Proton X50: Old vs New - Subtle tweaks or meaningful upgrades?

Proton X50: Old vs New - Subtle tweaks or meaningful upgrades?

Launched in October 2020, the Proton X50 has been topping the charts in the B-segment SUV category for five consecutive years, giving a tough run for money to the strong rivals like the Honda HR-V. The SUV’s winning formula has been the strong value-for-money proposition, appealing design, and feature-rich cabin. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • When will the new Proton X50 launch in Malaysia?

    The all-new Proton X50 is expected to launch in Malaysia later this month.
  • What’s new on the 2025 Proton X50?

    The 2025 Proton X50 features a revamped look, upgraded engine, new Rear Side Radar System, and several cabin improvements.
  • Well, despite the X50’s strong performance, Proton knows well that the automobile landscape evolves fast and resting on past success is not a way to grow. Thus, it has comprehensively updated the X50 in areas that matter most. 

    With bookings now underway and the launch around the corner, Proton aims to maintain the X50’s market leadership and meet the evolving needs of consumers.

    For prospective buyers looking to purchase the all-new Proton X50, here we bring a closer look at the key differences between the old and new versions to know what upgrades make the new X50 a more compelling choice in the segment.

    Variant structure

    Proton has made a significant change in the SUV’s variant structure. While the older model was offered in four variants - Standard, Executive, Premium, and Flagship, the latest one comes  in Executive, Premium, Flagship trims. That means, the Standard variant has been dropped as a part of the upgrade and the Executive variant will now be the entry point. 

    Exterior

    Starting with the front end where you can notice a pretty remarkable difference between the new and old models. The latest model has a sharper and performance-inspired visual identity as compared to the softer and more conservative predecessor. Here’s a detailed comparison - 

     Specs

    Old Proton X50

    New Proton X50

    Grille & bumper

    • Standard hexagonal grille with horizontal inserts, chrome trim, and fog lamps
    • A bold, aggressive, horizontally slatted lower grille with no fog lamps
    • Upper grille features“songket” motif inserts, red “Ethereal Bow” strip and vertical pin-like inserts 

    Headlights

    • Projector LED headlights with simpler integrated DRLs
    • New reflector-style LED headlights featuring triple eyebrow-style DRLs

    Bonnet

    • Smooth design with a slight curve over the Proton badge
    • Flat surface with integrated faux vents and sharper creases are now closer to the bonnet's edges 

    Wheels and fenders

    • 17-inch base, 18-inch gloss variants on higher trims
    • Redesigned 17-inch alloys for the Executive, and 18-inch two-tone turbine-style alloys with a knurled finish for the Premium and Flagship
    • New front fenders and side skirts with faux vents 

    Tail lights

    • Separated LED tail-lamps
    • Number-plate and camera located mid-gate
    • Slimmer tail lights connected by a full-width LED light bar
    • “Proton” lettering in a chamfered recess
    • Camera, number plate, camera, and boot pull moved to a lower trapezoidal inset

    Bumper & Spoiler

    • Sporty bumper with fog lamps 
    • Compact roof spoiler and quad tail pipes
    • Redesigned bumper housing L-shaped reflector and slimmer fog lamps
    • Quad tailpipes integrated into a simplified diffuser
    • Sporty roof spoiler (Bold, black Batmobile-style roof wing with embedded red “S” badges with the Flagship trim)

    Colour options 

    Old Proton X50

    New Proton X50

    Snow White, Passion Red, Jet Grey, Armour Silver

    Teal Bayou Green, Snow White, Passion Red, Jet Grey, Armour Silver

    Photo by Adam Aubrey

    Interior

    Compared to the predecessor, the cabin of the new Proton X50 looks cleaner and premium, thanks to the redesigned dashboard, centre console, control buttons and new features. The gear lever moved to the steering column stalk, freeing up space on the central stack. Most of the physical buttons have been removed, with climate controls integrated into the screen for a minimalistic look.

    Let’s see the detailed comparison for better understanding.

     Specs

    Old Proton X50

    New Proton X50

    Infotainment unit

    10.3-inch floating 

    Full HD 14.6-inch (largest in segment) supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

    Instrument cluster

    7-inch digital display

    8.88-inch letterbox-style display with sharper resolution and more information

    Voice assistant

    “Hi Proton” limited to English

    Upgraded "Hey Proton", now supports Bahasa Melayu

    Ambient lighting

    Available on higher trims

    72-colour “Rhythmic” ambient lighting, visible on dash and rear door panels

    Mobile App connectivity

    Proton Link with limited features

    Proton Link 2.0: adds remote engine start, AC control, vehicle status & service scheduling

    Engine 

    The new X50 now features a 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine across all variants, replacing the previous 3-cylinder units. The new engine is more refined than the predecessor and offers better torque delivery, faster acceleration, and 4.7% better fuel efficiency, claims Proton.

    Specs

    Old Proton X50

    New Proton X50

    Engine 

    1.5L turbocharged 3-cylinder (port or direct injection, depending on variant)

    New 1.5L i-GT turbocharged 4-cylinder

    Output

    150 PS / 226 Nm (Standard, Executive, Premium) 

    177 PS / 255 Nm (Flagship)

    181 PS / 290 Nm (All variants)

    Transmission

    7-speed wet dual-clutch 

    7-speed wet dual-clutch 

    Drive system

    Front-wheel drive 

    Front-wheel drive 

    0-100 kmph acceleration

    7.9 seconds 

    7.6 seconds 

    Drive modes

    Normal, Sport, Eco (on some variants)

    Normal, Sport, Eco, and Adaptive Mode (adaptive driving behaviour)

    Photo by Adam Aubrey

    Safety

    In terms of safety, the automaker has equipped the new model with several advanced systems that not only assist the driver in smooth operation but also help ensure the safety of other road users. Here’s a detailed comparison -

    Specs

    Old Proton X50

    New Proton X50

    Airbags

    6 airbags (from Executive onwards)

    6 airbags now standard across all variants

    Advanced Driver Assistance System 

    Available only on Flagship (including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Forward Collision warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, and more)

    Available with Premium and Flagship (including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Forward Collision warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, and more)

    Rear Side Radar System 

    Not available

    Standard on all variants, including  Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Door Opening Warning)

    Cameras & Surround View

    360° camera (Premium and Flagship) with no underbody view

    360° HD camera (Premium and Flagship) with a new 180° undercarriage transparent view

    Auto Park Assist

    Available on Flagship (Manual button hold for operation)

    One-touch auto parking with Parallel & perpendicular support and a more intuitive visual interface

    Sensor & detection

    Single forward camera (limited field)

    170m monocular front camera + 80m millimetre-wave radar at rear

    Summing up 

    The all-new 2025 Proton X50 is one step ahead of the older version in all aspects, be it the looks, comfort, features, or safety. Now, all eyes are on the final piece of the puzzle, the price. Stay tuned!

    Also read: Proton wraps up H12025 at 72,156 units; market share climbs to 20.7%

    Contents

    Sippi Vig

    Sippi Vig

    Sippi is a versatile writer and specializes in crafting both blog articles and site content for the automotive industry. Her strong analytical skills help in curating articles backed with stong number analysis for our audience. She enjoys reviewing the latest cars/models and describing new technologies. She holds a master of business administration degree in finance and marketing. When she’s not working, she enjoys travel, adventure, reading, and gardening.

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