The International Conference on Safety and Holistic Innovation for Future Vehicles (SHIFT 2025) is taking place October 28-30, jointly organised by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and the ASEAN New Car Assessment Programme (ASEAN NCAP). Yesterday, during an ASEAN NCAP star rating awards ceremony, the upcoming 2026 Proton Saga MC3 was awarded a four-star safety rating.
Mind you, this is under the 2021-2025 test protocol, which will give way to the 2026-2030 protocol (with a higher emphasis on ADAS) from January. Why four stars for the Saga when it will have ADAS? Two possible reasons – A, the ADAS is a basic one, and B, ADAS may not be standard across the range. We’ll know for sure when the full ASEAN NCAP report is out.
By the way, ASEAN NCAP now has a single rating system for a model – previously it allowed for different ratings for different variants, like the Perodua Bezza, tested in 2016 (AV five stars, all other variants four stars because they don’t have dual frontal seat belt reminders and stability control). Ditto the four-star Nissan Almera, tested in June 2025, which has no front passenger seat belt reminder.
Back to the new Saga – surely Malaysia’s most anticipated thing on four wheels this year – the car was shown in full yesterday ahead of the ASEAN–China Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade signing ceremony, but non-VIPs like ourselves can only see the camouflaged unit that was shown at the ASEAN Summit a few days ago. This unit, as of yesterday, is on display at Proton’s Centre of Excellence in Shah Alam.
2026 Proton Saga MC3 camouflaged at Proton COE
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Hsahaha…. cepat-cepat pergi test outgoing protocol. Itu pun baru dapat 4-star.
Probably will get around 2-3 stars only under the new testing protocol. Bezza should be going for the new test protocol when it comes out.
Saga blm yg takde airbag, takde abs pun lebih selamat daripada tofu axia 4 star ncap.
Tapi blm dapat 1-star. Hantar yang baru untuk retest pun dapat 3-star je. Nak lebih selamat camne?
Selamat bukan setakat bintang sebab bintang tu akan tolak markah kalau tiada latest safer tech. Ini bermakna kalau kereta kebal buat ancap pun akan dapat 1 bintang sebab tiada adas, ESC, TC dan air bag
“…this is under the 2021-2025 test protocol, which will give way to the 2026-2030 protocol (with a higher emphasis on ADAS)…”
So next ASEAN NCAP protocol get only 3 Stars? Not off to a good start.
Next time use ANCAP 2026-2030 protocol, possibly Proton Saga 4th generation will get 5-star rating!
The higher the car safety rating means the car is safe for whoever in the car or whoever around it?
People will make it simple and generalise it to become its safer for everyone.
The test structure is designed base on ‘progress’, the more crash-related tech there is the more star. If there is no check and balance, then soon a tin milo with all the ADAS in the world could possibly get sufficient star.
If one go through the details of crash test reports, one can see some 5 star vehicles offer lesser injury protection to occupant than a 4 star car. It manage to achieve 5 star because of all the ADAS.
IMHO, mandatory item should be 6 airbag ( 2x front and 4x side), ABS plus ESC. Then, rate the car. A sperate rating is for all those ADAS things.
That saga chassis has been around for so long…i still have my 08 BLM. Installing all the ADAS in the world and more airbag will entitle my BLM to get 5 stars?
kita nak tengok video ujian tersebut. Boleh tak aluminium aloi menjadikan kereta ni lagi keras daripada aluminium biasa