Proton S16 Review & Road Test

Pros: Driving dynamics; handling; practicality; price

Cons: No passenger or side airbags; No ESC or ABS

By Alborz Fallah | February 03rd, 2010

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Price: $5,400 to $10,200

Our Rating:

Performance, Ride & Handling	2.5
Comfort and Interior	3
Quality & Design	3
Value & Features	3.5
Green	4

$11,990 for a car? Are they kidding. I’ve seen options for car stereos priced higher than that!

Model Tested:

2010 Proton S16 GX; 1.6-litre, four cylinder, petrol; five-speed manual; four-door sedan – $11,990 (drive away)

CarAdvice Rating:

The cheapest Ferrari in Australia costs $459,650 plus on roads, you can drive that around on Sundays, be worried about where you park it, make sure no one scratches etc etc… or you can buy 38 new Proton S16s drive away, leave one in each Suburb that you may (or may not) ever visit and you’ll never have another worry.

Okay, that was a ridiculous comparison but it gives you some perspective on how two objects which at their core, do the exact same thing, as in, get you from A to B can vary in price so much.

The same goes for pretty much everything else, sunglasses, audio visual equipment and clothing, you can buy a pair of jeans from Jeans West for about $50, or a pair of designer Jeans that start hitting the $1,000 mark.

Nonetheless the old saying of you get what you pay for still applies, so if you’re paying $12,000 for a car you may not be expecting much, but you’d be surprised.

The Proton S16 is one those cars that is designed to be exactly that, a car that will get you from A to B. Nothing more and nothing less. It does exactly what it says it will do and it does it rather well considering.

My previous reviews of Proton vehicles have been filled with complaints of excessive cabin noise, lack of power and comfort. So I expected more of the same when I arrived at the Proton dealership in Brisbane to collect my red S16.

The first thing I noticed is that the S16 isn’t actually that small, it’s 4256mm long and 1680mm wide which means there is actually enough room for a good interior.

It was time to get in the cheapest car in Australia.

It had been some time since I’ve had to use a key to start a car, with most cars now having moved to smart keys and start/stop buttons. Of course such a feature (which really is not a necessity when you think about it) would no doubt add another $500+ to the price of a car and remember this is about the bare essentials of A to B travel.

Key in the ignition and the 1.6-litre Campro IAFM engine springs to life confidently. With 82Kw at 6,000rpm and 148Nm of torque on tap you would think the S16 is relatively unpowered, not so. The car weighs just 1070kg which means it has a power to weight ratio of 77kW per tonne.

In laymen’s terms that means it’s just like most cars on the road today, for example a Suzuki Swift has a power to weight ratio of 76kW per tonne and a Subaru Impreza has a power to weight ratio of 82kW per tonne. If you must know, that ‘cheap’ Ferrari I mentioned before has a power to weight ratio of almsot 210kW per tonne, so, yes you do get what you pay that extra $447,000 for.

As I drove out of the Proton dealership the very first thing I tested was the S16′s acceleration, grab second gear and flatten the accelerator. The specifications say it gets from 0-100km/h in 12.5 seconds but it sure as hell feels quicker than that. You have to rev it hard if you want the most out of it but given it gets away with using just 6.3L of fuel per 100km, it’s pretty darn good.

Speaking of fuel economy, my (ridiculous) comparison car, the Ferrari California uses 13.1 litres/100 km and emits 306g of carbon emissions per kilometre. The S16 uses half the fuel for the same distance and emits just 148g/km. You win all around.

Now you might be thinking a car that costs $12,000 must have some short falls and yes it does. My main complaint with the car is the lack of dual-front airbags (currently only driver-side airbag), ABS and electronic stability control (ESC). That will partially be fixed when the S16 GLX arrives mid 2010 (priced above the GX tested here). The GLX will feature dual-front airbags and come with ABS standard. As for ESC, that may be some time away.

The biggest issue reviewing the S16 is the price, every time I think, it would be nice if… I remember it only costs $12,000 drive away.

It would be nice if the stereo would connect to my iPod, it would be nice if the steering wheel was leather, it would be nice if it had alloy wheels, it would be nice if it had reverse sensors, it would be nice if it had remote boot release, it would be nice if…

Wait! It’s only $12,000 drive away. Actually if you must know, given that the stereo is not integrated, it’s easily upgradable for a few hundred dollars, you can put a leather cover on the steering wheel yourself, you can option it out with alloy wheels, reverse sensors and also get the remote boot release kit all from Proton themselves.

