2016 Perodua Bezza VS 2016 Proton Saga.

This could be the first ever such a comparison has ever been done in Malaysian history. A battle between 2 A-segment sedans (or mini sedans) that are both made in Malaysia. That is right folks it is a battle between the Perodua Bezza and new Proton Saga. I was fortunate enough to get a chance and drive both cars in their top full spec form which are dubbed the Bezza Advance and Saga Premium. The Bezza was launch around 2 months before Saga so it had a market lead with over 20000 units sold and still counting. The new Saga was launch about a month ago and Proton said they had already reach 6000 units in bookings. So both cars are set to be volume sellers for their own company. But which one of these 2 cars best suit your needs? Let find out.

Starting up with the subjective, the Saga and Bezza looks nothing like each other. They are completely different. From the side, the Saga exhibits a better sedan looking proportion over the Bezza. The rear doors of the Saga have been stretch slightly allowing a bigger rear access to the cabin. Both cars feature a character line that on the side of the body that run from the front to the rear. The Bezza is noticeably angle a bit higher as the line reach the back. Talking about the wheels, both manufactures has adopted a ‘turbine’ inspired design rims but with their own interpretation. The Saga rims are slightly bigger at 15 inches versus the Bazza’s 14 inches. Moving to the front, the Bezza face is more focus looking with sharper drawn headlights and a 2 piece grill for the top and bottom. The upper grill does get a single chrome line treatment to jazz things up. The design is rather simple but it is clean. The Saga on the other hand shows a little bit more character with its slightly rounded headlights, sporty looking bumper and twin chrome lines treatment on the grill. Another interesting detail on the Saga is the small ‘PROTON’ word badges located on the side of the headlight. A nice touch if I must say for a car at this price point. In the back this where the saga slightly wider body becomes apparent. For the Bezza, the first thing that comes to mind when I first saw it was it looks like the previous generation Honda Civic but way thinner. Also the rising side character lines of the car have ended up with Bezza’s rear upper trunk seating really high. The rear bumper also looks awkwardly small and out of place. Thankfully, the Bezza can be had be and optional bodykit set called ‘Gear Up’ consist of a front lip, rear skirt, side skirt, trunk lid and sound insulation enhancement to help address the less than appealing looks. Trust me if you buy the Bezza, get that bodykit. Getting back to the Saga’s rear end, it is definitely better. Not only it looks sporty thanks to the lower diffuser on the bumper but sophisticated as well due to the 4 piece rear headlamps, deck lid and integrated chrome trim plate garnish. Overall both cars look decent. Kudos to Proton and Perodua for trying because it is actually hard to design a good looking sedan with tiny A-segment dimensions.

At the heart of the 2 cars we have the engines. The Bezza can be have with 2 engine choices which is either a 1.0L 4 cylinder VVTi engine which makes 77 Hp with 91 Nm torque or a larger 1.3L 4 cylinder Dual VVTi engine that makes 103 Hp with 121 Nm of torque. Both engines can be paired by either a 4 speed automatic or 5 speed manual depending on the variant you choose. The Bezza has 3 variants overall with the upper 2 (Premium X and Advance) getting the bigger engine and only the Advance solely mated to an Automatic transmission. My particular tester unit was indeed the top spec Advance with Automatic. As for the Saga, only 1 engine is available which is a 1.3 4 cylinder VVT engine that has an output of 94 Hp with 120 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a CVT gearbox on all variants. A 5 speed manual is available but only on the based Standard Saga. By now you should know that my tester unit is the Premium with CVT.

