The 2020 Proton X70, now
rolling off the Tanjung Malim plant, is officially launched and prices start
from RM 94,800 to RM 122,800. There are 4 variants for the locally assembled
2020 Proton X70 CKD: Standard, Executive, Premium and Premium X.
- Standard - RM 94,800 (-RM 5,000)
- Executive - RM 106,800 (-RM 3,000)
- Premium - RM 119,800 (replaces AWD Executive, previously priced at RM 115,800)
- Premium X - RM 122,800 (-RM 1,000)
For starters, there is a new colour named
Space Grey, which is only available on Premium variants. All variants are
powered by a 1.8-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that is mated to a
7-speed wet type dual-clutch transmission (DCT), replacing the 6-speed
automatic transmission. Drive is sent to the front wheels for all variants as
AWD has been dropped. The reason for dropping the AWD variant is simple, less
than 4% of the China-made CBU units sold were AWD. It only makes economic sense
to drop it.
Power is maintained at 184 PS while torque
is bumped up by 15 Nm to 300 Nm from 1,750 rpm to 4,000 rpm. The higher torque
comes courtesy of the revised 1.8-litre engine, known internally as Generation
3 (CBU cars are Generation 2). The DCT is co-developed with Volvo and meets
their durability requirements. It has been extensively tested in various
conditions, from below freezing temperatures to scorching heat over 9,000,000
km.
On top of that, Proton engineers have
tested it over 2,000,000 km on our shores and calibrated it according to our
climate, driving styles, and road conditions. Granted, there is a stigma
surrounding DCTs but it appears that Geely and Proton have done their homework.
And the plus side of the DCT is reduced fuel consumption and improved
acceleration. 0-100 km/h now takes 9.5 seconds, a whole second quicker than
before.
The rear seats now feature a two-step
reclining function from 27 degrees to 32 degrees to provide greater comfort and
allows baby or child seats to be mounted more easily. Next is the powered
tailgate and front ventilated seats, available in Executive variants and up.
Premium variants gain additional foot sensor for hands-free operation via
kicking motion underneath the rear bumper. Exclusive for the Premium X variant
is panoramic sunroof, which is omitted in the Premium variant, otherwise both
are identical in terms of features.
Suspension is tweaked by Proton, featuring
stiffer springs and dampers to reduce body roll without trading off comfort.
Having tested it ourselves, we can attest to that. Body roll is noticeably
reduced at no detectable loss in pliancy. Final touches to the locally
assembled Proton X70 are the new Proton logos found on the front grille,
steering wheel, wheel caps, and on the window lamination.
As before, the car comes with a
5-year/unlimited mileage warranty, 5-year free data package of 1 GB per month,
5x free labour for scheduled maintenance and financing from 2.32% (previously
2.34%).



