Proton X70 Premium 2WD SUV, here’s what we know



Proton has just previewed their first ever SUV to the media behind closed doors at Proton Centre of Excellence (COE). Besides the long-awaited official naming of the SUV, we had the chance to get up close and personal with the top of the line Proton X70 Premium and here is everything we’ve learnt so far.

As standard, all variants of the X70 is powered by a 1.8-litre turbocharged direct injection four-cylinder engine paired to a six-speed automatic transmission with 183 hp and 265 Nm of torque. The X70 Premium is front wheel drive, but Proton will be offering an all-wheel drive alternative on the lower Executive spec.

On the outside, the X70 Premium comes equipped with projector headlamps with LED daytime running lights, LED foglamps, LED taillamps, smart keyless entry, dual exhaust outlet, roof rails and 18-inch five twin-spoke alloy wheels wrapped in 225/60 profile Hankook DynaPro HP2 tyres. Other visual cues include a satin finish foglamp housing, chrome side sill trim and a TGDI badge on the front doors.

Compared to the Geely Boyue that the X70 is based on, Proton Design has added their own input to the front grille and a new tailgate trim with a Proton badging. There are also Proton wordings added inside the headlamps and taillamps. You will not find a powered tailgate even on this range-topping Premium variant.

Moving inside, you’ll be greeted by brown Nappa leather upholstery complemented with black soft-touch materials on the upper dashboard and door cards. From what we can observe, the X70 Premium comes equipped with three-spoke flat-bottom multifunctional steering wheel, LCD instrument cluster touchscreen infotainment system, panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control with AirClean ioniser, rear air vents, electronic parking brake, powered front seats and six USB charging ports and a tonneau cover for the boot (Boyue uses a fixed cover).

From the centre console layout, we can tell that Proton and Geely have put in considerable effort to make a proper right-hand drive conversion and not just moving the steering wheel to the right side. The switch gears on the centre console tunnel – EPB, drive mode selector, parking sensors – have been flipped with the essential controls placed to the driver side. (Mercedes-Benz, please take note)

Another observation is the LCD instrument cluster on the Proton features a new design with blue hue as opposed to a clear design on the Boyue. Like the Boyue, the instrument cluster can cycle through different design and layout according to the drive mode selected – Eco, Normal and Sport.

On the safety front, the X70 Premium comes equipped with six airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Hill Descent Control and 360-degree camera.

Keep in mind that this is a media preview event and Proton has yet to officially confirm the full specification of the X70 line up. This list was compiled based merely on our observation and short time with the Proton X70 Premium.

For now, the company is keeping a tight lip on their pricing strategy but did reveal that the X70 will be on display in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Penang, Kuantan, Johor Bahru, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu in the coming weeks as part of Proton’s campaign leading up to the official launch of their new SUV.