Geely Hao Yue To Enter The Malaysian D-Segment With A Proton Badge.
Since the partnership with Geely Auto, Proton has seen a full turnaround in demand and profits. Once a struggling automotive brand, today it is sales success. But it is not all rosy as troubling after sales and the lack of spare parts has given Proton a rather negative reaction on social media and even though there has been a rise in sales, there has also been a fall in bookings (which is still very small when compared to the rising bookings).
The success story comes from two models from Geely Auto. The local assembled Proton X70 which arrived almost 2 years ago and the Proton X50 which is two years old. Rebadged and manufactured in Malaysia they enjoy Malaysian national car status which lowers it tax and thus provides for a lower price point in a country where import taxes on vehicles is very high.
To take the sales success further, Geely Auto is getting ready a new SUV for rebadging in Malaysia. This is the 2-year-old Geely Hao Yue which is a 7-seat D-segment SUV.
Designed to compete head on with the Toyota Fortuner, Mazda CX-8 and Nissan X-Trail, the Geely Hao Yue will probably carry a X90 badge. So, the Proton X90 is coming and will be priced around RM138,800 which will give a huge price edge over the CX-8 which is priced around RM180k or the Nissan X-Trail which is priced from RM140,888.
PRESS RELEASE: Geely Auto officially launched its first seven-seat D-segment SUV, Hao Yue in an entirely online launch ceremony today. The 7-seat SUV marks Geely Auto’s entry into a highly competitive market segment that is currently dominated by foreign joint-venture brands in the Chinese market.
Geely aims to challenge the competition by offering consumers a full suite of the brands latest intelligent vehicle technologies and highly efficient powertrain systems in a highly competitive package.
Speaking at the launch event, President and CEO of Geely Auto Group, Mr. An Conghui said “Geely is committed to meeting the different demands of people from all corners of life.
Geely was founded on the premise of making good cars that are affordable for all, which today has transformed into ‘Making refined cars for everyone’. The Hao Yue’s unique offering in its segment will go on to lead the market and become another excellent product representative of the Geely Auto brand.”
Maximum Space, Maximum Value
Geely Auto has always strived to push the boundaries in design, functionality, and value. The Haoyue was designed under Geely’s unique ‘Expansive Aesthetic’ concept with ubiquitously tensile lines resulting in a broad muscular body. Designers integrated form with technology to create a modern, refined design that strikes unique a balance of space and functionality.
The Geely Haoyue comes in both 5 and 7-seat configurations with rear seats capable of folding completely flat to maximise space utilization. Fully folded, the rear interior space can reach 2.2 square meters – equivalent to a king-sized bed – whilst the trunk space can be expanded to 2360L, capable of accommodating all kinds of medium to large objects.
Both 5 and 7-seat configurations offer extensive legroom, allowing users as tall as 1.9m to sit comfortably without any adjustments. Seats in all rows are adjustable including back-row seats which are equipped with eight-way adjustable backrests. Users can also opt for a seven ‘VIP’ seat configuration that includes 7 independently-adjustable seats.
The ‘Healthiest’ SUV:
The Haoyue was developed following Geely’s ‘healthy car’ concept, with all materials undergoing stringent environmental testing with requirements over 20 times higher than Chinese national standards.
The result is a large cockpit without a harmful ‘new car smell’. The Haoyue also comes equipped with Geely’s officially certified CN95 grade high-efficiency air purification system capable of filtering out 99 percent of PM2.5 particles and 98 percent of droplets bigger than 0.74µm which may contain viruses and other harmful elements. In combination with Haoyue’s three-zone air conditioner and AQS system, cabin air can be quickly purified and refreshed in under three minutes.
Powering the Haoyue is Geely’s latest 1.8TD engine paired with a dual-clutch 7-speed transmission which together meet China’s most stringent national 6B emission standards.
When it comes to intelligent driving, Hao Yue is equipped with L2 assisted driving technologies. 24 sensors assist 17 intelligent drive features in the large SUV allowing it to automatically follow, stop, as well as turn at speeds up to 150km/h. Sensors also enable the SUV to achieve one-button automatic parking with 360° panoramic imaging.
Inside the Hao Yue, users can experience the latest GKUI Geely Smart Ecosystem utilizing Geely’s independently developed high-performance quad-core dedicated vehicle microprocessor, E01. GKUI allows users to interact with the vehicle through an AI-powered voice assistant.
The ecosystem is also able to be integrated with a host of IoT applications such as JD.com’s smart home which allows users to monitor and control home appliances on the road. Users can also interact and monitor information in the vehicle through the multiple high-definition displays including a 12.3-inch central infotainment panel, 12.3-inch full LCD instrument panel, and advanced WHUD heads-up navigation display.
Haoyue is Geely’s latest offering to follow the brand’s user-centric approach to the market and helps expand the brand’s product portfolio to encompass the 7-seat SUV segment. It offers consumers a new choice with a smart, spacious, high-quality, and technologically-advanced SUV.
The model’s safe and comfortable drive experience, as well as its generous value proposition, will set a new benchmark for D-segment SUVs in the world.
