Spy Shot: Proton X90/Geely Haoyue Spotted Again – Proton Styling?

Earlier this year, there was a sighting of the Geely Haoyue – or Okavango in The Philippines – being tested here in Malaysia, which is suspected to be the Proton X90. Well, the D-segment seven-seater SUV has been spotted locally yet again, suggesting that Proton is working on a new SUV.

This one image of the Haoyue was taken by the folks over at Paultan.org. Now, we know this is Proton testing the SUV as the B3611A trade plate is owned by the national carmaker. It’s the very same plate used by a pre-production Proton X50 test unit.

Compared to the earlier Haoyue test mule, there are some distinct differences. The position of the number plate, for one, has been moved up from the rear bumper to the tailgate; the taillights look a little different too. Chances are, Proton could be (finally) adding its own personal styling to Geely-based models.

So what is the Haoyue? As mentioned, it’s 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 is actually available with a 1.5L three-cylinder turbo engine with a mild hybrid system that put out a combined figure of 190hp and 300Nm of torque. This setup is also paired with 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.

Oh, 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 much too early to tell if it will eventually materialise to be the “Proton X90.” Nonetheless, we will keep a close eye for any further development.