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.

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 including110 kW / 226 Nm and 130 kW / 255 Nm for the range-topping derivatives. A 7-speed dual-clutch transmission is 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 includingStandard, Luxury, Executive, Premium.

The X50 1.5T Standard includes features such as, 4 airbags,17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, fabric upholstery and an8-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 atyre-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, 8-inch infotainment system, 6-speaker radio, air purification system and 6 airbags. The Executive derivative adds LED headlights with Daytime Running Lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, welcome lights, electric tailgate, leatherette upholstery, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, ventilated front seats, 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 X70is sold with a 5-year/unlimited km warranty, 5-year/80 000km service plan and 5-year roadside assistance.

Further Reading

Proton coming back to SA in 2022