Proton, the Malaysian carmaker is back in South Africa after a hiatus and is launching its X50 and X70 SUVs in September 2022. Here’s what’s on offer.
We reported earlier this year that the Malaysian carmaker was making a return to South Africa with an arsenal of new products and CMH Group would be handling the dealerships and distribution of the X50 and X70 Proton cars.
As a reminder, the Malaysian brand is owned by Chinese carmaker Geely since 2017. Geely also owns Volvo, Polestar and Lotus, and has a stake in Mercedes-Benz.
We understand that CMH will have at least 25 Proton dealerships.
So, what can South African motorists expect? There’ll be two SUV models; the Proton X50 and the Proton X70. All are powered by a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine but there are 2 states of tune available including 110 kW / 226 Nm and 130 kW / 255 Nm for the range-topping derivatives. A 7-speed dual-clutch transmission is a standard across both vehicle ranges. We suspect this motor is similar to the one found in the XC40 T3.
Proton X50
Dimensions of 4 330 mm, 1 800 mm x 1 609 mm puts it in Toyota C-HR and Kia Seltos territory. Buyers have the choice of 4 trim levels including Standard, Luxury, Executive, and Premium.
The X50 1.5T Standard includes features such as 4 airbags, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, fabric upholstery and an 8-inch infotainment system with a reverse camera. The X50 Luxury adds features such as automatic headlights, fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and leatherette upholstery. Opt for the Executive derivative and the specification is boosted further to include 18-inch alloy wheels, a larger 10-inch infotainment screen with a 360-degree camera and a tyre-pressure monitoring system. The range-topping 1.5 TDGI Premium derivative gains the 130kW engine as well as driver assistance systems, a panoramic sunroof and a 2-tone exterior.
How much does the Proton X50 cost in South Africa?
X50 1.5T Standard – R449 900
X50 1.5T Luxury – R499 900
X50 1.5T Executive – R535 900
X50 1.5 TDGI Premium – R579 900
The Proton X50 is sold with a 5-year/unlimited km warranty, 5-year/80 000km service plan and 5-year roadside assistance.
Proton X70
Dimensions of 4 519mm, 1 831mm, and 1 694mm puts the Proton X70 in the same bracket as the Volkswagen Tiguan and Mazda CX-5.
The bigger Proton X70 is offered in 4 levels of trim including Standard, Executive, Executive AWD and Premium AWD. Note that all X70 derivatives are powered by the
The X70 Standard is fitted with halogen headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, fabric upholstery, an 8-inch infotainment system, 6-speaker radio, an air purification system and 6 airbags. The Executive derivative adds LED headlights with Daytime Running Lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, welcome lights, an electric tailgate, leatherette upholstery, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, ventilated front seats, an 8-speaker radio system and a 360-degree camera. This Executive derivative can be had in all-wheel-drive guise too and then features such as driver assistance features, tyre pressure monitoring system, 19-inch alloy wheels, Nappa leather upholstery and a 9-speaker radio with amplifier and subwoofer. The range-topping X70 1.5TDGi Premium further adds a panoramic sunroof to the package.
How much does the Proton X70 cost in South Africa?
X70 1.5 TDGi Standard – R529 900
X70 1.5 TDGi Executive 2WD – R579 900
X70 1.5 TDGi Executive 4WD – R629 900
X70 1.5 TDGi Premium 4WD – R639 900
The Proton X70 is sold with a 5-year/unlimited km warranty, 5-year/80 000km service plan and 5-year roadside assistance.
