The Proton S16 sedan will become Australia’s cheapest car when it goes on sale in December for $11,990 drive away.
The four-door sedan is powered by a 1.6-litre twin cam petrol engine, producing 82kW and averaging 6.3 litres/100km.
Proton Cars Australia general manager of sales and operations Billy Falconer says the S16 is a unique prospect and offers great value for Australian motorists.
“S16 will be the only new four-door sedan available in Australia for less than $16,000 and will outpoint low-cost hatches and three-door models by offering a 1.6-litre engine and great equipment levels,” said Mr Falconer.
But the sub-$12,000 price tag is for a limited time only, with the manual GX model due for an upgrade in July 2010.
Despite this, Mr Falconer says interest in the new baby sedan has been strong.
“Our dealer network has embraced the new S16 already and there is a two month waiting list on dealer stock.”
The GX manual will be joined by an automatic in February, both cars coming standard with power steering, drivers SRS airbag, remote central locking with immobiliser and alarm and a CD player.
The refreshed line-up in July will welcome the higher-spec GXR model, which scores dual SRS airbags and ABS as well as alloy wheels, reverse sensors and fog lamps.
Dull looks, but then again you won’t get Guigario for 12 grand. Seems like good value. I wonder what the safety rating is.
Safety rating? I’ll be surprised if it gets any stars at all, considering Proton’s epic fail with the Jumbuck.
Funny how most of the listed standard stuff is an ADR requirement, lol.
I would be suprised if the safty rating is anything to write home about. However I suspect it would be safer than a 15 year old Excel or an even older entry level car from any of the japanese brands as most of those would not pass current ADR’s. Rust and tired bodies mean many of the older cars rattling along on our roads are a hell of alot less safe than many of their drivers think.
Build quality and quality of matirials is where Proton is most likely to fall down.
sad they used a name that pops into my head as the chassis code of the next generation silvia. <_<
Oh no! :-(
I went on a tour of Kuala Lumpur in one of these a few months ago. It was surprisingly spacious and comfortable, but bit of a rough ride. It did feel a bit basic and ‘cheap’ but for that price it is a pretty good deal, especially for teenagers or as a second car. Just a pity it is not as good looking as the Persona or Gen2.
Theres a reason this thing is dead cheap its because it may have some kit but its made of corn husks. The quality and fit is so low that my five year old niece would be horrified by it.
Probably built on a decade old Lancer platform but to get from A-B which pensioner would complain!
I get the cheap pricing but I bet the Auto box is still a $2000 option or almost a 20% premium on the whole car! Why do manufacturers do this, it makes no sense and apart from being a glaring money grab it detracts potential buyers who would put up with a manual and put that $2000 premium toward a dearer offering from another better brand!
It is based on the Proton Savvy platform which in turn is based on a Renault platform (sorry, can’t remember which one but certainly not as old as you make it to be).
When the car launches in December 2009, everyone can find out why it is so cheap. Built to a price, they say :)
I bet the S16 just scraped through Aussie Design Rulings. When it hits the market all other car second hand values could drop a bit. Isn’t there about two other chinese cars makers about to dump their vehicles on our shores? Emergency workers will soon be able to free trapped accident victims with tin snips or can openers.
It would seem one person here has had the opportunity to evaluate one of these S16 sedans so far. I am wary of Proton, but look forward to Car Advices first drive review of the S16. I am open to the possibility that this could be a good car.
It may well prove to be cheap and nasty, but if done right it may also be a step out of smoky old Datsuns and Geminis for many base level income Australians. There is a need for a cheap, basic, yet honest car at the bottom end of the new car spectrum. It may come as a surprise to some here, but there are still millions of Australians earning less than $20 an hour. Some people even work part time NOT as a lifestyle choice!
For many, cheap is not an option, it is the only option. Second hand is not always preferable to a cheap Malaysian or Chinese Import. By time a second hand car is less than $10,000 there is a reasonable chance there are some expensive overhauls on the horizon. At least a new car has a warranty and known individual history (none).
