Creta-rivaling Proton X50 SUV caught testing in India

The Proton X50 could rival the likes of the Kia Seltos, MG Astor, Skoda Kushaq and VW Taigun.

With the Indian car market growing at a rapid pace, Malaysian brand Proton may be looking to grab a piece of the pie. The latest spy images suggest that the carmaker has started testing the X50 compact SUV in the country.

The Proton X50 test mule was recently spotted on the Pune-Nashik highway. As you can see in these spy images, the car had zero camouflage, which suggests that Proton could merely be conducting a feasibility study.

The Proton X50 is based on the BMA modular platform developed by China's Geely and Volvo. The car measures 4,330 mm in length, 1,800 mm in width, and 1,609 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2,600 mm.

The X50 crossover has a dual-tone exterior with a black roof and rear spoiler. It has wraparound LED taillights with a chrome strip in the centre that says "Proton". The car has a sporty rear bumper with quad exhaust tips and a diffuser element.

In the global market, the X50 is offered with a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. It comes in two states of tune – 148 BHP / 226 Nm and 175 BHP / 255 Nm. Both versions are mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

If launched in India, the Proton X50 could rival the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, MG Astor, Skoda Kushaq, VW Taigun, Maruti Grand Vitara and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder.

Source: Rushlane