Proton X50 - Interior comfort & utility explained

Ever since Proton joined hands with the Chinese automaker Geely, the Malaysian carmaker has witnessed a turn of events and has sold cars in heps. Soon after coming together with Geely, Proton launched the X70 SUV in Malaysia, which sealed the spot of the seventh most popular in the country in 2019 with 26,331 sales throughout the year. Also, Proton recently launched the CKD version of the much-popular SUV, and its price now starts at RM 94,800. But, it is not the Proton X70 that we will be talking about today. Instead, we will be discussing the interior comfort and utility that will be offered by the Proton X50, the younger sibling that could be launched in Malaysia anytime soon.

Laid down on Geely's BMA modular BMA architecture, the soon to be launched crossover goes by the name Binyue in China and Coolray in the Philippines. Standing 4330 mm long, 1800 mm wide, and 1609 tall, the crossover features a 2600 mm long wheelbase, which results in a spacious cabin that can accommodate five persons with ease. Let's find out what else does the upcoming Proton X50 sports on the inside and comfortable & convenient the Chinese/Malaysian might end up being.

To no surprise, the crossover gets an array of modern-day features inside the cabin and offers the occupants with ample convenience, at least in China and the Philippines. We expect the experience to be no different when it arrives in Malaysia. The Geely Binyue aka Coolray comes equipped with a dual-tone interior with various satin chrome accents all-around the cabin. Both the front and the rear seats are wrapped in leather and offer optimum cushioning for comfortable ride quality. There is also a large 330-litre boot, various storage compartments including handrest with cup holders at the back, trunk light, 7-inch fully-digital instrument cluster, large 10.25-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with GKUI tech, auto-dimming rearview mirror, rear headrests, and other features.

But, that is not all though, further intensifying the amazing experience is a multi-function steering wheel with audio & cruise controls, electronic parking brake, push-button start/stop, panoramic sunroof, keyless entry with request sensors, reading lamp at the rear, paddle shifters, dual-zone automatic climate control, and 360° panoramic video for a hassle-free parking and manoeuvring experience. Just like any other car on the planet, the Geely Binyue or the soon to be Proton X50 also comes with its own flaws. For starters, there are no rear A/C vents, infotainment system misses out on Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, and the A-pillars that are a little too bulky may create blind-spots on occasions. However, we expect to Proton to at least, equip the infotainment system with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay and possibly install rear A/C vents as well.

So, did the stuff present on the inside of the Geely Binyue/Coolray or Proton X50 impress you enough? It surely impressed us, though, Moreover, provided Proton doesn't cut out on features and further equips the crossover with more, there's no stopping in X50 climbing up the sales charts in a short span. Since we are talking about the crossover, Proton X70 is expected to house under its hood a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged direct-injection engine that makes 174 hp of maximum power and a peak torque of 255 Nm. This gasoline-fed motor will be mated to a 7-speed DCT that sends power to the front wheels.

The Binyue also gets a smaller 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged direct-injection engine making 134 hp and 205 Nm in the other markets. The smaller engine, however, is unlikely to make it to Malaysia. Also, making their presence will be disc brakes at both front & back, intelligent cruise control, speed limit identification function, blind spot detection, intelligent high-beam control, multiple SRS airbags, ABS with EBD & brake assist, LED headlamps with LED DRLs, LED taillights, large alloy wheels, body cladding all-around, and much more. As for the pricing, the Proton X50 is expected to get a starting price of somewhere around RM 75,000, which will be good RM 20,000 cheaper than where the X70's price begins.

Stay tuned to ZigWheels Malaysia and never miss an update concerning the upcoming Proton X50 crossover and all other happenings from in and around the automobile space.

Also Read: Reasons why Proton X50 is worth the wait