Ride & handling is where the S16 stands out. Of course there is nothing in its price category that I could compare it to but even putting it against cars costing $10,000 more it still comes out ahead. Proton makes a big deal about their cars benefiting from Lotus ride & handling technology and you only ever really notice its validity when you’re going around a corner at speed in a car with tiny 13-inch wheels and it’s not missing a beat.

Driving dynamics are a treat for a car so cheap. You know the feeling of being in a small nimble car with a lively engine that just wants to be revved and thrown around corners? It’s a bit like that. It may not be that quick but it’s rather fun to drive. Packed with a few adults in the car there is no longer that sense of the car struggling, sure if you have five adults in the S16 it will not feel as nimble as before… but did I say it only costs $12,000?

As for the interior it’s nothing special really, but then again it’s not suppose to be either. The stereo runs through a Clarion head unit with two rear speakers, the air conditioner controls are typical and the dash layout is pretty standard. As for the seats themselves, they are comfortable for getting around town.

Despite near 40-degree heat in Brisbane, the air-conditioning system works quickly and effectively (Malaysia is humid so they definitely get the air-conditioning units right in these cars).

It’s worth noting that rear leg room is enormous for a car this size. I am nearly 180cm tall and with the driver’s seat adjusted for my height I can still sit comfortably behind the driver and have enough room to move my legs around. I probably wouldn’t take five adults for long distance drives but four adults can comfortably travel anywhere in the S16.

The Proton S16 is the cheapest car in Australia and as a result there is now a waiting list for buyers. You can be critical of all the features it lacks, but if you have about $12,000 to spend on a new car either as your first or a second get around car, it’s hard to be critical of such a genuine package that does exactly what it says.

Having now spent four days with the S16, it has started to grow on me. The car has a lot of character, it feels alive and willing to do what is asked. I liken it to a small puppy, you can’t help but to love it, despite its few flaws (plus its probably cheaper than a puppy over its lifetime!).

If you’re looking for a no-BS car that will get you to and from places without complaints, you really must test drive the S16. First it’s vital to put any previous brand prejudices behind, plus you can rest comfortably knowing that in case anything goes wrong the company offers a three year, unlimited kilometre warranty plus 24 hours roadside assistance all included in the price (that’s better than most Japanese manufacturers!). It’s the perfect car for the budget conscious buyer looking to get a new vehicle with warranty.

Ratings:

CarAdvice Overall Rating:
How does it Drive:
How does it Look:
How does it Go:

Reader reviews of the PROTON S16

December 20th, 2011

By: D Is For Drive

Rating:

With the trade on my car, I paid $7000 for this Proton S16 GX. $7000, with 17 kilometres on the clock, 12 months r... Read more

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RdS

aah. i think its sweet.
definetley alot for your money – i cant believe its so suprisingly big. no wonder the 13″ wheels look so small!
nice engine bay too, oddly enough. neat layout, looks easy to work on, and nice to see the paint coverage in there. its seen alot higher end (well, japanese) car’s with engine-bay’s that are just roughly blown over with paint!

gt6

Would prefer to pay an extra grand for dual air bags and ABS as part of the package. Upspec GLX will take care of that soon though. Would like to see a comparison between this and established cheapies and the upcoming newbies. Would certainly take a better ride/handling package over a couple of extra conveniences on the inside.

Fraz006

but, if the higher spec is 1.3, u ll lose some fun of driving it. its crawling from 0kmh to 60kmh. me using it now, luckily is a manual. so have to squeeze to 4 rpm to keep pace with traffic when air cond is on.

Raziq

You are very lucky.You get low price. In M’sia, the price is more higher.I think the of 1.6 price is same to 1.3cc in Malaysia.
Anyway, thanks for support M’sian product.

crouchy

Alborz, is that Rachel Finch????

Has anyone seen this in another colour? I get the feeling that red might be a little bit ambitious.. Perfect for the ferrari comparison though.

http://www.caradvice.com.au/ Alborz Fallah

Yes it is, she is the face of the campaign for the S16. Great choice!
As for other colours, its available in

Black, Blue, Silver, White and Red.

Shak

I saw many in black in my recent Malaysia visit and they look very good for a small sedan. Also Rachel Finch is the brand ambassador for Proton

Baddass

I do like the overall look of this car. It’s strange it gets it so right when cars double it’s price don’t. In this case it is all about simplicity, less is more and so on. It doesn’t have unneccessary curves and bulges. Just exactly what it needs. I love it, and would gladly take one over a Barina, a car costing 5k + more.
http://www.littlepixiegifts.com.au Gift-Ed

My only concern would be safety. I’ll be interested to see what ANCAP rating it gets. No arguments about the great value though.

