Proton eMas 5 Long-Term Review: Is Malaysia’s Favourite EV Worth It in 2026?
Published: September 17, 2026 | By EV Sifu | Category: EV Reviews
The Proton eMas 5 has had over a year on Malaysian roads — enough time to separate the launch-day excitement from genuine, real-world ownership truth. We’ve driven it in KL traffic, on the North-South Expressway, and through monsoon downpours to give you the most complete Proton eMas 5 review Malaysia buyers deserve before signing the dotted line.
Short answer: it’s still the most compelling mass-market EV under RM150,000 in Malaysia. But there are caveats worth knowing — especially around charging and software. Read on for every detail.
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Proton eMas 5 Full Specs Table
The eMas 5 is offered in two main variants in Malaysia — the Standard Range and the Long Range AWD. Here’s what you need to know at a glance before we dive deeper.
| Specification | eMas 5 Standard Range (RWD) | eMas 5 Long Range (AWD) |
|---|---|---|
| Price (OTR, West Malaysia) | RM 119,800 | RM 139,800 |
| Battery Capacity | 61.1 kWh | 77 kWh |
| WLTP Range | 430 km | 570 km |
| Motor Output | 200 hp / 320 Nm | 374 hp / 620 Nm |
| 0–100 km/h | 7.5 seconds | 4.5 seconds |
| Top Speed | 175 km/h | 200 km/h |
| DC Fast Charging (Max) | 80 kW | 150 kW |
| AC Charging (Max) | 11 kW (3-phase) | 11 kW (3-phase) |
| Charge Port | CCS2 (DC) / Type 2 (AC) | CCS2 (DC) / Type 2 (AC) |
| Boot Space | 579 litres | 579 litres |
| Frunk | No | No |
| ADAS | Level 2 (CDCS, ACC, LKA) | Level 2+ (same + NCP) |
| Warranty | 5 years / unlimited km (vehicle); 8 years / 160,000 km (battery) | Same |
Note: Prices are OTR without insurance, accurate as of September 2026. Verify with your nearest Proton EV showroom for the latest figures.
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Real-World Driving Experience
The eMas 5 drives confidently — this is the first thing you notice within five minutes behind the wheel. Built on Geely’s SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform, the same underpinnings used by the Zeekr X and Volvo EX30, the car feels planted and mature well beyond its price point.
In Standard Range RWD form, the throttle calibration is progressive — not the neck-snapping instant torque you might expect from a performance EV. This is deliberate, and honestly, it suits Malaysian daily driving perfectly. Crawling through Cheras traffic or navigating the tight multi-storey car parks at Mid Valley, the eMas 5 feels easy to modulate.
Ride Quality on Malaysian Roads
Malaysian jalan raya is not forgiving — potholes, uneven expansion joints, and speed bumps are a daily reality. The eMas 5’s suspension tuning handles this better than most competitors at this price. It leans slightly softer compared to Chinese rivals, absorbing road imperfections without wallowing on corners.
Noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels are genuinely impressive. Wind noise is well-suppressed up to highway speeds around 110–120 km/h, which is where most Malaysians cruise on the NSE. Road noise from coarser tarmac sections does filter through more than we’d like, but it’s never intrusive.
AWD Long Range: When Do You Need It?
The AWD variant’s 374 hp feels genuinely fast — the 4.5-second 0–100 km/h sprint is a proper party trick that will embarrass a lot of petrol cars at the traffic lights. But in a Malaysian context, the real-world benefit of AWD is wet-weather traction during heavy hujan lebat, not performance bragging rights.
Unless you’re regularly driving up Cameron Highlands or heading into the highlands, the Standard Range RWD will serve most Malaysian drivers perfectly well day-to-day.