Yes it pays to have an open mind.
Remember whe not so may years ago when snobs thought only an Aussie car was good enough and wouldn’t touch so called “Japanese “rubbish”. Then the same to Korean vehicles, and now the same prejudice against Chinese or Malaysian or whatever. Now aussie cars are rightly regarded as inferior to the imports and that’s why their market share is low and declining.
It will put downward pressure on the prices for all cars which is good even for the snobs (except those who have already paid too much for some fantasy future lower depreciation which will never eventuate.)
Whether the proton is a good buy depends on your budget and circumstances. If the warranty is as good or better than other options and the price is several thousand dollars less (which it is) than the opposition why wouldn’t you at least wait for the reviews and give it some consideration before immediately writing it off out of some snobbery or prejudice.
I agree, if its destined to fall apart let it happen but until then, why not assume that it could be a half decent car.
German quality company TUV went through Proton and lifted quality standards – am yet to hear of any major defects with Proton cars. In fact you hear about each model Commodores having more recalls and variations in quality than almost all other new cars on the road.
Many said the Chinese built Great Wall utes would fall apart despite being based on proven ex-Japanese designs (Navara, Rodeo, ex Mitsubishi engine). Haven’t heard of any problems with them (though safety rating a disappointment)
If the S16 gets more people out of unroadworthy, smoke billowing clankers good for it! Only qualm is lack of a passenger airbag, they should have axed the painted bumpers and hubcaps to fund the airbag. At $12k who cares if it looks like bare bones car, better it be safe.
Here’s the thing with Proton — they look okay on paper but after 12 months, you will definitely be questioning your decision to buy.
I’ve been in Malaysia for 6 years and though I know the quality controls on export models exceed those for the domestic market, the cars still run off the same factory & built by the same people.
Not to say that there are some plus points (even byond the pricing). I had a Waja for 18 months and was quite happy with it. Proton does make a lot out of its ownership of Lotus and you will find that the cars all handle quite well. Looks also, I’d say the S16 (New Saga) looks far from ugly.
Having driven a couple now myself I’d provide the following advice for prospective buyers…it takes Proton quite a few years to iron out the kinks in manufacturing of their cars. This has not yet been done for the new Saga and despite being able to mount an argument based on the paper specs and price, notwithstanding the dated quality standards of the fit & finish, buy something else.
Cheers from KL
I bought one, ahve had it a week, so far very impressed! Given the low price, was suprised by the quality of standard equipment. Only issue is with (seemingly flat battery in one of the key/remotes) ……………..otherwise it’s greAT VALUE IN MY OPINION!
go to the nearest proton service centre and force them to replace the battery.:) why dont u join our club? here:
http://blmclub.proboards.com/index.cgi
i own one. is a good entry level compact sedan. i can say i pay less but i get more.
here in Malaysia , we can only get the 1.3.
-ride is adequately comfortable. handling is ok. ride n handling tuned by Lotus.
-low rev a bit sucks for city drive. mid to high rpm amazing.i do think is not a problem with 1.6
-spacious cabin with adequate boot space
-high seating position, good sight to drive.
-no problem at all after one year owning.
-very tall roof to suit the oversea people, haha, i dont like this coz it
contributes to most of the ugliness of the car.
more info u can just go here:
http://paultan.org/2008/01/18/.....ve-report/
if u r sad coz it looks ugly, go here, i done mine:
http://paultan.org/2008/01/21/.....on-design/
am glad the car is proving to be reliable I actually don’t mind the look – sure the wheels look tiny but at 12k who cares lol.
I am one of the said persons who receive less than $20 per hour! I have driven a Wira Hatchback for 14 years (1995 model) and have nothing but praise for it. I have replaced the battery twice and, while admittedly I don’t travel far, I need fill up only once a month. It still looks good, and runs well. The best ‘safety’ feature of any car, is the driver. If the S16 is as good as my current car, I will be buying.