Classic

In terms of safety and this car’s apparent lack of the various systems we take for granted in many of today’s cars, this would be no different to driving a 20 year old car, which many people do quite happily.

Reckless1

Perfect – only 1070kgs. Instead of buying a 10yo car for 12g you can get a brand new one with the same safety level as the 10yo unit.

Tyres for 13″ wheels are as cheap as, or have they got dearer since almost no car uses them anymore?

But wasn’t there some new state/federal law that all new cars from 2010 must have ESP fitted?

A few years ago Proton tried to sell a 1.6litre car for $26,000 – that was plain silly, but this is better value. However, at 10 years old, it will be ready for the scrap heap.

Aleks

Yeah seriously, whats going to happen with this. I to remember that ESP will need to be standard on all cars sold from 2010 or 2011 or something like that???
blitzkrieg

ahh reckless1,your wrong buddy with your new car to 10yr old safety comparison.

I can garantee you that my 2000 model subaru liberty with dual airbags,ABS and a 4

star crash rating will be a safer vehicle than this proton.This thing will reach

3 star safety only.

Bob

Should be illegal to sell a car without ABS and ESC!

toxic_horse

Yawn, I am sick of people telling me what i should have to pay extra for if i don’t want it.
Some people know how to stop and steer cars.

Duckula

Couldnt agree more Toxic – my aunt has a new car that came with reverse sensors and ESC ( she didnt get a choice, its just came with both) and guess what are the only 2 things that continually dont work properly – she now has both permanently switched off…. she wishes she never got rid of her 1991 Corolla Seca – God bless her..haha and shes more than happy to remind me that she has been driving for 40+ accident free years without needing reverse sensors, to quote her ‘thats what mirrors are for arent they’ and ESC ‘is that the same as the button on the top left hand corner of my keyboard’…..

Mitch

Some people are idiots, CA can you do a article on the importance of ABS and ESC and show the differences they make.

Hopefully some people will get it through their thick heads.

RdS

yep, ABS and ESC are fantastic safety features to have in cars; but theres tons of safety features only in high-end cars thatd be nice in all cars. corner brake controls, anti whiplash head restraints 10 airbags, etc. they all make things safer, but you can get by without them. some people are happy not paying the extra for it.
im sure theres plenty of people who haved payed extra for safety features in their new car; but still speed in the wet, on the phone, with bald tires. no amount of safety gear is going to save some people from their own stupidity.
riceboy

end of the day, people should have choice, i drive a GTI with ESP/6 airbags/ANCAP 5 stars, but i also ride motorbike, should the government make motorbikes illegal because they don’t have airbags or ABS/ESP?

Jaxxa

I could not disagree more. You know how to stop and steer a car? Can you apply brakes to individual wheels to counter loss of control? Watch this Fifth Gear story on this technology which was done by Tiff Needell, former F1 driver: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3m24bjkfg0

I think that shows clearly what you need to know about this incredible technology and why every car ought to have it.

mmmmm

I agree, its time the government mandated safety features on all new cars.

Duckula

I have to agree with the review ( I have had one – on loan – for about 3 weeks now) and the little machine ( thats not as little as it looks) has not skipped a beat, its nippy, quiet and is a pleasant enough place to be ( its no more plasticky than any early 2000’s small car) the only thing I would probably do, if I owned one (this car type doesnt suit my needs) is whack in a decent stereo and speakers ( but then most people who buy these probably only listen to AM talkback anyways) and put some larger wheels on it.Obviously a longer drive would provide more data, but from my own personal experience so far she ain’t a bad little jigga’ at all.
PS: The one I have is white

Mark G

AM talkback??? hahah are you joking? Are you saying 70+ year olds are going to be buying this car?

Duckula

Yeah, the dealer who gave me the loaner said that more than 50% of the people that either enquire or buy them so far have been in the 50+ age group ( which is weird, cos there is no automatic available till mid year) So yeah I think there are going to be a lot of mid 90′s corollas and 323\’s with low kilometres coming onto the 2nd hand market shortly…

Allison Crawford

I like the overal look, color would be my pick but the rims simply look to small

Duckula

Allison, in the flesh so to speak the rims/wheels look even tinier than they appear in the pics, but having said that, Im sure it wont be too long until someone has ‘pimped’one and put on a set of 20″ shiny chrome rims…. *Sigh*

Philthy

I saw one cruising along the M1 with big wheels and tint a couple of weeks ago. Needed to be a bit lower but it looked surprisingly good.

