The Proton brand burst back onto the scene in South Africa, aiming to shed its former image and revitalize the brand on local soil at the end of 2022. Two new models were launched, both a radical departure from the half-tonne pickups and hatchbacks that we formerly knew.
Related: Everything that you need to know about the Proton X50
Two new SUVs were introduced to the local market; the X50 and X70. The X50 is a crossover SUV while the X70 is slightly larger, occupying the compact SUV segment. Agreeable pricing, attractive styling and a fairly impressive specifications list are set to make the Proton X50 a viable contender against the likes of the Kia Sonet, Mitsubishi ASX, Renault Duster, Volkswagen T-Cross, and Mazda CX-3. This is a hotly-contested market segment, and buyers are spoiled for choice.
Proton X50 performance
The Proton X50 is fitted with a choice of two engines with the same displacement but with two power outputs available. You get a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine doing duty in the X50 range. This 1.5-litre unit produces 110 kW of power at 5 500 RPM and 226 Nm torque spanning from 1 500 to 4 000 RPM in the three lower trim levels, namely; Standard, Luxury, and Executive.
The Premium model is fitted with a direct injection version of this engine that produces 20 kW more for a total of 130 kW with 255 Nm of torque on hand. This model is said to do the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in 7.9 seconds. No acceleration information is available for the 110 kW version though.
Both versions send power to the front wheels through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission with a manual override function and selectable drive modes for modulating throttle response and gearbox programming.
Proton claims 6.5 l/100km combined cycle fuel consumption from the Proton X50 but doesn't stipulate which derivative this is. Real-world figures are expected to be considerably higher, especially with our higher national speed limit.
