As someone who's been driving ICE cars all her life and genuinely enjoys a good manual drive, we've got to say we were pleasantly surprised after taking the Proton e.MAS 7, Proton's first-ever EV, for a proper spin. We took it on a road trip from Subang Jaya to Janda Baik and back, and we loved how effortless it felt driving up the hills. But before we get into performance, let's start with first impressions on the looks.
First Impressions: Sleek And Streamlined
If you're familiar with the Geely Galaxy E5, you'll recognise that the Proton e.MAS 7 is pretty much its twin – minus the illuminated grille pattern. Proton has opted for a cleaner face, which to be fair, suits the EV aesthetic, though we cant help but feel that a little glow wouldn't have hurt. The front fascia features sharp L-shaped bumper corners, gloss black wheel arches, and scalloped side panels, all anchored by the familiar Proton emblem.
Categorised as a C-segment SUV, the e.MAS 7 looks sleek with its streamlined body. At the rear, you'll find full-width LED taillights, and a massive Proton script across the tailgate. It's visually impactful, though we'd suggest downsizing the e.MAS 7 logo just a notch.
Our test unit – the Prime variant – rolled on 18-inch alloy wheels with a sharp, angular five-spoke design that gives off a futuristic vibe. Meanwhile, the Premium variant gets a turbine-style rim, so it really depends on your aesthetic.
Looks-wise, it's a clean and confident design that's definitely not what we expected from our national car brand. Major kudos to the team for stepping it up.
Interior Vibes: Minimalist, Practical, And A Touch Luxe
Now onto the interior. The e.MAS 7 greets you with a dark indigo blue interior that mostly looks black until sunlight hits it just right. The cockpit is refreshingly minimalist, with a 15.4-inch touchscreen head unit powered by Flyme Auto OS, paired with a 10.2-inch instrument panel. Material-wise, it feels more premium than expected, with nice tactile finishes that lend a touch of exclusivity.
In terms of features, the Prime variant misses out on ventilated front seats and the driver's headrest speaker – both available in the Premium. That headrest speaker apparently makes calls and navigation alerts easier to hear, especially when driving with the windows down or with music on. That aside, the Prime does come with a six-speaker Flyme Audio system, a wireless charging tray and a physical control dial for the infotainment screen.
Rear seat space is generous with a flat floor that makes it more comfortable for the middle passenger. One of our favourite discoveries was that the back seats can recline. So if you're into glamping or just chilling in your car, you can recline the seats (60:40 split), throw in an airbed and turn it into a mini bedroom. We love a good outdoor escape moment. During our demo with the Pro Net team, they even showed how you can power up appliances using the car – we watched them plug in a blender. Yes, a blender.
As a woman, one thing we appreciate is the hidden storage under the cockpit that's big enough to keep your handbag. It's not a new concept, but it's still a nice touch. The rear seats also come with storage drawers underneath – perfect for keeping your shoes or random bits without cluttering the cabin. The boot space is pretty generous too at 461 litres, with an additional 51 litres of underfloor storage. The only downside? No tonneau cover, meaning your belongings are a little exposed. Hopefully, that becomes an optional add-on soon.
The Drive: Surprisingly Smooth And Composed
First thing we noticed is how smooth and refined the drive feels. Ride comfort is decent and when we tested it with passengers, including going over bumps and doing emergency braking, the feedback was solid. The car handled it well, stayed stable through corners and lane changes, and body roll was kept minimal. What stood out most is how seamless the uphill drive felt. It didn't strain or lag, and that instant torque delivery (a hallmark of EVs) made it feel intuitive even for first-time EV drivers. The only thing we weren't so fond of was the wind noise that creeps in once you hit over 100 kilometres per hour. The sound insulation could definitely be better.
Safety & Battery: A Solid Offering
The e.MAS 7 is pretty loaded when it comes to safety. It comes with Level Two Advanced Driver Assistance Systems including Intelligent Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Emergency Lane Keep Assist, Lane Change Safety Warning, Traffic Sign Recognition and more. It's a solid setup for a car in this price range.
Battery-wise, the Prime variant packs a 49.52kWh AEGIS Short Blade Battery with a 345km (WLTP*) range. On our drive, we started with 98% battery (339km range) and ended with 62% (218km range) after covering the round trip and making a pit stop at Bamboo Hills. Pretty solid range.
That said, if you're new to EVs, always plan your drives ahead.
Charging is made easier with the e.MAS app, which syncs with an integrated live charging map covering 85% of Malaysia's network. It even shows which stations are free, saving you from awkward waiting-game situations.
Worth noting: the e.MAS 7 is officially rated the safest car tested by ASEAN NCAP in 2024, with a 5-star rating and an impressive score of 92.57 – the highest-scoring passenger vehicle of the year.
A Few Quirks
While the overall experience was great, there are a few niggles. For one, the car resets your settings (drive mode, intelligent reminder, etc) every time you restart it. Pro Net says this is for safety, but it can be a bit of a hassle to manually reconfigure everything each time. Hopefully, this is something a future update can tweak.
Also, while the model we drove didn't have Apple CarPlay, we were told that it's coming soon in a future update, so keep an eye out if that's a must-have for you.
Final Thoughts
At RM105,800 (OTR) for the Prime variant, the Proton e.MAS 7 delivers a strong case for itself – not just as a national EV, but as a well-rounded electric SUV for first-time EV adopters. For someone who's sworn by ICE and manual for years, this car has definitely shifted my perspective. Stylish, practical, and surprisingly fun to drive, the e.MAS 7 is Proton's most exciting offering in a long time, and a promising start to their electric journey.