Dennis

Congrats to Proton! You really can’t beat the S16 for value at all. Beats any Chinese or Korean car on the Market for value.

G

Try a Suzuki Alto, for $500 extra ($12,490) you get 6 air bags, ABS, iPod connection and 14″ wheels

toxic_horse

Yea also half the size and a pathetic engine.

Duckula

Yeah and the alto only takes premium unleaded…. not to mention the fact you have to detach your legs below the knee to get in the back seat of the Alto
Bobby

You are showing your ignorance. That 3-cylinder 1-litre unit Suzuki produces is a great engine, similar to the original Daihatsu Charades.

croozza

You cannot compare the suzi motor with the daihatsu, the daihatsu was a much better car than that, the proton picks up where the daihatsu left off.

AAA

The apparent success of this car as seen from all the positive comments here is built on billions of Malaysian tax payers’ money. May I add. Again.
Nankano

The girl is stove *hot*>>>>>!

GREAT price but no excuse for the lack of safety kit.

Proton playing its hand now, knows the Chinese are on the way….
Callous Aussie

I agree that the safety kit is an issue, however for eons it wasn’t there. What proton are doing is making new cars more accessible for low budget motorists and despite the lack of esp, chances are these people took a bomb off the road to make the purchase. So it is still a step in the right direction.

Keeping cheap new cars available ultimately determines how much other makers charge for vehicles just a little further up the ladder and is a win for consumers.
Wayne Kerr

12K for this car isn’t bad, but personally, I’d go to a car auction for a budget car.

Back in ’08, I saw an ’05 white Falcon sell for $7300. < 100,000 km and a fairly decent interior. I know not everyone's a fan of Falcadores, but you have admit – saving 5K and getting much better safety has to mean something.

The Oracle

Good point, the extra $5K buys an awful lot of petrol for a long time before the higher fuel consumption becomes a negative.
AAA

Soon after your ex-rental falcon craps an auto & costs > $2,000 or blows its header tank on a stinking hot day and cooks the motor or the diff gets noisy or the heater core leaks or brake rotors go corrugated or the abs unit dies, etc etc.
You could get a good falcon or you could get a shocker and they are known to happen. I am surprised at the number of accidents I have been to where airbags on aussie cars a few years old have not detonated. Although that doesn’t happen does it.

HyundaiSmoke

Speaking about Proton, I hear all next gen-Protons will be speced to pass US Safety and Emissions tests. Hummm, it seems somebody has US entry plans. Proton will be forced to have a better warranty in this market (at least 100K Mi/160K KM), but if they sell them for $7, 9, 8, $10,000 US like the way they down under they can get off to a good start,and may be what Proton needs. Americans trust Malasyian Saws, tractors, and power tools. Why not cars?

This S16 however isnt worth the $10,600 US ($12,000 AUD) they are charging for it. Respected makes with more substantial cars that come with basic safety tech our government requires (which add money to a car) can sell them about a grand cheaper here.

prolover

yep, thats right…
right now proton already in making a sedan with Italdesign-Giugiaro SpA. It will be engineered to meet tougher European and North American standards and it will reveal early 2012…
fyi…there also hybrid exora in uk now.. still on developing and according to proton it will be launch around 2011…
and about cheap car with no safety at all… for me even though u have a beemer or merc or what ever car with higher safety rate… stupid and insane driving skill still cant protect u… so drive safe.

HyundaiSmoke

I do like their Hyundai-Esque Engine bay simplicity though. Hona’s on the othe hand have otten crazy wth theirengines, have you see the Civic. Wow, its like an “Old GM” product in its complexity.

That doesnt bode well, for Honda.

HyundaiSmoke

Hey Im just being real, people are getting tired of these cars that you have the lift the engine out in order to get the spark plugs.

If you desire a car like that, then you deserve the problems ahead.

As I have stated before, there a Big Frugality Movenment going on in America, and one of the side effects now is that people want to fix their own cars to save tons of money. This Proton would fit very well here right now. Another thing that’s aracting people to Hyundai is the ease and efficiency you can fix the thing. They are built like erector sets. One part goes here, the next part makes sense, etc….

Hondas, Toyotas, GM, etc…. arent like that anymore. YOU NEED A SPECIALIZD ASE SERVICE CENTER JUST TO CHANGE YOUR DAMM SPARK PLUGS in Your Civic or Colbalt.

