Malaysian-based manufacturer Proton recently secured a four-star safety rating from the ASEAN NCAP for its 2025 Saga sedan.
BACKGROUND
The Saga is part of Proton’s series of subcompact city cars originally released in 1985. The latest model of the series was released 40 years later in 2025. In the same year, the Proton Saga achieved a four-star safety rating from the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP).
The Proton Saga was made in and exclusively for Malaysia. The Sedan has two airbags and an engine capacity of 1.5L, and only one variant of the model is currently offered.
SCORE BREAKDOWN
Based on ASEAN NCAP’s 2021-2025 protocol, the Proton Saga scored 66.70 points out of 100 total points. The assessment has four categories; Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), Child Occupant Protection (COP), Safety Assist (SA), and Motorcyclist Safety (MS). The Proton’s Saga’s weighted score breakdown for each category is as follows:
- Adult Occupant Protection (AOP): 29.65 / 40.00 points
- Child Occupant Protection (COP): 14.97 / 20.00 points
- Safety Assist (SA): 13.33 / 20.00 points
- Motorcyclist Safety (MS): 8.75 / 20.00 points
ASSESSMENT DETAILS
Adult Occupant Protection (AOP)
To assess the vehicle’s adult occupant safety ASEAN NCAP conducted frontal and side impact crash tests. These tests used one dummy in the driver’s seat and another in the front passenger seat.
During the frontal impact assessment, the passenger dummy received good protection in almost all areas, including the head, chest, upper legs, and lower left leg. Only its lower right leg received adequate protection from frontal impact.
Meanwhile, the driver dummy received good protection in the head and right leg. The driver dummy’s chest area received marginal protection, while its feet and left leg received adequate protection. These results point to a weak spot in the front centre section of the car.
For the side impact test, only the driver dummy was used for this assessment. The dummy revealed good protection on the head, neck, and pelvic areas. The dummy’s chest area, however, received only marginal protection during the crash test.
Upon inspection, the ASEAN NCAP found that the Proton Saga 2025 is equipped with airbags for both the driver and passenger. This feature is standard on all variants, however, airbags for both sides and curtain areas of the car are optional. Airbags for the knee areas are not available.
For seatbelts, retractor pre-tensioner and load limiters for the passenger and driver are standard across all variants of the Proton Saga.
Child Occupant Protection (COP)
In terms of child protection, the Proton Saga scored 12.000 points for the 18-month-old child category for both frontal and side impact tests. For the 3-year-old child category, the vehicle scored significantly lower at 7.283 points.
Out of 11 tested child seat models, only 3 were successfully installed in the front passenger seat. Most of the tested models were exempt or incompatible with installation. All but one model, the Joie Stages, were successfully installed in the left rear passenger seat and passed the safety test. The rear centre seat showed similar results to the front passenger seat, with only 3 passing installations. Out of 11, 5 models were exempt from installation and 3 failed the installation and safety tests.
The most child-seat compatible location for the Proton Saga is the rear right seat, where all models successfully passed installation and safety tests.
Safety Assist (SA)
The Proton Saga is equipped with most of ASEAN’s recommended safety features, such as; Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Stability Control, and Seatbelt Reminders.
However, there are still safety features that are not available or only as optional. Only the driver and front passenger seatbelts have reminders, rear passengers do not have seatbelt reminders or seat occupant detection.
City and Inter-Urban Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) is only available as optional. Pedestrian AEB, on the other hand, is not available.
Advanced safety assist technologies such as Lane Departure Warning System and Forward Collision Warning System are only available as optional. Lane Keep Assist is not available on the Proton Saga.
Under the 2021-2025 protocol, the ASEAN NCAP began testing system functionalities of AEB technologies of different models. In their detailed report, the organisation confirmed that the Proton Saga’s AEB systems “functioned according to [their] requirements.”
Motorcyclist Safety (MS)
The Proton Saga did not fare as well in the MS category. Blind Spot Detection for both nearside and offside are not equipped as standard and are only available as optional features. Advanced Rear Visualisation and Pedestrian Protection are not at all available, while Auto High beam and AEB for Motorcycles are optional features.
To view the ASEAN NCAP’s full detailed safety report on the Proton Saga, click here.
You may also view the vehicle’s crash test video here.
