Malaysia’s first and sole national badged automotive manufacturing company, Proton has been pushing the boundaries of technology, with inspiring connections and building strong relationships with humanity and each other to lead a better future for mobility as their motto. In spite of being mocked for having a small consumer base mainly populated and eastern Asia region, Proton has been rated as the most reliable car companies out there, even beating some of the oldies and the renowned ones like Mercedes Benz, Land Rover and Ford. Thus, Proton cars have gotten popular globally with bigger demands and prospects spreading across central Asia, Europe and America as well. In this article, we’re gonna have a look at the most awarded and well received model of SUV manufactured solely by the company and why people were and still are hyped up about this top-selling vehicle.
Proton X70: An Overview
In 2018, Proton partnered up with Chinese automobile company Geely to release the first generation Proton x70 model of compact crossover SUVs, which was just conceived by rebadging the left-hand-drive version Geely Boyue. This was a start of a greater opportunity for both the companies as the SUV gained immense popularity for its value-for-money budget and favorable reviews from both the people and the critics. The x70 was one of the fastest selling SUVs in Malaysia and to this day millions of people are driving this model around the world. Let’s have a quick review of the 2020 Proton x70 model SUV variants.
The latest generation 2020 Proton has yet again been well received by the buyers and critics and sold about 30,000 units among the Malaysian households. The design for the SUV has not got many alterations from its previous generations, with the sleek led head and tail lights and 18 inches alloy wheels. The interior is not at all disappointing, with leather wrapped central console and good arm support. Although the spacing is not quite generous inside the vehicle, the design is certainly eye-widening and provides a smooth and relaxing drive experience. Proton x70 comes with several safety and comfort features. It is provided with six ESC or TCS airbags in all the variants and various tyre pressure monitoring systems. For comfort, the front seats are well ventilated, with reclinable rear seats, 6-way power adjustable seat for driver and rear air vents. 2020 Proton x70 CKD is compatible with Geely Smart Ecosystem (GKUI) Android-based infotainment system. There are features like 8-inch, voice command, online music streaming, navigation, weather forecast and 4g+Wi-Fi along with 9 speakers and 6 USB ports.
The 2020 Proton X70 CKD is powered by a 1.8L 4-cyl turbocharged petrol engine. The power generated by this engine is about 181hp / 5500 RPM and 1750 RPM Torque. It has an extremely economic fuel consumption rate of 7.6ltr per 100km and a very fast 0-100kmph acceleration rate of just 9.5 seconds. A new 7- speed dual clutch transmission engineered and built in-house by Geely has been used for even better performance. The Proton X70 is known for its quiet cabin and this time it has become quieter than ever with better sound proofing systems!
Pricing / Final Thoughts
As we’ve already discussed, the pricing for this model is lower than average and has attracted many car buyers for that reason. The cheapest variant of 2020 Proton x70 is available at the price of $23k, and the price for the expensive one is about $30k. With this cheap price range, x70 is definitely a value for buck vehicle to meet the needs of middle class families in south and southeast Asia.