UMWAHT

damn, strap a turbo on that baby..

Dennis

And a set of 17″ Rims and be done with it.

JC Rules

perfect cheap first car – IMHO one of the best Proton’s made. Dacia Sandero for Australia
Tony

outside of australia this is nothing new

australia has certain cost structures that prevent a REALLY cheap car

but in the US and EU there’s any number of extremely cheap and basic cars where for whatever reason, are extremely popular

america has their $9,999 Nissan Versa (Tiida) which is a stripper with a 1.6 litre four where aircon and radio are optional

there’s also a number of cheap crap GMs like the Aveos and Cobalts which are also rubbish (but fine for what they are)

EU has tax/rego benefits for tiny cars and they have the Toyota Aygo and other tiny little cheap cars from France, Eastern Europe and even China.

I know it’s nice for us here to drive our Golf GTIs and turbos and sedans and stuff but I think there’s a market for this sort of thing.

Perhaps they also need to move away from the old dealership model. Maybe they need to sell them at Aldis or Costco

The dealer model is entrenched by expensive and rarely pleasant for anyone.

HyundaiSmoke

Versa and Accent are the top 2 sellers of small B cars in America, and when I said earlier about more substantial cars from known and trusted companies than this S16 that are cheaper, and have more safety features I was referring to those 2 cars.

However, trust me you dont want to buy the $9980 Versa or the $9970 Accent. To get any livable features in those cars you’re going to have to fork out about $14K. Both cars, become realy good at about that price. However, unlike the Versa the Accent has a better reliablity history and isnt built in Mexico.

Mexican built cars by any make= Near Chinese quality

HyundaiSmoke

They cant sell it with 13s either here in the US. 14 is the smallest wheels on new cars allowed by Law now, and its been like this since 01.

Tony

mate i don’t even want an Aussie spec 1.8 six speed manual Tiida!

there aren’t much options on the US Versa… I think automatic + air + abs is it… of course there are dealer options (like radio, central locking etc.)

btw. the above Proton wheels = 175/70 R13

HyundaiSmoke

Tida/Versa is bad becuase of their source points of production. Thailand and Mexico. Ask any American if Mexican built cars are of rubbish quality. most will agree with my assessment, and if anybody had Versa on their shopping list some would change their minds and buy Accent.

pirakavezok

$12,000 is definitely value for money but question is what price do you put on safety? With safety belts as the only safety feature, I can’t help but wonder how unsafe this car is. A quick check with the EuroNCAP website (for Proton Impian with airbags) confirmed it. I guess the adage “you get what you pay for” still applies.
Lolcats

Noticed there’s no auto version mentioned on their website?

Kit

Forget about the automatic!! Tested one in Malaysia and the car suddenly feels like 2000kg…

Lolcats

hahahaha thanks kit. Okie it rules this car out!
http://caradvice.com.au Terry Donovan

I could be wrong but it may have been only a 1.3 litre engine Proton S16 or SAGA as they are known that you test drove. It seems that the majority of them are 1.3 overseas with the one in Australia with the 1.6 engine was built fot the Taxi Cab market in Malaysia. I read that the reason for the extra large boot was for the SAGA to fit into the Taxi specs too.

zack

yup,in Malaysia theres no 1.6liter engines for normal folks,looks like proton favor aussie more than malaysian..

ps;i’m a Malaysian

Khai RULE

I’m a Malaysia living in S.Alam and bougt the 1.6L saga red color for 38K otr.

What do you mean Proton prefers Aussie more?

peter

at least its enviro friendly: euro 4 emissions standard, smaller wheels/tyres, no smart key battery to change, good mileage, lowish co2 output. now if they can make it with a 5 star ancap rating and have good reliability the world is their oyster, at least until the tata nano arrives.
Jack

