User Test Drive: It Definitely Worths Your Time and Money - 2020 Proton X50 1.5 TGDI Flagship

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Basic Information about the Car

2020 Proton X50 1.5 TGDI Flagship

Something about My Visit

Time of Visit: Last weekend

Dealer Name: Juara Mulia Motor Sdn Bhd

Dealer Location: 11, Jalan Bayu Puteri 1/1, Taman Bayu Puteri, 81750 Johor Bahru, Johor

Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price: RM 103,300

Dealer Asking Price: RM 103,300 without insurance

Discount: None at the moment

Vehicle Delivery Time: About 4 months+

Purpose

I have been looking for a car that will be suitable for me in the market for months, but I am not in a hurry. As this will be my first car purchase, I believe it would be wise to test the car and explore the features before committing into a long-term purchase.

Exterior Description

The front of the car is smart looking and modern. It is unlike any proton cars from the pre-Geely era and this looks much better than any Japanese car in the segment as well. The front splitter is just nice without being too aggressive or excessive. There is a nice blend of colour combination of chrome, red lining and shades of black.

Headlamps design shows an original proton touch that is equipped with LED projectors as well as LED daytime running lights.

The side of the car appears to be well designed and the car height along with the painted red brake calipers makes it look sporty.

The wheels are 18 inch fitted with Continental Ultra Contact 6 tires measuring of 215/55/R18 in size. Finishing of the wheels are in dual tone and in multi spokes.

The rear of the car is excellent with a quad exhaust design and small spoiler. The chrome panel with Proton etched in the middle stretches from one end of the headlamp to the other. The width and length are just nice, complementing the bolder look of proton cars nowadays. The only dislike I have is the rear fog lamp that looks odd on the rear diffuser.

Interior Description

The best-looking interior in its class by far with good blend of materials. I absolutely love the dual tone interior with soft touch materials incorporated all over the car. Design wise is absolutely on fire with brushed aluminum dashboard and center console. Door handles and air conditioning vents are well-designed and perceived build quality is good.

The seats are delightfully comfortable with smooth finishing that trumps over BMW’s seats. Support is good and suits people of most sizes. Rear space is adequate for up to 3 people if they are smaller than 170cm but on most occasion, it is more than enough.

Boot space should be good 2 luggages and a few small bags. However, it would not be sufficient for trips to ikea with 4 people inside the car.

Infotainment design is okay with good boot up speed and acceptable response. Functionality and ease of use can be improved.

Steering design and the instrument cluster are slightly behind Volkswagen Digital Cockpit. Plastic buttons feel average and the adjustment of the telescopic steering is quite pitiful. I am not able to get my best driving position in the car due to the minimal range of the telescopic steering.

Summary

Pros & Cons of the car

Pros

• Good powertrain with smooth gearshifts and power delivery

• Beautiful and modern design

• Plenty of features and tech loaded into the car

• Safety system would come in handy for most people

• Handling is good and mimics a hatchback

• Build quality and materials used are excellent

• Suspension setup is excellent and comfortable

• Seats are top-notch with good support

• Excellent value for money

Cons

• Steering wheel design and build quality of the buttons can be improved

• Instrument cluster design and information layout seems too simple and plain

• The parking button on the gear lever looks odd

• Rear fog lamp appears to be out of place

• Lack of paddle shifters

• Initial turbo lag especially from standstill

My overall feelings toward the car

Even before entering or driving the car, the outlook and design of the car really caught my attention. Everything is well-thought out and the colour choices will suit a wide range of people. Not many mods are needed to make the car sportier for car enthusiast especially with the sporty quad exhaust and front splitter. Wheels are of good size and fitted with good tires for daily usage so money can be saved from wheel and tires upgrade.

Interior design is lovely and I wouldn’t mind using the car for years to come. The biggest problem that couldn’t leave my mind would be the imperfect seating position due to the limited range of the telescopic steering wheel. Space itself would be more than enough for me including the boot space.

Performance wise is excellent aside from the apparent turbo lag. Power delivery is smooth and more than adequate for the weight and size of the car. The car can get to highway speed and beyond with ease. The way the car drives is very stable and it doesn’t get jittery even when cornering at higher speed. The steering is sharp and direct with adequate turning radius. Ride comfort is excellent and the suspension well-tuned. NVH levels are among the best in its class with no apparent faults can be found.

I would definitely recommend anyone who’s looking for a first car to own, SUV, fun car and practical to give this car a chance and bring it for a drive. It is definitely worth your time and money.