designed new Saga remains in the pipeline - the collaboration with Geely ensures that the current generation continues to evolve, offering enhanced features and greater value to its customers.
As for powertrain, your guess is as good as ours. It seems likely now that the current model’s 1.3-litre VVT 4-cyl petrol mill and 4-speed automatic setup gets retained. Instead, expect an all-new setup in the upcoming full-model change mentioned.