Visually, you get to see a cat that looks well put together, with door and panel gaps that are consistent. In short, Proton has move forward quite a bit since the original Saga. In fact, I would say the name Saga is more a millstone around Proton’s neck, because people will have not so fond memories, but then, the Saga, whatever is said and done, is part of our heritage, and I suppose naming the new model the Saga is something that has to be done. Anyway, I assure you the new Saga is nowhere like the previous model. It is a totally new car, and nothing is carried over from the old one.

One of the major concerns expressed by our readers would be the power of the Campro engine, or rather, the lack of it, especially in the lower RPM ranges. Well, the new IAFM variable intake system seems to have addressed the problem, and the 1.3 litre engine does exactly what a 1.3 litre engine does, and surprisingly well too! Matched to the four-speed auto, it performs very well; I would even venture to say that it actually puts the fun back into driving.

Response to throttle is instantaneous, allowing of course for that little bit of lag that is characteristic of most automatic transmissions, but once it gets going, the engine revs happily and effortlessly all the way to 6,500 rpm, and will change up only at this RPM if you keep your foot down. Under normal circumstances, you can invoke an up-shift simply by lifting off. The engine turns at around 3,200 rpm when you are at the highway regulation speed of 110 km/h, but it will happily stretch itself to near 5,000 rpm in top gear, giving a top speed of around 165 km/hr. The cabin is quiet up to around 120 km/h, after which the tyre noise and road feedback through the chassis take over. For Joe Average, the Saga will serve very well if the speed is kept decent. Nevertheless, cruising all day is possible, as the rev-counter will be hovering around the 4,000 rpm mark at this speed. Acceleration from zero to one hundred km/h is done in about 12.6 seconds, not bad for a car of this capacity.