News / 5 July 2022 / Albert du Toit

First batch of 1,200 Proton SUVs land in South Africa – Prices revealed

The first batch of 1,200 Proton SUVs destined for South Africa has landed in Durban, and the vehicles will start appearing in showrooms towards September, the Malaysian automaker revealed.

Proton is re-entering the local market through a partnership with Combined Motor Holdings (CMH) and will now sell the X50 and X70 through its platforms.

At launch, the South African starting price for the X50 will be R450,000 whereas the X70 will retail for R519,000, and there will be four specifications of each to choose from.

What to expect

Not much has been revealed about what the new Protons will offer in the features department, only what they are driven by.

The siblings each get a 1.5-litre, turbo-petrol engine under the hood with the X50 putting out 110kW and 226Nm and the larger X70 doing 130kW and 255Nm.

Similarly, a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic gearbox handles shifts in both Protons, and drive is sent to the front wheels in all but the mid-range X70 Executive, which is the sole model with all-wheel-drive underpinnings.

Proton has also confirmed that its SUVs will ride on 17 and 18-inch alloys, depending on the trim, and come with electronic parking brakes.

Inside, the X50 can be had with black or black-and-red upholstery in either fabric or artificial leather, whereas the X70 is offered with black fabric, black leatherette, and brown Nappa leather trims.

Model-dependent technologies such as intelligent high-beam control, lane departure warnings, and blind-spot information will also be at your disposal.

Price

The South African pricing and model line-up for the new Proton X50 are as follows:

Proton X50 – R450,000
Proton X50 Luxury – R500,000
Proton X50 Executive – R525,000
Proton X50 Premium – R550,000

The South African pricing and model line-up for the new Proton X70 are as follows:

Proton X70 2WD – R519,000
Proton X70 Executive 2WD – R550,000
Proton X70 Executive AWD – R590,000
Proton X70 Premium 2WD – R600,000

“The X50 and X70 have class-leading engines, technologies, designs, safety features, and warranties that allow them to compete with European luxury brands but without the excessive cost that comes with owning a luxury SUV,” said Proton.