Changan Alsvin vs Proton Saga — Why Don’t More People Buy These Sedans

ByMohsin Farooq

Changan Alsvin. Proton Saga. Dono Chinese? Saga Malaysian hai but Pakistan mein log “Chinese” hi kehte hain. Dono under 30-35 lakh. Dono sedans. Dono feature-packed. Dono City aur Yaris se sasti.

Phir bhi, road pe kyun nahi dikhti? Showroom mein dekho. Test drive karo. Socho “le loon?” Phir… nahi lete.

Kyun?

Mein ne research ki. Passengers se poocha. Pakwheels pe raat raat jag kar reviews parhay. 

Yeh hai sach. Ganda sach. Messy sach.

(Disclaimer: Bhai, main driver hoon. Car dealer nahi. Ye prices 2026 ki hain. Alsvin ki clutch plate 38,000 ki . Saga ki brake pads 26,000 ki . Parts ka scene change hota rehta hai. Apni research karo. Mechanic le kar jao.)

The Price. Bhai, Kitne Ka Hai?

Saga. 22.5 lakh se 26.7 lakh tak. Used. 

New? 2.6 million. Yes. 2.6 million. Is price mein Suzuki Alto nahi, manual Wagon R aati hai. Saga is a proper sedan. At this price? Bhai, lalchi dil bolta hai “le lo.” 

Alsvin. 1.5L Lumiere DCT. 2021-2022 model. 35 lakh ke aas paas. 

City se 5-10 lakh sasti. Yaris se bhi sasti. Specs dekho. Sunroof hai. 1.5L engine hai. DCT hai. Features itne hain ke City Yaris ko shaarminda kar de.

The Resale. Bhai, yeh wala part bura hai.

Toyota aur Honda ka resale Pakistan mein ataa hai. Toyota Corolla bechni ho? 1 ghante mein bech dete hain.

Sale my Corolla GLi 2011… within 1 hour of posting the add. 

Alsvin? Saga?

Pakwheels user wrote bluntly: “Resale low hai because they are Chinese.” 

Saga ke baare mein to aur bura likha hai. “Resale demand is weak, and many dealers prefer not to stock the car at all.” 

Bhai, dealer hi nahi lena chahte. Socho. Tum lena chahte ho? Bechna? Mushkil hai.

But hope hai. User same thread ne kaha: “5 years from now, i’m sure they will have much better resale.” 

5 saal. Tumhe 5 saal wait karna hai. Agar 2-3 saal mein bechna hai? Loss uthao ge.

So. Alsvin Saga is for long-term holders. Flings nahi. Shaadi karni hai.

Parts Availability. Kya Milega? Kitne Ka?

Bhai, yeh wala part darr ka hai.

Alsvin. OEM genuine parts available hain. Online bhi. Dealership pe bhi.

Clutch pressure plate set for Alsvin? 38,000 rupees. 

Yes. 38,000. For clutch.

Ek user ne bataya: “wipers for Alsvin 2021. Confirmed price at Changan Islamabad Motors? 11,000 rupees. Per set.” 

Bhai. Wipers. 11,000.

Same user said: “availability of parts even at dealership is also a problem. They usually are out of stock. 

Saga. Parts ka scene aur bura hai.

One review wrote: “Spare parts are difficult to source and often expensive, especially body components like bumpers and lights.” 

User ne oil change ka bataya: Petronas or Liqui Moly oil, about 12,000 rupees. 

Brake pads? 26,000. Last 30,000-40,000 km. 

Bhai, Alsvin wipers 11,000. Saga brake pads 26,000. Maintenance budget alag se rakhna.

Insight is important: why parts expensive? Because gaari nayi hai. Local mechanics ka network nahi hai. Sab dealership pe depend hai. 

Agar dealership se door rehte ho? Tension hai.

The Ownership Experience. Passengers Kya Kehte Hain?

Alsvin. The Good.

Bhai, Alsvin drives like a luxury car.

One owner wrote after 35,000 km: “driving experience is exceptional, feels luxurious.” Highway pe stable. Control acha hai. 

Another owner: on motorway, fuel average 18-19 km/l. Petrol hai. Not hybrid. 

Interior beautiful hai. Build quality strong hai. One owner said: “the saying that Chinese cars ‘might reach the moon or might not make it till evening’ is something I seriously refute.” 

Toh Alsvin solid hai. Sharir mein dum hai.

Alsvin. The Bad.

First. DCT automatic transmission issue. When shifting from Neutral to Drive, car jerks 3-4 times. 

City traffic mein? Light par khare ho. Green hua. Shift to D. Jerk. Then car moves. Annoying.

Second. Car feels underpowered until 40 km/h . City mein 0-40 struggle hai. Phir 40 cross karo, to “flies.” 

Third. “knocking” issue reported by user when using regular petrol. High octane use karo to problem kam hai. But high octane mehnga hai. 

Fourth. Paint quality is weak. Feels compromised compared to Toyota/Honda. 

The Bottom Line on Alsvin: Owner summarized: “It’s like a new bride that demands constant attention. If you compromise on maintenance, this car will cost you dearly.” 

