This handsome multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that you see here is the Geely Jiaji, a model that could potentially be a replacement to the ageing Proton Exora - not in terms of product positioning, but rather a spiritual replacement.

What is the Geely Jiaji?

Introduced in March 2019, the Geely Jiaji is a brand-new MPV. We sampled one during our visit to Guangzhou some time last year and found it to be a rather compelling upgrade to the ageing Proton Exora.

Is the Proton V70 name confirmed?

Proton trademarked a number of names back in 2018, including the aforementioned V70. The company also registered a whole list of potential names including S30, S50, and V50.

How big is it?

In terms of dimensions, the Geely Jiaji is 4,706 mm long, 1,909 mm wide, 1,690 mm tall, with a 2,805 mm long wheelbase. The plug-in hybrid variant is slightly taller at 1,718 mm to accommodate the floor-mounted hybrid battery.

With that said, the Geely Jiaji is considerably bigger than the ageing Proton Exora, putting it closer to the size of a Toyota Innova instead.

What engines does the Jiaji get?

In China, the Geely Jiaji is available with four engine options, including two turbocharged petrol engines, one mild hybrid petrol-electric engine, and one plug-in hybrid petrol-electric engine.

Alongside the four engine options are three transmission choices, namely a six-speed manual, six-speed torque converter automatic, and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The Geely Jiaji is a front-wheel drive-only model.

How many seats does the Geely Jiaji offer?

The Geely Jiaji is availalble either as a six- or seven-seater, while seating configurations include:

• 2 + 2 + 2
• 2 + 2 + 3
• 2 + 3 + 2

Is it safe?

Yes, the Geely Jiaji gets a host of passive and active safety equipment, including Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), ACC Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and Lane Keep Assistant (LKA).

There’s also Rear Collision Warning (RCW), automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian identification, front collision warning (FCW), lane change assistant (LCA), blind spot detection (BSD), speed limit identification (SLIF), and intelligent high-beam control (IHBC).

When will it arrive in Malaysia?

Proton said that a new Geely-based model is coming in 2021 but they did not specify which model is coming. The Proton Exora is long overdue for replacement and Proton is lacking a competitive MPV.

After all, Proton is committed to introducing one new model every year. In 2018 we witnessed the debut of the Proton X70 (CBU), while the locally-assembled (CKD) version arrived one year later in 2019. We also witnessed the debut of the highly-anticipated Proton X50 a couple of months ago.