I’d buy it for sure, only if she came with the car
The Oracle

Would you then sell the car?
Torque

G’Day Alborz,
How did the gearshift feel?
Sometimes those cable shifts can feel quite rubbery and imprecise, even on expensive cars. It would be good if you gave some measurements for the boot size D/W/H etc. How was the rear headroom height? Posting city and country fuel consumption figures would be good.
I saw a white one the other day and it looked good and fairly large for a small? car.
BTW, There is someone in an orange shirt in the bushes in picture where the woman stands at left front quarter of car. Hmmm, whats going on there? I hope that is not a promotional picture as the right rear sill is dented.
Tony

i’d like to see it with 14″ or 15″ rims because it looks comical with those 13″ ones

it would at least look more normal

z.k

here in Malaysia, you can see S16 @ SAGA in 14″ to 17″ rims.. i’ve also heard that someone put 18″ rims but need a little bit of mod.. mine using a 16″ rims.. & still performs well

z.k

on a 1.3cc engine

http://caradvice.com.au Terry Donovan

I purchaed a white S16 as a second car for the family to our Ford Territory. Weve found it a great car to drive around for the price. Glad to see it got a good reveiw because so far Ive really liked it. For a small car it handles really well around corners, drives well & with a decent size engine handles the hills well. Clarion CD player seems ok & may get round to getting front speakers installed. I think the looks ok & comfort are ok. Heaps of room,leg room & a very,very generous boot. Certainly better value than the very small & underpowered hatches I test drove at the time around the price range.

undiscloseddesires

so Terry,
can i know your S16′s fuel consumption
and is there any problems occur on your S16?

http://caradvice.com.au Terry Donovan

Only whats on the window sticker. It says 6.3 L/100k. It states 9.3 urban meaning around the suburbs I assume & 4.5 extra uban being heavy traffic I guess. Fairly small petrol tank always taking under $40 to fill from empty that seems to last ok. Certainly alot cheaper to run than our Territory. IVe heard a 1.3 lmotor version is coming in July with a few extras & would use less petrol but I think I’d prefer the 1.6. No havent had any problems with the car at all. Its had its first 1000 k service & drives great.

undiscloseddesires

terry,yeah 1.6 got more power
so good luck with your S16.

AAA

A good saver or smart buyer could buy one of these cars for cash.
Others that borrow $12k for one are still far better off than someone borrowing $30K + for something else that will be worth half its value in 5 years.
The protons running costs should be far cheaper.
Roughly speaking, on a 5yr loan the proton would cost $15,500. The $30k car would cost $38,500. But in that 5years both cars are worth about half of their original purchase price = bugger. There is a hell of a lot of people borrowing quite heavily for their new cars. My tip/ home leavers hint, It is best to avoid or minimise your borrowing for depreciating items.
d

Chinese car vs. Malaysia proton

Which is the better?

http://www.littlepixiegifts.com.au Gift-Ed

AFAIK the only Chinese car to be ANCAP tested is the Great Wall ute. It got 1 and a half stars from memory. I think it also got a recall for faulty seat belts. I would vote for Proton being safer.

What I’d like to see is the crash test video for an S16. We can be aware that it doesn’t have all the ABS and air bags, but a strong safety cell is crucial.

http://www.caradvice.com.au OSU811

I would love to see a comparison between this and the Suzuki Alto GL manual!!
as both are advertised for $11,990 drive away at the moment!!, and both have 4 doors,
the alto has more safety features eg(6 a/bags, abs), but a smaller engine, but would be better on fuel!,, how about it??? would be an interesting comparison in this price bracket?

http://caradvice.com.au Terry Donovan

I looked at both the Alto & the S16 as well as the Kia Rio & the Hyundai. I wanted something with a bigger engine, more room & bigger bootspace & so the S16 won hands down. Whilst alot of the time I drive it on my own I still wanted the flexability of being able to put my three kids in the back & still have some bootspace but if you dont need to be able to do that then one of the other cars would of been ok. End of the day it depends on what features & look you particularly want. I still however think that the S16 drove better around corners & up the hills around my area where the little hatches struggled up hills, had no leg or elbow room & in comparison didnt handle or drive as well.

AAA

Terry, I saw a white S16 on Brisbane Water Drive, yours? It looked good and quite sizeable too. You bought a 1.6L sedan for the depreciation value that buyers of >30k cars can suffer in the approx. first year. If complainers here think the rims are too small go look at the 2wd Hilux, also reconsider the purchase price of the S16. My 200cc Yamaha agricultural bike cost one third of this cars new price!

http://caradvice.com.au Terry Donovan

Sorry I’m in Adelaide. I havent seen any others being driven around here yet. Ive ordered a bonnet protector & side window slimline visors to spruce it up

Matt

I’ve seen so many of these cars floating around Perth in the last week! And they are all the exact same as that one
Ian

When will proton S 16 GX be coming to Cairns,QLD.also at what price.
Fraz006

oz people get 1.6? i envy u guys. mine is only 1.3. but, i love this car. the most honest thing a seller ever sold.
undiscloseddesires

