THERE are two basic precautions every Proton X50 owner has to heed every time they are behind the wheel of the B-segment compact SUV (sports utility vehicle) – (i) its punchy pick-up (acceleration); and (ii) its large 14.6-inch screen that functions as an intelligent control centre (IHU).
Such is the layman advice of veteran journalist Syahril A. Kadir who himself drives Proton X50 in light of Sunday’s (June 7) fatal accident involving the SUV which only left the showroom hours earlier and a soil-laden lorry in Sungai Petani.
The dashcam footage of the accident that went viral showed that the SUV had suddenly veered into the opposite lane and collided with the on-coming lorry. Six of the seven car occupants including the car owner and his police constable brother perished in the accident.
“Honestly, I admit that this car is indeed the best in its class, both in terms of smooth handling and safety features which is why it’s one of Proton’s best-selling models at the moment,” penned the former crime desk editor in a Facebook post.
“I don’t wish to comment too much on the technical aspects of the Proton X50 but for those who are new to driving it, I want to remind of TWO basic things that we need to be aware of.”
Outstanding features
Firstly, Syahril described the car as “really fast” given it is powered by a turbo engine that allows acceleration from 0-100km/h in 7.6 seconds, thus “FASTER than the previous version!”.
“It used to be three cylinders but the latest version has been upgraded to four cylinders. This car has a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT),” shared the media consultant/strategist.
“In other words, if you’ve previously driven a very ordinary car, it really feels like a different pick-up when you drive the X50 – just press the pedal a little and it’ll fly off.”
Secondly, Syahril stressed the need to always keep one’s eyes on the road by refraining from getting distracted by the IHU screen that “controls the navigation system, vehicle settings, entertainment and lots more”.
In short, many functions are located on this screen. To be honest, I myself am still struggling to digest features in this screen, let alone someone who has just gotten his car … it’s just like when you buy a new handphone, you’ll struggle by pressing this and that.”
The problem arises if we drive while trying to use any function on this screen, it’s really hard to focus on the road … Looking in front momentarily and looking at the screen can be a hassle …
My frank opinion is when you’re behind the wheel of Proton X50, just focus on driving; don’t bother trying all sorts of features on the screen unless the car is stationary or is parked.
At that time, feel free to explore and learn all about the car’s features. Remember, this X50 doesn’t have many physical buttons, it’s all touch screen. – June 10, 2026