Safety rating is just a gimmick sales pitch. If you drive safely it’s all god. $12 grand for a sedan – not bad ey.
I have to disagree safety ratings are not a sale gimmick, sure being careful on the roads is important but if a reckless driver runs into you, the fact you were driving carefully won’t make any difference when it comes to chances of survival. Inexperienced, new drivers can be sensible and well meaning but can still make mistakes too.
I think a lot of people are jumping to the “cheap is rubbish” bandwaggon just bit early on this one. Proton Berhad has invested a huge amount of money in one of the most up to date and modern manufacturing facilities any where in the world in the plant jusy outside KL. All the robotics and assembly line are the same as that used by Toyota in the assembly of their vehicles.They have come a very long way since the original plant at Shah Alam, and the plant at Tanjung Malim is testimate to their resolve.Give them a chance……
Has CA done a test of the S16 yet? I would be interested to hear an impartial assessment.
I purchased a white Proton SI6 in South Australia as a second cheaper car to our Ford territory. I have been very happy with it for the price. I went looking at them expecting the worse & came away surprised that they looked ok & even more surprised on how well they drove. Compared to the other lower cost brand cars it had a larger motor that coped with the hills etc better than the other brands. It had alot more room including elbow & leg room than the others & steering,handling, suspension etc drove alot,smoother & better than the other lower end priced cars.Even the airconditionimng seemed to cope better. With a large amount of boot space aswell compared to the tiny hatches of the other cars the Proton S16 has been a great car to drive. I’m interested in seeing some actual reviews done on them because I seem to be missing all the so called faults youd expect with a cheap car.
Just took one of these for a test drive. Not really in the market for a new car at the moment, but the price tag sparked my interest.
The Car has (obviously) been built to a price, but while a lot of things have been compromised, space is a remarkable feature. With a friend and myself (both around 6ft/100kg) riding in the front, there was no uncomfortable elbow crunching that comes with second gear in so many small cars. Glancing behind there was still more legroom in the back than usual for a car in this price bracket. with an added bonus that all of you have overlooked, THIS IS A SEDAN! That means no more “Three door hatch shuffle” – Not only can people sit in the back with some space, but you don’t have to get out of your seat to drop off a passenger!!
The air con was ample to deal with the heat, and for (really REALLY) base level the stereo is adequate. The ride was comfortable, steering responsive and not too light. The engine seemed a little low in torque, but cruised happily with good power at the top end.
BUT HOW DO THEY MAKE A CAR FOR UNDER 12 GRAND????
Simple. The compromises are one of the most visible aspects of the car. The interior trim is at best basic. Attention to detail has been discarded as too the ability to fit components flush and square. The dash appears to have been made by three or four different manufacturers and pieced together in a hurry with no concern that textures and colours are being mismatched to form a plain grey tapestry of plastic. The dash display appears as though the fascia has been removed, and while this may have been a design feature, I am certain that I have put more time and thought into writing this, than the designers for a car that is built with one aim: BE CHEAP.
Cheap it is. If you take one of these for a test drive, promise me you will pay particular attention to the two most important deal makers/breakers for this car:
1. Have the passenger (gently) tap the back of the drivers seat. Try to find the frame of the seat in amongst the foam. Now picture an eight year old child swinging their feet on a one hundred kilometre family drive. Worse still, picture some unrestrained items on the back seat under heavy braking, or a collision.
2. Turn right at a signaled intersection. The pillar is thicker than most, and with the narrow front aspect of the car, it encroaches on your vision of where you are turning. My view of the right turn signal was completely obscured. “No big problem!”- you say “Just lean forward” You may find that tolerable, but having to adjust your drive position frequently makes for an uncomfortable experience. If something annoys you in a half hour test drive, consider carefully your willingness to settle with it for 3/5/7 years. While on the matter, does the steering wheel appear a little left of centre to anyone else??
