New Proton X70 – more than just another facelift

The first of a new generation of products – and also Proton’s first SUV – the X70 has been upgraded with meaningful enhancements to keep it competitive in a market with an increasing number of SUV rivals. Since its launch at the end of 2018, over 100,000 units have been delivered around Malaysia as well as to overseas markets.

The new X70 gets many improvements and upgrades which have a combined value of RM13,700, but Proton has chosen not to pass this cost to customers and prices remain unchanged.

Five colour choices are available (depending on the version) – Snow White, Armour Silver, Jet Grey and Ruby Red, with Marine Blue being a new addition.

Additionally, the Malaysian automaker is rewarding the first 3,000 owners of the new X70 with an ‘early bird’ package worth up to RM23,500 of added value. There is a rebate of RM7,000 and  trade-in support of RM2,800, as well as an upgrade if they take the Proton Insurance package.

All customers will get a 5-year warranty with no limit on mileage, 5-year data package (1GB per month) for the ATLAS infotainment system, and 6 free scheduled labour services.

“Thanks to the comprehensive effort of Proton’s vehicle development, we are confident the 2025 Proton X70 will continue to attract interest as a vehicle developed and built by Malaysians for Malaysia and the world,” said Dr. Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer, Proton Holdings Berhad, at the launch today.

While retaining the familiar look, the exterior has received cosmetic changes that not only freshen its appearance but also give a sportier image.

The most noticeable new feature is the larger front grille with elegant songket-pattern elements surrounding the Proton logo framed by new trapezoidal headlamps made up of 47 individual LEDs.

A new front bumper and front fenders add a muscular and aggressive look, further emphasised by a new bonnet which has twin ‘power domes’ that hint at the performance of the SUV.

A new rear bumper with diffuser is installed at the rear, and the 19-inch wheels have a new dual-tone design.

The overall layout of the cabin is unchanged but there is now a premium stone grey colour for the Premium and Premium X variants.

The steering wheel is also new, and there’s an ambient light feature in the form of LED lights on the instrument panel. This has 72 colour choices and can pulsate rhythmically to the beat of the music being played.

Of significance inside is the larger 12.3-inch infotainment system with better processing power, thanks to a dual-core processing unit. It comes with 4GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage space.

With the X70, more Malaysians were introduced to the convenience of voice commands which could be activated by saying “Hi Proton”. The functions that can be controlled are the windows, sunroof, air-conditioning, online navigation, online music streaming and more.

The new X70 is the first Proton model that will be equipped with both wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a long-awaited and much requested connectivity feature.

Owners can now also start the engine remotely with the upgraded Proton Link app using a smartphone. The benefit: the air-conditioner can start running before you get in to cool down the cabin.

The X70 was one of the first vehicles in Malaysia to be equipped with a more effective N95 air filtration system. It was integrated in the ventilation system in 2020 as one of the immediate responses by Proton during the COVID-19 pandemic when air hygiene was crucial.

At the time the X70 was originally launched, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) were just starting to appear in more models in the Malaysian market, and the X70 was among the first to offer these active safety systems in the C-segment of SUVs.

There are no less than 13 active safety systems which makes use of camera and radar to scan the road ahead and spot possible hazards. Most of the systems will warn the driver of risks of collision – front and rear – and some will even act automatically if the driver does not brake or take avoiding action in time.

Adaptive Cruise Control + Intelligent Cruise Control, which operates down to standstill, makes motoring less tiring as the vehicle can run by itself (with driver supervision). This has been upgraded to ADAS Level 2 which increases the control of more driving tasks.

Likewise, Lane Centering Control reduces the necessity for the driver inputs to maintain a safe position within a lane. On long journeys, this can contribute to reduced fatigue and a less tired driver is a safer one.

The larger display panel (standard for all versions) also shows simulated images of the X70 in real-time for parking and manoeuvring. Small cameras around the body provide images on all sides and the driver can select the area he or she wishes to see.

Like the latest X50, the screen has very high definition now (1920 x 720) to show more detail on the ground. With all the views (3D) and even an overhead one (as if you always have a drone above), the SUV can be positioned precisely in a parking bay… no more risk of having a picture appear on social media’s Stupid Parking Idiots page!

The powertrain is unchanged with the proven 1.5-litre 3-cylinder 7-speed dual clutch transmission TGDi engine standard across the range. The turbocharged 177 ps/255 Nm engine is coupled to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that shifts smoothly and quickly. Like the vehicle, the engine is also assembled at Proton’s manufacturing complex in Tg. Malim, Perak.

While the engine is the same unit, the engineers have reduced fuel consumption by 4% to 13.7 kms/litre. This improvement has been achieved through better combustion efficiency, thermal management and reducing internal friction.

Unseen but sure to make each journey more pleasant is a notable decrease in noise, vibration and harshness (NVH in industry-speak). While this is something only the owner of the previous X70 could discern, it should give a greater sense of the SUV being a premium product as smoothness and quietness are associated with such positioning.

During the 4.2 million kms of testing in all kinds of conditions, NVH would have been recorded. The engineers worked hard to identify the areas where noise is generated or comes in from the outside and either sealed off the pathways, or used thicker insulation to absorb and mask noises.

Click here to locate a Proton showroom in Malaysia to test the new X70

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