Malaysian marque’s smallest SUV/crossover has not only been restyled inside and out, but fitted with a new more powerful four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.
Having quelled persisting rumours of its departure from South Africa in May, Proton has debuted the thoroughly updated X50 in Malaysia that could be offered locally should approval be given.
One of the first Proton models to emerge after the marque’s acquisition by Geely in 2017, the revisions mirror those of its sister model, Geely Binyue, which adopted its current look from the export market version known as the Coolray three years ago.
More aggressive look
In this regard, the X50 receives a new front bumper with a wraparound lower grille, slimmer air dam and horizontal vents on the flanks, a restyled upper grille, new LED headlights and a redesigned bonnet with imitation air vents.
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At the rear, the taillights sport a slimmer design and the bootlid a rounded look complete with a scripted Proton name badge rather than the corporate below below the new full-width LED light bar that connects the clusters.
A new bumper with “sealed” L-shaped side vents and an imitation diffuser completes the exterior, along with quad exhaust outlets and redesigned alloy wheels up to 18-inches.
Almost completely new inside
Just as extensive, the changes to the five-year old X50’s interior involves a Chery-styled floating centre console housing a pair of wireless smartphone charging pads, air vents, a pair of cupholders, physical buttons for some of the climate control functions, hazard lights and a storage area.
Below sees the integration of a storage slot, a 12-volt power outlet and type-A as well as type-C USB ports.
The restyling means the gear lever moves to the steering column, while the major interface for the climate control now resides within the brand-new 14.6-inch infotainment system that incorporates wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
In addition to the starter button moving from the left-hand side base of the dashboard to the right directly below the outer air vent, Proton has also introduced a new 8.8-inch freestanding instrument cluster that replaces the previous “integrated” design.
The air vents themselves also get a redesigned look, with the final changes being upgraded materials and a two-tone red-and-black leather option on higher-end models.
Spec
In terms of specification, the Malaysian-spec X50 comes in three trim grades, Executive, Premium and Flagship, with notable items comprising a panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate, 72-colour ambient lighting system, remote engine start, a six-speaker sound system, rain sense wipers, electric front seats and what Proton calls transparent sun visors.
Extensively worked over, the X50’s safety and driver assistance sheet consist of a 360-degree camera system, tyre pressure monitor, Automatic Park Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Traffic Sign Recognition, Lane Keep Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Door Open Alert.
New four-cylinder
Up front, the X50 swaps the Volvo-sourced 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine for a new four-cylinder unit with the same 1.5-litre displacement.
Paired to an improved seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the engine now develops 133kW/290Nm instead of the previous 130kW/255Nm, which Proton says will help get the X50 from 0-100 km/h in 7.6 seconds.
Wait starts
Set to go on-sale in Malaysia within the coming months, the facelift X50, as mentioned, has so far not been mentioned for South Africa despite importer Combined Motor Holding’s commitment to the brand.
Should it, however, not form part of Geely’s line-up in preparation for its own return to South Africa before the end of the year, expect the X50 to possibly become available either by year-end or in early 2026.
As a reminder, the now pre-facelift X50 line-up spans four derivatives priced from R449 900 for the entry-level Standard, to R579 900 for the flagship Premium.
Images and information from paultan.org.
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