PETALING JAYA: Good things come to those who wait.
Quite apart from the price war among car makers now (especially the ones in the EV camp), those who skipped the mild facelift of the popular Proton X50 in 2024 will be amply rewarded soon.
A major X50 facelift is expected in late 2025 with dramatic changes to the exterior as well as alterations to the cabin and powertrain.
A number of units of the camouflaged X50 have been seen on Klang Valley roads undergoing field trials.
CarSifu got hold of a video clip showing the upcoming X50 pottering around Petaling Jaya on the way to Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
As stated earlier, such sightings are not new. Showing the camouflaged SUV around is also a way for Proton to build up some public excitement for a model that has been a cash cow since its debut in 2020. The X50's total annual sales reached 23,647 units in 2024, securing its position as the top-selling model in its segment for the fourth consecutive year.
The X50 is derived from the Geely Binyue but the upcoming changes are going to tap the larger and more premium Binyue L, so this should be something that will be keenly awaited by Proton fans.
In the video clip, the heavily wrapped test vehicle featured quad exhaust tips as a dead giveaway of the new X50, a spoiler brake light, and a larger silhouette, pointing to a substantial exterior redesign.
Notable design changes include a revised front fascia with slimmer headlights, a redesigned grille, and a new bumper.
A large black tape across the tailgate hides what is expected to be a full width light bar that every carmaker is aping nowadays.
The biggest change is likely to be under the hood, with Proton anticipated to replace the existing 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged unit.
This new engine is expected to deliver a little more power and torque at 178hp and 290Nm, offering improved performance over the outgoing model.
One downside of the current X50 is that its petrol engine sounds like a diesel engine at idle as reported by some owners. That cannot be avoided as the inherent design of a three-cylinder powerplant induces increased vibration and noise. A four-cylinder engine should significantly curb such a tendency and make the SUV feel more refined.
Inside, the facelifted X50 may receive a modernised cabin, reportedly influenced by the Binyue L. Updates could include a larger touchscreen infotainment system, redesigned controls, and enhanced materials.
For the record, the Binyue L comes with a 14.6-inch infotainment screen, as opposed to the standard 10.3-inch screen across all four X50 variants. Frankly, we think the 10.3-inch is big enough for a small SUV like the X50; an increase in screen size would be an added bonus but not necessary. The existing size is well-suited to the X50's overall design and user experience objectives.
