Rumor has it, that the Proton X50 caused quite a stir in Malaysia. Even before the model got a name and was properly launched, the entire nation of Malaysia was on its toes, eager to set its eyes on what the brand would bring to the table after the success of the Proton X70. The buildup behind the X50 was not unfounded. Malaysia adores Proton, and the Saga and X70 did well to establish the fan following.

In Nepal, Proton had a pretty tame start with, what felt like, a primitive Proton Saga. But, they managed to shift up a few gears with the modern Proton X70 that came with all the bells and whistles. It also set the stage for Proton’s third model to enter the market. This comes in the form of the Proton X50, a smaller yet equally modern and feature-filled version of the Proton X70. The X50 is also the brand’s flagship model, which means we can get away with keeping high expectations.

And that is exactly what we have for the Proton X50, high expectations. How well does it live up to them? We find out.

Exterior

Off to a good start. The Proton X50 is a stunner in the flesh. Despite being of average size, it imposes itself in traffic. The design isn’t what you would call overly dramatic, but it doesn’t look like a slouch either. In truth, the designs appear to be expertly curated and well thought out, reflecting a sense of confidence and poise, akin to cars you would expect to see in a higher segment.

The X50 gets a dual-tone exterior and comes with an aggressive front fascia, featuring LED projector headlamps with LED DRLs, automatic headlamps, and fog lamps. The front bumper mimics a tuned import car with an edgy design and even an integrated front splitter which we love. It also gets functional air curtains, for crying out loud. The addition of the carbon-fibre look on the cladding is the type of attention to detail that gets our motor running.

Step onto the profile and you will notice the large 18-inch alloy wheels with red brake calipers on the top variant. The side also gets a contrast blacked-out sloping roofline that makes the car look slippery. Sharp creases and lines further add to the aesthetic appeal of the X50. There’s black cladding all around, but it is much slimmer, hence balancing out the sporty as well as utility quota of the SUV.

The rear looks equally great with LED taillights, a well-sculpted bumper that houses quad exhaust tailpipes that looks uber-cool. You also get a spoiler up top with dual cutouts further accentuating the sporty feel of the car.

Interiors and Features

As impressive as the exterior of the Proton X50 is, the interiors are even better. If you want to feel like you’re sitting in a car that feels more expensive than it is, this is where you want to be.

The build quality is great, the buttons on the center console and steering wheel have a tactile feel to them, the panels don’t creak or squeak unnecessarily, and it feels like a well-put-together vehicle. While hard plastic has been used in many parts touch-points, it does not vitiate the premium feel of the interiors.

The X50 comes with a dual-tone interior, featuring leatherette-upholstered seats, a six-way adjustable driver seat, and electric power steering. So, finding your space of comfort is not going to be an issue. The vantage point you get on the seats is decent. The entire cabin gets a black red and silver finish that oozes plushness into the cabin.

On the dashboard sits a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system– compatible where you can mirror link your Android or iOS smartphone. It is a responsive unit that gives you control over the auto dual-zone air conditioning, music and audio controls, and it also works as the display for the 360-degree camera. The 360-degree camera display provides you with an augmented reality of your car up to 15kmph. This was pretty useful when navigating tight parking spaces. However, the quality of the video of the 360-degree camera did not seem at par with the rest of the vehicle.

Like the X70, the Proton X50 gets the ‘Hi Proton’ voice command system. All you have to do is call out to the system by saying “Hello Proton” and you can instruct the car to perform various tasks like opening the window, asking for the time, etc. You can also ask it to “open the sunroof”, and it opens up the panoramic sunroof to reveal a beautiful sky view and floods the cabin with light.

At the back, the headroom will be barely enough if you’re over 6 feet. Apart from that, you get good knee room and you can seat 2 passengers in the rear seats comfortably, 3 if you are willing to scooch a bit. Rear AC vents make life easier for rear-seat passengers, and you get 2 USB ports above the vents.

Plenty of knee room in the rear usually translates to compromised boot space, and it seems to be the case with the Proton X50. You get 330 Liters of boot space which isn’t a lot. But, it should still be able to accommodate a weekend’s worth of your family’s luggage.

Performance

Even before the launch of the Proton X50 in Malaysia, Proton was confident; so much so, that they invited journalists to the Sepang International Race Track where they set up a drag race and a slalom course. In the 0-100kmph sprint contest, Proton set things up at the back straight of the Sepang Circuit against its primary rivals: the Honda HR-V, and a three-cylinder BMW X1 sDrive18i. According to excerpts from the reports, the Proton X50’s engine, co-developed with Volvo, smoked the competition and even beat the X1 by 1.7 seconds on paper. Of course, they were being a little cheeky by limiting the tests to a short drag race and slalom course and pitting it against a heavier BMW, but it is still impressive.

