Proton returns to SA with the X50 and X70

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 Chinese contenders that are doing 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.

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 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 well appointed too.

By the end of the year, Proton aims to have 20 dealerships up and running across South Africa. The CMH-backed importer plans to increase that count to 27 by the end of next year 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.