I bet the price for proton s16 glx will be around $13,000-14,000
maybe with dual-front airbags,abs,ebd,alloy rims,reverse sensor
Ian

Looking forward to seeing Proton S13 AUTO GX.I will most likely get one for my daughter for her first car.Better than getting a 6 year old car.
swampdawg

An absolute Bargain !
A decent new 650cc road bike costs similar in price and offers far less protection and versatility than this S16.
Bike = far more fun though. However motorcycle registration, insurance (if your brave enough) and having someone service it (if you have NFI) could end up similar to the S16 running costs.
Michael

I’ve had a white S16 since release & it has performed well thus far. There are a couple of minor quality niggles here & there but then I remind myself what I paid for it & that its a weekend A to B car. I ride a motorcyle during the week so I’m not concerned about having 6 airbags & electronic aids. This car DOES require minimum 95 RON fuel per the manual (same as Savvy) but this seems to have slipped under the radar a bit. All in all though a good buy if you’re going to keep it for a while. The steering directness is amazing for a car this price.

amirad

Back here (Malaysia) the S16 costs as much as a Kawasaki ER-6. And they (Proton and Kawasaki) are selling them here by the truck loads. Back to the S16, for some its the ideal entry level first car, for others its a perfect second or third car for the family. And to some people, they found themselves driving the S16 more than their other cars. The car lacks refinement but its a nice car to drive. I would have bought this car if I hadn’t bought its bigger brother Gen2 CPS earlier.

LondonLad

Can’t deny it’s cheap, but it takes Asia-bland to a whole new level. Is this really 2010? No wonder Proton sold only 900 cars here in the substantial UK market last year (compared to over 60,000 for Fiat’s funky offerings).

http://caradvice.com.au Terry Donovan

I dont think the S16 is a bad looking car but for me it was more about the interior space & the great drive. Fiat not a big seller here in Australia. The look & stylimg of the S16 very similar to the Holden Barina boot version here in australia only the S16 alot cheaper. Body kits etc are available for anyone that wants to jazz there S16 up. Ill stick with just bonnet protector & side window wind visors etc. Proton sell the Savvy for anyone that is looking for something funkier.

Michael

I got free window-tint & slimline plates with my white S16 for $11,955 drive-away all-up, was pretty happy with that deal. Couldnt justify extra $400 or so for metallic paint on a car at this level. Terry, what fuel are you running it on may I ask? The manual specifies minumum 95RON.

http://caradvice.com.au Terry Donovan

Hi Micheal you did very well to get the free window tint etc as the only dealer in Adelaide kept crying poor saying they werent making anything on them. All I could get was free floormats & a proton promopack with a proton cd case etc. It would look good with tinting.Which statre are you from? Yep funny the dealer never told me about the petrol but it looks like most of the imported little cars are running on 95 RON. I’m using the unleaded premium 95.I use to run it on an old EXA & prefer it anyway. The better milage with the Premium, It having a small 40 ltre tank & the use of the supermarket petrol discount vouchers it all works out ok. I hope your happy with your S16 because as Ive said for us its been a great fun little car.

Michael

Thanks Terry, yes enjoying it thus far. I think the central locking could be better as doesnt really work from distance or all angles. Yes I got the floor mats & promo pack as well, they appear to be standard but some dealers may try & promote them as ‘extras’. I put $10 of 98RON in the other day cos 95RON isnt sold everywhere, it did seem to give the car an extra ‘boost’. Give it a go

whattheF

mr londonlad,car shown in this page is the basic version
with no accesories.
but to me the car looks good
it’s cheap and reliable.
proton will launch a higher spec for proton s16 in australia,with alloy rims,2 front airbags,abs,ebd.
maybe red is too bright,maybe this car will look good on white or black.

amirad

Here’s a link showing the many faces of Saga (S16)
http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/704055

Some are OK. Some are simply gross. Some are quite nice.

Torque

IMO Proton needs to increase the warranty to 5yrs unlimited kilometers, and should have kept the bulging bonnet shapeof previous models. I saw a red S16 yesterday at a petrol station, it looked very good.
Gary

I am rapt with my Black S16 ( with spoiler ).
Second car, so most of the time it is just me driving and the single airbag /seatbelt tensioners combined with excellent handling is safety enough for me. ( While I don’t have a problem with the rear drums , I do wonder whether they can ever introducs ESC with them on there ).
It has all the features I need, and has the bonus of being enjoyable to drive.
I also like that it doesnt have a big happy face grill like many small cars do.
http://caradvice.com.au Terry Donovan

Does any one know who supplies aftermarket bonnet protector and or slimline side window visors either here in Australia or overseas for the Saga (S16) as the genuine Proton ones available here are expensive.

