Well, it looks like the Geely Haoyue – which is suspected to be the Proton X90 – has been spotted testing in Malaysia yet again. Yesterday’s test mules were found in Perak, and today’s unit was spotted on the PLUS highway in a tight convoy with a Mazda CX-8.
Spotted by Paultan.org reader Azfar Hashim, the still heavily camouflaged Haoyue is tailed by a CX-8. Chances are, Proton is benchmarking its D-segment seven-seater SUV against the Mazda model. After all, both SUVs belong in the same segment.
To recap, the Haoyue is a large D-segment SUV that can be configured with five or seven seats; it measures 4,835mm long, 1,900mm wide, and 1,785 tall. Compared to the Proton X70, the Haoyue is 316mm longer, 69mm wider, and 91mm taller.
Powering the Haoyue, on the other hand, is a 1.8L four-cylinder turbocharged engine that outputs 181PS and 300Nm of torque. This engine is paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with drive sent either to the front wheels or all four of them for the AWD model.
However, it’s worth noting that in The Philippines, the Okavango (as it’s called there) is actually available with a 1.5L three-cylinder turbo engine – similar to the one manufactured at Proton’s assembly line at Tanjung Malim, Perak. It’s paired to a mild hybrid system that put out a combined figure of 190hp and 300Nm of torque, and it features a 7DCT, though there is no AWD variant.
Of course, given its positioning as a premium SUV, the Haoyue is equipped with Geely’s level 2 autonomous driving system too. It is made up of 24 different sensors to allow for as many as 17 “intelligent drive features.” According to Geely, this lets the SUV automatically follow, stop, as well as turn at speeds of up to 150km/h.
Just like the Proton X50, the Haoyue is also capable of parking itself. It features a 360-degree camera as well, and given the large size of the SUV, we imagine this will come in handy for most drivers.
Even though the Geely Haoyue is already being tested on Malaysian roads, it’s still too early to tell if it will eventually materialise to be the “Proton X90,” even if rumours are suggesting a 2023 release. Nonetheless, we will keep a close eye for any further development of this premium SUV.