So on one hand you have a comfortable, easy to drive car that handles well. On the other hand the irony of the “hex bolt” design on the steering wheel cannot be overlooked. This car has been pieced together with parts of the best price and so will be different things to different people. The decision is entirely yours.
Whilst I dont totally disagree with some of the comments I think you have to compare the Proton S16 with cars in its price range. As it has been mentioned that compared to a little hatch type car that are too small & tinny ,have tiny high reving motors & drive & handle poorly the only other choice would be a used car with all the normal used car faults. The styling of the dash display,dash design & the hex key on the steering wheel is the trend with small cars at the moment including the other brands. I dont think any car that drives, steers,handles as well as the S16 for its price can be that bad. Especially since most of the major competitors brands including the ones with factories here in Australia are profiting from importing & rebranding cheap cars mostly made in korea,china & india anyway.
when u pay only 12K for a car, dont expect it to be like a dream car. i think this car is worth the money considering the price. when u know it is a not too safe car (altho i think the safety feature is already adequate), dont drive like an idiot, its not a volvo.let me share you story why i said the safety does not suck that much.
http://kereta.info/proton-saga.....r-evident/
yes, the pillar is too big.i agree.cheap looking interior. i agree. there is many other things i kinda hate about this car, but cannot complain much, it is 12K only.here in malaysia, its like ‘nothing is impossible’ land, so any feature id like to improve can be improved. from beauty, suspension to performance.parts are cheap. u name it. not in australia. so, think wisely.
They have performance kits for these??? Would that include a turbo kit? How do the engines hold up when tuned (do they self destruct within 20,000km or did lotus do some forward planning with this motor).
yes, they (not proton) have aftermarket turbo kit for campro. boost max till 0.5 only, dont exceed this, that engine cannot handle it. search in youtube, campro turbo, some satria neo done it get pretty good results. for basic power improvement, try air intake, sport exhaust, adjustable cam gear for better low rpm torque. suspension, sport rims shops are just too many here in Malaysia. FYI, stock campro is already adequate, but for performance enthusiast, as long as u have money, sky is the limit. one guy even transplanted mivec motor in S16 auto trans.haha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3PuJyjGHkY
what assessories are available for the S16(Saga) or other Protons in Malaysia? Here only stone chip protector, side weathersheilds that I was going to add to the look of the car. Dealers also can do reverse parking sensors if needed.Is there a website you can by assessories including tshirts,keyrings etc from? I got free carmats with it that fit like genuine but they didnt have a Proton badge on them at all. As i previously said I still think its a great little sedan.
FYI, these accessories are not offered by proton dealer. They are aftermarket items sold by various auto accessories shops/suppliers.Like i said before, there is too many accessories for local cars here in malaysia. If you really have interest, why dont you visit this online bazaar:
http://blmclub.proboards.com/i.....bazaararea
i am not promoting anything, but just so that you know what accessories are available so far for S16.
ok, i know u need to login to see that page. say if u are lazy to register and bla bla bla, just google ‘saga BLM (anything)’ e.g ‘saga blm front bumper’ , u can have an idea what are available so far
car styling examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwmFJYL51Tc
Going for a test drive tomorrow.
It has the same safety features as my old second hand ( GM ) car and hopefully won’t cost me thousands each year ( unlike current car ).
Will usually be used as single person transport, but will hold my family when necessary.
There is a certain amount of gimick in safety features.
Driver damage due to contact with steering used to be the major cause of trauma, and drivers airbags reduced head injury by something like 90%. Passenger airbag probably reduced it by another 4%. Curtain airbags by a lesser extent. I would expect this to be way safer than what we were all driving in the 80′s and also safer than their ute ( built on a 1993 platform.)
1 Star ANCAP rating – count them…1.
This car should not even be allowed on the roads. Comments like ‘there is a certain amount of gimick (sic) in safety features’ just show that the marketing people are smarter than the buying public who will buy crap and put themselves and their families at risk if it’s at the right price.