Right of the bat acceleration between the 2 cars is very different. Keep in mind of both drive I had 3 adult passengers with me. On the Bezza the instant jumpy throttle respond from stop is there the moment you step on the pedal and surprisingly the 4 speed automatic has very smooth gear changes. With that being said the changes was rather lazy and I do find myself from time to time wanting slightly faster downshifts. In the Saga however things are in opposite. I don’t get the instant respond like the Bezza but a rather lagging ‘numb feel’ for about half a second before the CVT gearbox finally decided on a correct ratio and of we go. However the kick down respond is just a hair faster due to the CVT but there is still a hint of the rubbery feel as well as drone noise during high rev. Of course being an entry level A-segment sedan one would consider less about neck snapping power and more of good fuel economy as well as getting from point A to B without any fuss. In those cases, both the Bezza and Saga are just fine. In fact, the Bezza is slightly more economical with 22 km/l consumption over the saga’s 18.5 km/l. This is due to the Saga’s heavier weight at 1075 kg to the Bezza’s 930 kg.

The Saga maybe heavier than the Bezza but all that extra weight is for a good cause. Inside the Saga is roomier thanks to a wider body and longer wheelbase. About 69 mm wider and 10 mm longer to be persist. In general both cars are actually plenty roomy. Front passenger space is good and so does the rear. The Saga has a slightly more recline seat back but the Bezza has adjustable headrests. Another worth mentioning fact is that the Bezza’s voluminous 508L truck absolutely swallows the Saga’s mere 420L space. While inside, lets talk about material and built quality. The Bezza has an all-new dashboard while the Saga is an improvement of the old one. Both dashboards use good plastics and do not feel cheap. The Bezza take things further with leather upholstery and leather wrap steering wheel. In terms of quality, I was really surprise at the improve refinement of the Saga. Before this, Perodua has always trump Proton where quality is concern. Well not anymore. Opening and closing the doors of the Saga resulted in a light weight and solid “thud” when it is shut. Buttons and knobs have also been improved with reassuring ‘click’ sound as well dampening. On Both cars quality built is much better than older Protons and Peroduas.

Because the Saga has a slightly wider track it is also the better handling car of 2. Going around the bends and corners it feels stable and fun. That feel is further enhanced by Proton decision to keep the mechanical power steering set up from the old Saga into the new one and made some adjustment to make it lighter. Both still lean considerably during high speed corners but more so in the Bezza. That being said if you favor light easy steering the Saga it is still not as light as the steering on the electronic power steering Bezza and you do notice it when you are park both the cars or driving slowly in the city. The Saga maybe the fun handling car but the Bezza is the comfortable riding car. Going through speed bump and pot holes over and over again the Bezza just eats it all up with ease. Thrust me your grandparents will likely want to spend more time in the Bazza than the Saga while on the move. As long as you move slowly because at higher speed things favor the Saga more. It is quieter than the Bezza and certainly the old Saga as well. Wind and road noise are kept at minimum.

Another area of improvement for both cars is safety. In top spec form The Saga and Bezza are equip with dual front airbags, ABS, EBD, BA, TCS, ESP, Hill Start Assist (HSA) and ISOFIX. Immobilizer and alarm are also standard. In terms of ratings the Bezza overtakes the Saga’s 4 Stars rating with 5 Stars from the ASEAN NCAP program.

The Bezza Advance and Saga Premium maybe entry level sedans but that does mean that they are bare to the bones. In fact both cars well equip. The feature contents include a reverse parking camera, a double-din stereo system with Bluetooth connectivity, fold able rear seat, front parking sensors, power outside mirrors and multi-function steering buttons. From there the Saga offers dual rear USB charging and a rear fog lamp while the Bezza offers a bit more stuff with push button vehicle start, power folding mirrors, a touch screen multimedia infotainment system with navigation and key-less entry. Lastly the price. The Bezza extra equipment roster does make it the more expensive vehicle. The Bezza Advanced with Gear Up bodykit will cost you RM 55,600. The Saga Premium is slightly cheaper at RM 47,800. Both cars have warranty coverage of 5 years.

With all said and done both the Saga and Bezza are examples of what modern entry level sedans have become. Cheap price does mean empty and low quality product. But for most first time car buyers which are these cars main target market not one vehicle better the other. The Bezza is a well equipped and well engineered sedan to max out what the segment can offer technologically. But it lacks character and rather bland. The Saga on the other hand is not as polish as the Bezza but it offers sportier dynamics with a cheaper price. It all comes to your choice.