The X50 is powered by a 1.5L turbocharged petrol engine with two different fuel injection systems that will either make 148 hp and a torque of 226 Nm or make 175 hp of power and 255 Nm. The engine in question, in the abovementioned exhibition, was the latter of the two. Naturally, given the chance to choose, we nabbed the keys to the 1.5 TGDi flagship engine.

If you are shelling out money on the X50, this is what we suggest you go for too. The X50 drives fast and hard, you could drive it for hours and not get tired. Sprinting off the mark, you get a linear power output. It darts forward and keeps going, and it will put a smile on your face if you love driving. You get to choose from Eco, normal, or sport mode.

Eco mode is decent, you get enough juice to amble around in the city and well-timed overtakes. Sports mode, on the other hand, spikes everything up. It changes the transmission mapping to hold the gears longer, while this feels very aggressive the does tend to feel slightly jumpy, especially at lower speeds. Much like the story of Goldilocks pilfering porridge from some innocent bears, normal mode feels just right. The turbo kicks in quickly and you can go from cruising to overtaking with ease.

The 7 Speed Dual Clutch Transmission does its job well and assists in providing a smooth drive for the Proton X50. The engine is exciting, the suspension is firm and the steering wheel is engaging. You will gain a sense of confidence within a few minutes of being in the cockpit. The speed climbs fast, the car maneuvers with pinpoint accuracy, and the disc brakes on all four wheels bring the X50 to a safe, confident stop anytime you want it to. Potholes and undulations are ironed out pretty well and it will take a pretty big bump to unsettle the vehicle. The only thing we think the X50 is missing is a strong old-fashioned handbrake, then it would have been seriously fun, but oh well.

In terms of safety, the SUV features four to six airbags, ABS with EBD and ESC, brake assist, auto brake hold, traction control system, lane keep assist, blind-spot information system, hill-hold assist, hill-descent assist, front and rear parking sensors, electronic parking brake, 360-degree camera, reverse camera, immobilizer, anti-theft alarm, and TPMS.

The Advanced Driver Assistance System in the Proton X50 equips the car with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and Forward Warning Collision (FCW), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Stop and Go, Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), Lane Keep Assist, and Blind Spot Information System. The lane keep assist alerts you when you start driving out of your lane with an audible beeping as well as a nudge through the steering wheel. It stops feeling intrusive once you get used to it. The blind spot information light comes in the form of a visible orange light strip in your ORVMs which are easily visible and extremely useful when you’re driving in the anarchy of the Nepalese highways.

One glaring downside of the Proton X50 is its mileage. We were receiving 11.1liters per 100kms which converts to 9.09kmpl. There were times when we were driving with a heavy foot and little regard for mileage, but even when we were being stingy with the accelerator, the X50 seemed to be chugging fuel. There were times when the dashboard numbers read out that we had fewer kilometers worth of fuel left in the tank than we had kilometers left till we reached the closest fuel pump. While this was worrying, it turned out that the numbers weren’t accurate and we didn’t end up having to push the car to the fuel station. 

Verdict

The Proton X50 received a lot of hype in Malaysia and not enough of it in Nepal. It is a wonderful car and it is being slept on by car buyers in Nepal. Yes, the Proton badge might not be known for instilling confidence in Nepalese buyers in terms of reliability and longevity, but the brand has come a long way and its newer models are stepping things up.

In terms of driving pleasure, the Proton X50 is spectacular. It is a car we would be enthusiastic to drive every day. Our work commutes would be exponentially more fun, and highway drives would be equally enjoyable. In the flesh, the Proton X50 looks handsome. Despite having elements that could have easily looked over the top, it manages to pull off the “sporty but classy” look. The interiors too feel very premium. You get plenty of soft-touch areas and if you’re like us and like to press panels to see how well put together it is, you will be happy with the results.

However, like with all vehicles, the Proton X50 does have downsides. The one worth niggling over is the mileage. For a 1.5L mill, the Proton X50 is a thirsty cat. You will have to loosen up your purse strings if you decide to have fun with the X50. So, if you come to the X50 looking for a fuel-efficient vehicle, you are pretty much lost. Skyrocketing fuel prices will do little to help its cause.

Nevertheless, if mileage isn’t the first thing on your checklist then the X50 is worth a test drive. It manages to make a very good first impression and it feels like a car that you would be happy to live with. And, since you will be paying Rs. 84.99 lakh to own the flagship model, it needs to be as good as advertised. The Standard and Premium variants come in at Rs. 71.99 lakh and Rs.79.99 Lakh, but the TGDi is the choice for us based on driving fun alone. The X50 does have competition with the likes of Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. However, the closest rival appears to be the Haval Jolian which is nipping at its heels with a price tag of Rs. 76.99 Lakh.

Watch our video review here