PROTON'S eMas 5 is now officially on its MISI 5 Tour and we thought it a no better a time to have a look at the upcoming model.

With much of its details still yet to be unveiled, the model is set to be launched by Q4 and is economically positioned below its more premium sibling.

The B-segment electric vehicle (EV) eMas 5 is also carving out its own image instead of simply being a more affordable electric model.

The result is a subcompact hatchback whose design is both slight smaller and naturally different than that of the standard electric sports utility vehicle (e-SUV) silhoutte of the eMas 7.

To paint a clearer picture, the eMas 5 is effectively based on the Geome Xingyuan, or also known as the Geely Star Wish, which was introduced in China on October 2024. 

It shares, while also missing out on, a number of similar features notably the size with a wheelbase of 2,650 mm, and is 4,135 mm in length, 1,805 mm wide and 1,580 mm tall.

On the exterior is shares the Xingyuan's full LED headlights with intelligent high beam control, winged-eye rear LED lights and 16-inch rims inclusive of design.

As Proton puts it, the interior for the time being is in its pre-pre production phase meaning there are a number of things that may change by the time of launch.

As it stands given what was shown to us during the media preview, greeting us in the leather (possibly faux) upholstered cabin is an 8.8-inch digital instrument display and a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen head unit with 1080P HD resolution - powered by an ACO Tech-derived Atlas Auto operating system.

Identical to the one found on the 2025 X50, the system supports for both English and Bahasa Malaysia voice commands, two-zone voice control, online navigation, 4G and WiFi connectivity and a six-speaker audio system, and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (AACP).

AACP can also be connected via a Type-A USB connection at the front that's paired alongside a Type-C port. Rear passengers have access to a single Type-A port.

Space is not compromise in spite of its more compact nature as it houses 890 mm of decent rear legroom, a 375 litre boot that's expandable to 1,320 litres with the rear seats folded and a 70 litre frunk/front boot. 

Where storage is concerned there are at least 32 forms of such compartments within the cabin alone. This includes 20 litres within the centre console space and 28 litres of underseat compartment storage.

One of the most interesting aspect of the model is a rear-wheel drive (RWD) setup with use of Geely’s Global Modular Architecture (GMA) platform - possibly the GMA 02 platform following the eMas 7's GMA 01.

It is worth highlighting that the eMas 5 is one of the rare Proton model to come with a RWD configuration. Bonus that this is paired with a only-in-class rear multi-link suspension.

In terms of performance Proton boasts that the eMas 5 has a 36.9 metre braking distance from 100 km/h and a 4.95 metre turning radius.

Though it hasn't been announced we can infer, based on the Xingyuan, that the model will potentially come in two variants of varying powertrain configurations when it is finally launched.

One being a 116 PS (85 kW) and 150 Nm unit and the other is that of a 79 PS (58 kW) and 130 Nm unit - top speed is 135 km/h and 125 km/h, respectively.

What is certain is that the eMas 5 comes with an 11-in-one electric drive system, three drive modes (Sport, Eco and Comfort), one of the variants will have a 0-50 km/h sprint of 3.9 seconds, and a CATL lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that will at least deliver 325km of WLTP range.

Fast charging (DC) is expected to take the eMas 5 at least 21 minutes to charge from 30-80 percent which is about 160km drivable range.

Safety-wise the eMas 5 comes equipped with six airbags (front, front side and side curtain), ESC, ABS, rear parking sensors as well as a 360-degree surround camera with a 3D display. 

Its advance driving assistance system (ADAS) suite features the following: Adaptive cruise control (ACC), Autonomous emergency braking (AEB), Forward collision warning (FCW), Lane departure warning (LDW), Blind spot detection (BSD), Lane change assist (LCA), Rear cross traffic alert (RCTA), Rear collision warning (RCW), Emergency brake assist (EBA), Front vehicle departure (FVD), Traffic sign recognition (TSR), Door opening warning (DOW).

To top it off is a class-exclusive G-TCS all-weather anti-slip and anti-skid system that allows for a reduced torque response time from 60ms to 10ms, a 50 percent reduction in wheel slippage on low traction surface, and a 2 second improvement on icy surfaces.

The big question is the price of the eMas 5 which is anticipated to be at the very least positioned below the RM100,000 mark.

This can only happen if the model is locally assembled (CKD). However, Proton's EV plant in Tanjung Malim will only be completed by the end of the year which could make it seemingly impossible to meet the model's Q4 launch.

The eMas 5 is expected to launch by the end of its MISI 5 Tour which runs from the start of August until October 5.