Saga. The Good.

User ne 40,000 km chalai. Islamabad mein. He said: “budget friendly and reliable.” 

In city traffic, Saga gives 13-14 km/l . Highway? 16-18 km/l. 

Good. Respectable. Not Alto level, but for sedan, acceptable.

He also praised its performance in hilly areas. Transmission senses slopes and uses engine braking effectively. 

Good for Murree, Nathia trips.

Saga. The Bad.

Resale weak hai. Dealers avoid. 

Engine struggles during overtakes. Uphill drives pe tension. Soft suspension feels out of place on rough roads. 

Cabin noise. Rattling door glass. 

Driving experience? Not inspiring. You feel like you’re driving a cheap car. Because you are.

Real Passenger Stories

I asked around. Mein ne drive kiya. Passengers ne bataya.

Alsvin Owner (1 year, 20,000 km).

“Bhai, gaari achi hai. Sunroof hai. AC acha hai. Features hain. Log dekhte hain. Lekin service ka dar rehta hai. Wipers ka price suna? 11,000. Bhagwan na kare kuch toot jaye.”

Saga Owner (2 years, 30,000 km).

“Bhai, le li. Pachtaya nahi. Lekin doosri baar nahi loon ga. Resale ka masla hai. Dealer nahi lena chahte. Khud becho to price achi nahi milti. Gaari chalti hai. Lekin dil nahi lagta.”

Mechanic in Rawalpindi.

“Bhai, Alsvin aati hai workshop mein. Transmission jerk ka masla common hai. Saga aati hai. Parts nahi hain. Mangwane padte hain. Time lagta hai. Customer galiyan deta hai.”

The Verdict. Kaunsi Lo?

Bhai. Dono risky hain. Dono mein compromise hai.

Alsvin lo agar:

  • Features chahiye (sunroof, DCT, 1.5L engine)
  • Highway driving zyada hai (city mein underpowered)
  • Budget 35 lakh ke aas paas hai
  • Maintenance mein 20-30% extra spend kar sakte ho
  • Car rakhni hai 3-5 saal
  • Sunroof wali gaari ka status pasand hai

Alsvin mat lo agar:

  • Resale tension hai
  • Daily city driving hai (0-40 struggle annoying ho ga)
  • DCT jerk tolerate nahi kar sakte
  • Dealership se door rehte ho
  • Parts ki availability dekh kar neend udd jaati hai

Saga lo agar:

  • Budget bohot tight hai (under 25 lakh)
  • Sedan chahiye, Alto nahi
  • 2-3 saal chala kar scrap kar sakte ho (resale expect nahi)
  • Highway fuel average acha chahiye
  • You have patience for cabin noise

Saga mat lo agar:

  • Resale value matter karti hai (dealers will laugh)
  • Overtaking power chahiye
  • Hill driving zyada hai (engine struggles)
  • Soft suspension pasand nahi
  • Door ki rattling sun kar pagal ho jao ge

One user summed up perfectly: “Toyota and Honda have made their mark in the market as having excellent resale. Chinese entrants resale is low because they are Chinese.” 

My take (driver’s honest opinion).

Bhai, dono loon ga? Nahi.

Main taxi driver hoon. Reliability chahiye. Parts har gali mein milnay chahiye. Resale chahiye. Isliye main Corolla chalata hoon.

Agar main office jaata, showoff karna hai, budget thora hai, mechanical knowledge hai, local mechanic pe trust hai? Alsvin le lo. Features ka kamaal hai. Phir bhi dar rahay ga.

Agar main bus student hoon, pehli gaari hai, Alto se upar jaana hai, 25 lakh se zyada nahi? Saga lo. Phir bhi dar rahay ga.

Dono mein dar hai. Company choor hai.

Bookmark this page. Alsvin ya Saga dekhne jao. Clutch check karo. Transmission check karo. Wipers check karo (11,000 ke hain). Parts price list maango. Dealership se poocho kitna time lage ga.

Phir faisla karo. Allah hafiz.

Also Read (other stuff I wrote)

  • New Suzuki Swift vs New Honda City — Mileage, Suspension, and AC Comparison
  • Kia Sportage vs Hyundai Tucson — Same Same but Different. Which One Costs Less to Keep
  • Toyota Corolla Altis Grande — The King of Resale. But Is It Worth the Premium?
  • Used Honda Civic (Reborn, X, Turbo) — Which Year Is Least Painful for Your Wallet
  • Is a Used Honda Civic Turbo Worth the Risk? One Passenger Said “Best Decision” Another Said “Nightmare”

— Mohsin

*I-14, Islamabad*

P.S. — Own an Alsvin or Saga? Transmission issue? Wipers price? Parts availability? WhatsApp me. I will add to this guide.

P.P.S. — Not a mechanic. Not a dealer. Chinese and Malaysian cars are improving. But Pakistan’s market is cruel. Apna wallet dekho. Phir faisla karo. Aur agar budget 35 lakh hai, used Yaris le lo. Peace of mind.