The Geely Binyue, the base for Malaysia’s Proton X50 and the Philippines’ Geely Coolray, is getting another facelift in China. The last nip and tuck for the B-segment SUV happened in July 2021, when the Binyue Pro received a “black X” on the face. This one is a development of the 2021 look, but with major changes at the back and under the hood.
These government filing images show a rather comprehensive facelift that’s more than just a bumper change. While the X-look is still on, the facial features are sharper than before and the black portion bigger, with a honeycomb mesh pattern throughout. Note the slimmer and sharper headlamps that pierce deep into the front wing, compared to the abrupt chop of old. The curved bonnet edge has been replaced by a straight line.
We can also see a new LED daytime running lights pattern, which is dashes on the top, eyebrow style. Red pinstripe accents can be found on the border of the upper grille – which itself is slimmer than before, following the headlamps – and on the front lip. There seems to be three different shades of red, from dull to bright – does this denote the power/variant?
This super aggressive look is bolstered by what appears to be vents on the bonnet. There’s also a small “tail” for the chrome underline of the glasshouse, where the A pillars are. The “bridge” where the side windows meet the rear glass has some lines on it – stickers?
It’s at the rear end that the biggest change lies. It’s a complete revamp, with a sharp look replacing the original car’s organic and flowing lines. Once again, the lights are very slim now and they’re connected, since full-width tail lamp signatures are in-trend now. What does this look like to you? Lexus UX, Hyundai Elantra or something that escaped us?
While the original number plate recess was in the same “floor” as the lights, it’s now positioned lower, flanked by reflectors with sharp cutouts. It’s now a very distinct three-level layout, and the ground floor, so to speak, is the black diffuser part. Now, there’s a strip of mesh above the quad tailpipes and the rear fog lamp is a slim unit. Beside the latter are red accented diffuser fins. Like before, there’s an elaborate wing with sharp horns.
As if that’s not a big enough change, the 2022 Geely Binyue is said to come with a new four-cylinder engine. Still displacing 1.5 litres and with a turbocharger, the four-pot is set to replace the 1.5T three-cylinder as the top engine for the SUV. This BHE15-EFZ engine reportedly makes 181 hp, which is a few horses up on the current TGDi’s 177 hp/255 Nm range-topper. Why the change? We’ll have to wait for an official word from Geely – this car is yet to be launched.
So, what do you think of this heavily facelifted Geely Binyue and its new four-cylinder engine? It’s very aggressive, isn’t it? The original Binyue/Proton X50 is already a highly stylised car (we can’t think of many cars with more exhaust tips than cylinders) but this revamp is on another level, with more sporting cues than many true hot hatches. Check out last year’s facelift below.
GALLERY: 2021 Geely Binyue Pro
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Finally ditch the 3-cylinder. It was never a good option. Only suckers fall into it.
What about Ativa owners then?
If it’s the engine vibration issue, please consider that each piston on a 1.5L 3 cylinder engine (X50) is heavier or has more mass than each piston on a 1.0L 3 cylinder engine (Ativa) and thus it is easier to counter the vibration on a smaller displacement 3 cylinder engine.
Even 660cc Kancil 3cyl engine has vibration problems, whatmore heavier 1.0L ativa engine.
Yeah, remember the time you said you saw the engine fell out from a Kancil because it vibrated so much?
If you can show us, we’ll then believe you, or else you’re just spinning too much here.
Bigger sized pistons have higher inertia and thus need heavier counter weights at the crankshaft & balance shafts. However, higher rotating mass means more parasitic power loss & a heavier engine.
I’m not sure if you’re just comparing or are you saying Ativa’s 3 cyl vibration is “acceptable” compared to X50’s. Either way, @newme’s comment seems to point at a “general 3 cyl engines” so let’s rephrase that to “Everyone should ditch their 3-cylinder engine, it was never a good option”. No point in bringing out the comparison.
Of course, there is no point for you think about such technical things if figuring out engineering concepts happens to give you a headache.
LOL Our jepunis fanboi kena p0wnage, talking crap about 3cyl engine but forgot about his ativa/rocky also comes with 3cyl.
the direct injection TGDI engine is a valve carbon deposit maintenance nightmare .
This isn’t a problem if the owner always revving the engine on high rpm note. But seriously who will do that in public road? Hence, the 4 pots engine still the most sensible option.
4 cylinder x50 lounge ? good buy ? compare with Honda HRV
Mostly mainland chinese taste,
Or are there some malaysians that like this..?
I like the rear, but the front could be less dramatic and Lexusy..China market prefers over the top designs to stand out i guess
you like boring design, because majority of the cars here looked the same. myvi saga vios city.
mainland taste because their national car is audi vw honda.they grow up with those.
while people here growing up seeing saga and wira.
When X50 does get its facelift, I’d personally prefer the 2021 look rather than this new 2022 one.
uglier than current X50
Budget Lexus but I definitely would not mind more of this on the road in the near future. To each their own.
OMG more and more over-the-top tasteless Ah Beng design elements..
As if local X50 and X70 owners are not bitten by the Ah Beng bug yet. See all those X70s with rear light strips that have running lights and strobe light effects? How about those garish rear spoiler and bodykits on X50s and X70s?
No matter what.. China cars cater to Chinese tastes, leaning heavily towards garish ostentatious design elements. Strange that they didn’t go all the way and put plenty of misplaced chrome bits everywhere too.
They left that for the aftermarket Ah bengs.
do you call BMW M3 over the top taste too?
The 3 Cylinder is a real Guzzler especially on fast uphill climbs to Genting Highland… starting with 3 bar on the meter and upon reaching the top, the low fuel indicator is already on… BTW the car is brand new, with only 2000km on the meter!