If you’ve seen the deformity that will happen to the passenger capsule of a 2 or 3 star ANCAP car in a minor collision then there’s no way that you would put yourself in a 1 star car, let alone your family.
The Proton website doesn’t even specify if there is ABS or all round disks – what’s the bet there are drums on the rear.
Do yourself a favour – buy an 2nd hand car with a better rating and encourage Proton to shape up or ship out.
I dont thinkthere is a ANCAP rating yet for the S16. The Ancad rating 1 mentioned is for the Proton ute & another brand of ute & a coomon issue amoungst ures & comercial vehicles & not related to the imported sedans. After driving the other brand cars in this price range I felt safer in the Si6 than I did in the other brands which were little hatches with very small motors. The 1.6 motor in the current Si6 had more go up hills & more likely to get you out of trouble. The car felt bigger,roomer & stronger & handled the corners better than the hatches. Allround disks in Australia is still not standard on most cars on the road including alot of second hand cars available with the exception of more top of the range sporter cars at a mich higher price range & the front disks & rear drums are considered ok here in Australia & not a major issue. At $11990 drive away I’m pretty happy with my S16 & feel pretty safe & secure in it.I guess time will tell.
I dont think there is a ANCAP rating yet for the S16. The Ancad rating 1 mentioned is for the Proton ute & another brand of ute & a common issue amoungst utes & comercial vehicles & not related to the imported sedans. After driving the other brand cars in this price range I felt safer in the Si6 than I did in the other brands which were little hatches with very small motors. The 1.6 motor in the current Si6 had more go up hills & more likely to get you out of trouble. The car felt bigger,roomer & stronger & handled the corners better than the hatches. Allround disks in Australia is still not standard on most cars on the road including alot of second hand cars available with the exception of more top of the range sporter cars at a mich higher price range & the front disks & rear drums are considered ok here in Australia & not a major issue. At $11990 drive away I’m pretty happy with my S16 & feel pretty safe & secure in it.I guess time will tell.
My friend got 1.. in Malaysia we called it Saga 1.6.
I am looking at buying this as a family car and it will need to fit three car seats for children under the age of seven. Does it have three anchors to attach car seats? What is the boot space like? Any suggestions from anyone?
Hi,
I am just wondering if anyone has had any serious issues with the S16. My mother purchased one in december and it has done 17,000km now. The issues she has is that:
The fuel light starts flashing when there is still 8 litres left in the tank, this will probally get you another 120km.
The central locking now does not work using both keys – i am assuming this is not a battery issue.
Also the car overheated and died for no good reason on two occasions now.
The front speakers do not work
And the back seat has unclipped
Protons response to this has been very disapointing. We have been in contact with fair trading but in the mean time they have suggested to find out if there have been other users of the s16 that have had these issues or others it would be very great to hear them.
Dont get me wrong, it is a great car, fantasic to drive and to be a passenger in. i am just hoping that this is not a lemon…..
I don’t think the s16 came with front speaker.
The fuel warning light came earlier maybe due to Proton safety net not going to heat up the fuel pump due to to very low fuel. Savvy is worst still left 13L of fuel already fuel warning light came up.
Can I know which part of Australia you are?
Hi
Sorry to hear of your frustration but it sounds to me that you have few if any deep concens
Fuel light is correct. 40l fuel tank will accept about 27l when fuel light comes on. This is to give you safety range as well as ensure petrol pump does not suck air (or its curtains for the pump).
No front speakers.
Sounds like one of the remote batteries is flat or unit is not tuned. Did you leave one on a magnet or big TV? Remember to point them to front passenger seat for best reception.
Rear seat un-clipping may need investigation but maybe it wasn’t clipped right in the first place.
Overheating is a concern but be happy the car stopped itself instead of pushing on and then clagging totally. There will be a good reason – it just needs to be found.
If in or near Brisbane why not take this to the main dealer and I bet they can have you all sorted (and yes I am a former employee).
All the best
:-)