After much speculation, the Geely Boyue finally made its first appearance on Malaysian soil at the signing ceremony between DRB-Hicom and Geely Holding in Kuala Lumpur today. It will be Proton’s first vehicle to roll out under the new partnership.
Launched into the Chinese market in March 2016, the Boyue is one of Geely’s mid-size offerings alongside the GC9 sedan. The five-seater SUV measures 4,519 mm in length, 1,831 mm in width, and 1,694 in height, with a wheelbase of 2,670 mm. It was designed by ex-Volvo designer, Peter Horbury.
The Boyue is offered with a range of powertrains that include a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine with 139 hp and 178 Nm, and a 1.8-litre turbocharged engine in two output versions – 160 hp/250 Nm and 181 hp/285 Nm. The range-topping version gets a six-speed automatic and four-wheel drive, while the rest come with a six-speed manual and front-wheel drive.
Equipment-wise, the SUV boasts G-Link infotainment system with an 8-inch touch display that supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also comes with voice recognition system that can be used to control functions such as volume and climate control. The display model is a left-hand-drive version that comes with Nappa leather upholstery.
Proton has yet to confirm when its first-ever SUV will be launched, though we reckon developing the right-hand-drive version for the Malaysian market could take some time. Could this finally be the game changer for the national automaker? We’d like to think so.