Fast uphill climbs will always put any internal combustion engine on high loads and high loads would result in high fuel consumption regardless of how many cylinders the engine has. With a brand new car that has 2000km on the clock, there’s also the question of whether you had properly run in your car for the 1st 1000km.
So, you are telling me you can afford the car but not able to pay for it’s petrol? Don’t be cheapskate if you want a fast car.
So will this new 4 cyl engine wins China Best Engineering award like its 3 cyl counterpart. Anyway wont adding an extra cyl increases the weight while the performance is not increased by a whole lot as the Volvo XC40 3cyl-1.5TGDi also could achieve roughly the same/better output?
Android Auto and Apple Carplay please…
From a 3 cyclinder to a 4 cylinder. A 3 cylinder engine may be more complexed than a 4 cylinder engine and long term reliability might be on the shortlists of reasons why
Still remember tons of articles defending 3 cylinders for x50. Wonder what is the comment now
probly bury their head in sand
so ashamed for die2 defending poor engine
Copy paste: “What about Ativa owners then?”
Slap own face ha ha ha!
Same comment also applied in Defence of the Ancient Ativa 3cyl engine la…
Probably stil saying the 3 cylinder engine is more advance and better in every way. This weird group will only change their comment if Proton also changing to 4 cylinder engine.
Copy paste: “Like Proton, just to meet market sentiments Geely are willing to move 1 step forward and 2 step backwards. Orz
Right when many are moving to downsizing & electrification, Geely added another cylinder because of market perception against 3 potters without solid engineering proof to back their antagonistic attitudes against smaller engines.”
Doesn’t really matter anyway as I’m saving up for V12 Cullinan
Copy paste: “Slap own face ha ha ha!”
Of course, any individual who only knows how to copy & paste will have to slap own face because unable to save up money for dream car.
Show us then we’ll believe you otherwise you’re PlainBSing here.
Estimate that it’ll take another 2 decades or may be more. I’m a patient guy.
By the time the X50 is facelifted ,in a few months time..I wonder whether Dr.Li is bring in some fresh sedans to replace the Saga,persona and sunset Exora.
X90 may be on the horizen,but it is not a bread and butter volume seller.
Geely is always listening to their consumers ‘want’..3 pots got vibration, I give u 4 pots. That’s the way to gain market share..keep it up!
Like Proton, just to meet market sentiments Geely are willing to move 1 step forward and 2 step backwards. Orz
Right when many are moving to downsizing & electrification, Geely added another cylinder because of market perception against 3 potters without solid engineering proof to back their antagonistic attitudes against smaller engines.
Will it be change to timing chain or maintain with timing belt?
Hope the price remain the same when it arrives to Malaysia. Betul-betul value.
Here we can somehow speculate that the new engine specs should be roughly the same as the one listed in the GEP3 engine of Aurobay. So will Sapura Industry manufacture the current 3cly engine or proceed straight to the new 4cly ones. Actually I can’t wait for what Volvo powertrain guy gonna say about this since last year he comes out in video telling us how great the 3cly belt driven engine is and won China Best Engineering award too.
https://www.aurobay.com/solutions/powertrain-solutions/gep-3
Alamak, 4 not good number. Bad omen.
Why not go up few more, 6 cylinders very good. haiya.
from the look, it is actually a downgrade.. IMO
Oh boy, what a quick slap to those 3 cylinder fanboys. China majority rejects it, meanwhile Malaysian have to embrace it for years to come.
Go on, you fanboys can go suck Geely kao2.
Let these commoners be with their 3 pot & 4 pot engines. For me, I just kick back & relax while cruising in my V6 powered Royal Edition Alphard.
Copy paste: “Here’s a little fun fact – the 1.5TD engine was designed in strict accordance to Volvo Cars’ requirements.
To recap, the 1.5TD direct-injection engine (designated 1.5L TGDi on the X50 SUV) produces 177 PS at 5,500 rpm and 255 Nm from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm. This engine is also shared with the Volvo XC40 Recharge T5 PHEV and the Geely Binyue plug-in hybrid in China.”
Obviously it wasn’t fun for Geely, and eventually made one with 4 cylinders.
Copy paste: “However, the most significant change that comes with the new City is the adoption of a turbocharged petrol engine, which has a displacement of 1.0 litre (998 cc), with a 73 mm bore and 78.7 mm stroke, as well as a 10:1 compression ratio.
In terms of output, the direct-injected, three-cylinder DOHC mill puts out 122 PS at 5,500 rpm and 173 Nm of torque from 2,000 to 4,500 rpm. Other specifications include a BorgWarner single-scroll turbocharger, dual Variable Valve Timing Control (VTC) and Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC). For the Thailand market, the turbocharged engine is the only option made available to customers, with the previous 1.5 litre naturally-aspirated unit being omitted.”
So what Honda’s engine has to do with Geely’s BHE15-EFZ?
Not denying the value for money and the improvement of having a 4-cylinder but this is the typical all show and no go that certain sections of Malaysian consumers drool for.
Ops! I want to cancel my booking. Waiting for 4 silinder turbo engine..
Bravo. China consumers r smart consumers with competitive environment. We cannot go against the fundamental of physics for the equilibrium. Engine depending on mounting to mute the vibration is higher to maintain in long run. Our car in Malaysia use very long as our car here r expensive for our income on standard of living. Congratulations for consumer sovereign of China with choice varieties.
Ah Beng kuasa dua.
New ver of proton x50 will it be timing chain or still maintain with timing belt?