Johannesburg - Proton is back in South Africa and there’s nothing humble about the Malaysian carmaker’s ambition to offer a more premium alternative to the other ‘newbie’ brands.
At the launch presentation at Kloofzicht, outside Joburg on Wednesday, a company representative was unapologetic in his claim that the new Proton models, which are based on Geely products from China, offer superior quality to the current Chinese contenders that are doing so well in our market, and therefore justify their higher price tags.
For the record, the Proton X50, which is similar in size to a Hyundai Creta, is priced between R449 900 and R579 900, while the larger X70 will set you back between R529 900 and R639 900 - see full pricing below the story.
The cars are Geely-based, as the Chinese carmaker has a 49% stake in Proton. Geely also owns Volvo, and because of that the 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbopetrol engines that power the new Protons are based on the Swedish carmaker’s technology.
All X70 models and the flagship X50 are powered by a direct injection version of the aforementioned engine, which produces 130kW and 225Nm. The engine that powers most X50 models has conventional fuel injection and produces 110kW and 226Nm. The engines are paired with a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox.
With the new X50 and X70, Proton is aiming to offer the full luxury experience at an accessible, but not necessarily bargain, price point. But do the cars live up to the marketing hype?
We’ll have to reserve our full judgement until we’ve put the new cars through a full road test, but after driving the range-topping X50 model on a short route of about 10km, it certainly made a strong first impression.
The 1.5-litre TGDi engine offered effortless performance and I was impressed by how quiet the vehicle was, even under hard acceleration.
Furthermore, the interior materials looked and felt premium-level, and although we’d like to spend more time with the vehicle before delivering any kind of verdict, it’s certainly a case of so far, so good.
The models are really well appointed too.
For instance, the base X50 1.5T Standard comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, full LED headlights, an 8.0-inch infotainment system with reverse camera, rear air vents and four airbags.
The mid-spec 1.5T Luxury adds synthetic leather seats to the mix, along with auto headlights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and six airbags. The 1.5T Executive gains 18-inch alloys, a 10-inch infotainment screen, 360-degree camera, powered driver’s seat and tyre pressure monitoring.
At the top of the X50 line-up is the 1.5 TGDI Premium model, which upgrades to the high-output motor and gains a panoramic sunroof, two-tone exterior treatment and an array of driver assistance systems.
The X70 Standard base model has a similar spec sheet to its X50 sibling, with features such as a 8.0-inch infotainment system and 17-inch alloy wheels. The headlights are of the halogen type, however.
The X70 Executive adds 18-inch alloys, LED headlights, powered tailgate, synthetic leather seats, with the driver’s seat being power operated, and a 360º camera. The Executive is also offered as an all-wheel drive model, which gains 19-inch alloys in the process as well as advanced driver aids, Nappa leather seats and an upgraded nine-speaker sound system with amplifier.
The range-topping X70 1.5 TGDi Premium loses the all-wheel drive, but gains a panoramic sunroof.
By the end of 2022, Proton aims to have 20 dealerships up and running across the major regions of South Africa. The CMH-backed importer plans to increase that count to 27 by the end of 2023 and to 35 by the end of 2024.
The importer is also offering an impressive warranty, which will be valid for five years with unlimited mileage, while the service plan will protect your wallet for the first five years or 80 000km.
“With Geely providing resources and support for Proton, we can ensure that the runway for vehicles being released in the near future is exciting. We are thrilled to announce that on purchase of a Proton X50 or X70, customers will receive a five-year unlimited warranty which is transferable, a move that backs up the quality promise of the product,” said Proton SA marketing head Trevor Morey.
“This reinforces used-car value on trade, in which we know is also a buying point that makes a massive difference. Along with this, we are also offering five-year roadside assistance as well as a service and maintenance plan,” he added.
Proton X50 Pricing:
1.5T Standard: R449 900
1.5T Luxury: R499 900
1.5T Executive: R535 900
1.5 TGDI Premium: R579 900
Proton X70 Pricing:
1.5 TGDI Standard 2WD: R529 900
1.5 TGDI Executive 2WD: R579 900
1.5 TGDI Executive AWD: R629 900
1.5 TGDI Premium 2WD: R639 900