Yesterday was a historical moment for Proton Cars as Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad officiated the launch of the national car maker’s first ever SUV, the Proton X70.
Speaking to Deputy Marketing Director of Proton, Steven Zhou, he said customer deliveries of the new X70 will commence from today (13 December 2018) onwards, just one day after its official unveiling. Zhou also told AutoBuzz.my that Proton is invested in ensuring that their valued customers will not have to wait for long to receive their brand-new SUV.
The newly launched X70 is available in four variants – Standard 2WD, Executive 2WD, Executive AWD and Premium 2WD. All variants are powered by the same 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder T-GDi paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. It makes 183 hp and 285 Nm of twist to drive the front wheels. Only the Executive variant has the option for all-wheel-drive.
The X70 starts from RM99,800 for the base Standard 2WD, escalating to the RM123,800 price tag of the top of the range Premium 2WD. This places the fully imported X70 (from China) right in the pricing range of locally-assembled B-Segment SUVs like the Honda HR-V and Subaru XV, undercutting C-Segment rivals like the entry-level Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5 by some margin. This pricing strategy is similar to the Geely Boyue in China.
Despite the attractive pricing, Proton did not skimp on the equipment, offering items found in more premium (and expensive) competitors as standard across the range such as dual-zone automatic climate control with Clean Air purifier, 7.0-inch LCD instrument cluster, leather-wrapped multifunctional steering wheel, electronic parking brake, Drive Mode selector (Eco, Normal & Sport), six airbags, Electronic Stability Control and more.
With Proton dealers heavily invested in upgrading their existing facility to full 3S and 4S premises as well as the Xtra Package ownership bundle that offers 5-Years Unlimited Mileage warranty, 5-Year complimentary 1GB monthly data connectivity powered by Celcom, 5 times Free Labour Service and a low finance rate of 2.34 per cent per annum, perhaps this Proton X70 will be the turnaround product that Proton has been waiting for.
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Proton X70 Premium 2WD Launched in Malaysia