Michael

Not sure Terry, but I agree that I wouldnt be spending too much on accessories for a car at this price point.

Torque

Proton, you need to turn this sedan into a wagon with flat folding rear seats IMO.
franz chong

I have yet to drive one of these or any of these new generation of light cars but I saw some of these in Malaysia on my last visit there in 2008.This is a better buy for your kids especially if they are new on P plates than some late model Commodore or Falcon death trap and live in some state where they are restricted by what they can drive.
LLOYD

I bought one and have been driving it for about 6 weeks around Sydney hmmmmm ????????????? Watch this space.
Unknown

To the owners of S16,just wanna know what did you feel when you drive this car,is it great or just acceptable?
do the engine drink a lot of fuel,did this car gave you a lot of problems?
I think it’s a great machine,but if proton improves their car’s quality,this car might been sold well here in Australia.
Heard that they will launch a higher spec of this car which is S16 GX next month.

Sean

The GX is already available.

Sean

I recently drove a 2009 Hyundai Getz. The interior looks like it hadn’t had an update since the Getz was introduced in 2002 or something. It didn’t start 1st go every go & felt like driving a shopping trolley.
Looking at this, I’m sure anyone who’s tried both a Getz & an S16, would choose the S16. It’s just there are so many Getz’ everywhere that that’s the 1st or only car many buyers would look at in this price range.
I own a 2008 Satria Neo. I’ve been happy with it.
With the exception of the crap keyless entry, it’s been a really great car for me & after 30,000 trouble free kilometres, I’d feel confident recommending the brand.
David

Proton are so underated..but who cares! Proton drivers know they are fun and reliable
Scania360

I’m S16 owner from Penang, Malaysia
(known as SAGA in here..just 1.3 AT, mountain blue color)
This a great car!! I m so satisfied with the performance, handling, the AC (esp powerfull air blower)..will amazed with the stereo driven by Clarion!!
at 140km/h driving at suburban trunk road (malaysia’s road was not gud enough at rural places..)..u’ll know what is inside it-totally different with older Mitsu DNA..it was so amazing handling!!

Proton take a serius effort for their car quality and customer satisfaction..they replaced me with new parts even just minor complaint..or even was my fault (wrongly installed the light room bulb..)
Nicole

Hi, I have just purchased a Proton s16 Basic spec,
1.3 ltr 5 speed. It doesnt have a book light, does anyone know if this is standard exclusion or just missed in manufacture. Any help is appreciated.
Nic

Michael

Hi Nic, I dont usually read books whilst driving but I would say if it isnt there then it isnt included. It is a very basic car, rudimentary A to B transport, you get what you pay for basically. I have the original $11,990 driveaway 1.6 GX there isnt one in that.

MisterMister

I always wondered why the passenger side airbag was necessary. The driver’s airbag is there to prevent you from cracking your skull open on the steering wheel, but the passenger has nothing in front of them to hit? You have to wonder how they can sell a car for that price – taking out taxes and duties (GST, import duty and stamp duty), the car works out to about $9600. That includes profit, the cost of shipping the car here, etc… yikes!
Daniel

Aussies now want cheap cars. This is one of them. Ill stick with Citroens.
Lloyd

I have a 1.6 manuel, 15000klm in over a year. $11,990 for a new car. There is no better car for this price. I looked at everything. What ever your budget is, look around and don’t buy a used car. My S16 is great to drive, handles better than i ever expected. $11,990…so much value. So far very happy, love my car.
Sylvia

My s16 has blown the engine at 21000 apparently the water jackets where blocked a manufacturing problem they could not fix it and i have had to have a whole new engine put in it so far has taken 9 weeks hope i get it soon i am so disapointed. it was a great little car up until then as no parts are kept in aussie all parts have to come from malaysia to fix them,

bellee

did the honor the warrenty? were you at all out of pocket? I’m assuming parts are also expensive because they have to be imported…

I’m considering one of these cars for my family…just wondering if its worth it or to much of a risk…..I don’t drive very far but its nice to have the ability to get out of the house…Would you recommend the car or has the repair process put you off??

Al

Great to see, it comes with (reliable) manual windows and without expensive electric crap. Hopefully stays that way.
At only 1 tonne weight, this is a common sense sedan, produced in a nation with a strong family culture and a lot of common sense.