Eastern charms: A taste of the latest from Proton and BAIC

New car sales charts have seen the rise of brands that many South Africans may have once scoffed at. In 2022, we have the likes of Chery and Haval outselling automakers with decades worth of presence in the market.

Expect the far Eastern assault to intensify further, with contenders such as Proton and Beijing Automotive Group Company (BAIC) renewing efforts to seize market share.

The former nameplate attempted to plant roots on local soil nearly two decades ago with products such as the Gen-2 and Savvy hatchbacks, as well as the Arena pick-up and Saga sedan. After failing to achieve traction, the Malaysian company made a quiet exit.

In September Proton staged its official re-launch. Spearheading the return is duo of products, the B-segment X50 and the X70, similar in size to a Volkswagen Tiguan. We saw both at an event in Muldersdrift.

The Combined Motor Holdings (CMH) group is the South African custodian of Proton. In 2017, Chinese firm Geely (which owns Volvo) purchased a 49.9% stake in the manufacturer.

We took a short turn in the smaller X50, which made a positive impression with its attractive styling, plush interior and well-sorted road manners. A plucky, three-cylinder turbocharged-petrol enginesourced from Volvo handles propulsion, mated to a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission.

The X70, on the other hand, features dated aesthetics, reminiscent of a Subaru Forester from 2006. That is all we can say about it until we have an opportunity to touch, feel and drive the model.

Pricing for both models is ambitious, with the X50 ranging between R449,900 and R579,900, while the X70 comes in at R529,900 and tops off at R639,900.

We felt less ambiguous about the latest from BAIC. The carmaker exposed us to its X55 crossover, launching in November.

Forget your associations with the horrible D20 hatchback, or Jeep-imitating BJ40. The X55 is thoroughly modern, with an appealing design, contemporary interior and tactile quality that creates a genuinely premium feel.

The company has a manufacturing facility in Gqeberha and production of the model is set to start in July 2023, with an electric model on the cards too.

Pricing for the X55 is likely to range between R400,000 and R460,000, which is competitive if you consider what B-segment hatchbacks like the VW Polo cost these days. We tested it on track and provincial roads. Power comes from a 1.5-litre, turbocharged-petrol engine with four cylinders, claiming an output of 130kW and 305Nm. A seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmits power to the front wheels.

Settled into the form-hugging seats, gripping the leatherette-wrapped steering wheel, the X55 imbued an assured feel, with suspension damping that appeared well-suited to the nuances of local roads.

There was one issue noted on our drive, which could be forgiven since the units on test were pre-production models. After sitting in the sun during the lunch stop, the central screen of the vehicle we hopped into had stopped functioning.

The efforts of both Proton and BAIC look promising, but they will need to expand their footprints to achieve the grand ambitions laid out in their marketing materials.