since 1976
since 1976
By Lee Pang Seng
THE Proton X70 started out as a four-cylinder 1.8-litre turbo model when it was first introduced in December 2018. A three-cylinder 1.5-litre turbo variant came on stream in mid-2022. And in 2026, it has come full circle by being equipped with a four-cylinder engine again, this time as a 1.5-litre turbo unit.
There are good and bad in everything and between the three-cylinder and four-cylinder engines, the former is a lighter unit with fewer cylinders (which means lighter vehicle weight and better acceleration) while the later gains in smoother engine operation, especially on hard acceleration. That adds to the driving comfort, which should gel well with the X70’s standing as Proton’s flagship SUV (sport utility vehicle).
Proton Malaysia is clearly focusing on this aspect of ‘smooth refinement’ to promote the 2026 version of the X70. The i-GT 1.5TD engine, which is described as an upgraded unit, delivers 133kW (181PS) and 290Nm. The output is higher over the three-cylinder 1.5 turbo unit that puts out 130kW (177PS) at 5500rpm and 255Nm from 1500rpm to 4000rpm.
In fact, the output of the 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit places it closer to the 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo engine (135kW (184PS) at 5500rpm and 300Nm of torque from 1750rpm to 4000rpm. With that scenario, the latest X70 1.5 should win over diehards who swear by the bigger engine displacement alternative. The good fuel economy should help too as the 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine is said to return 6.9 litres per 100km (14.5km/l) average fuel consumption.
The latest X70 might not impress many on what it has to offer merely by looking at it. What new goodies there are lie beneath its ‘skin’, like the four-cylinder engine, and are the highlights of the 2026 model. Focusing on comfort and confident driving, the engine uses a toothed timing chain for quieter running and the suspension system – MacPherson strut front and multilink rear – is given the Proton tune.
The latter is said to provide quieter low to mid frequency road noise, better rear axle impact strength and improved roll support capacity. Even the steering ratio is adjusted for a sharper and faster response. The body is also given extra padding where due to improve Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) to complement the quieter running engine and contribute to driving and travelling comfort.
Proton has halved the X70 range to two variants, these being the Executive and Premium models. The Standard variant is discontinued along with the flagship All-wheel Drive X70.
The interior now sees faux leather seat upholstery and there is no panoramic sunroof for the Premium model among other changes.
This has seen to attractive prices being maintained; RM106,800 for the Executive (price on the road without insurance) and RM119,800 for the X70 Premium. Sweetening the deal for the first 1500 customers is the Special Launch Package. This includes an overtrade support of up to RM2000 if the customer is trading in his vehicle.
There is also a RM7000 rebate and an Accessories Package worth RM700 that comprises a boot tray, sunshade and door visors. That means the first 1500 customers would get the latest X70 at RM99,800 and RM112,800 for the Executive and Premium respectively. These on the road prices without insurance are applicable when the vehicles are registered by 31st March.
Test Track Impressions
As a launch preview, the media was given a drive impression of the latest X70 at the Proton Test Track in Shah Alam. An X70 Premium was provided for us to enjoy its quieter and more comfortable running on the oval course with banked gradients, a 0-100km/h acceleration exercise to feel the improved power and a slalom course to experience its confident handling.
We started with the slalom course; the X70 Premium comes with 19-inch alloy wheels fitted with 225/55 R19 GitiComfort F50 tyres. The X70 used to be fitted with Continental tyres but the tyremaker’s closure of its plant in Malaysia saw an end to that tyre supply. The X70 Executive comes with 18-inch alloys with 225/60 R18 tyres.
We were asked to do the course at about 35km/h that we felt that was a bit too slow. Our speed over the course was between 40 and 45km/h. The faster we pushed the X70, the greater the understeer but still manageable. Body roll was also more dramatic and we wouldn’t recommend pushing it if there are passengers on board. Steering sharpness was good though.
We recalled, however, our positive impression during a drive in the updated model between KL and Desaru in 2022, when it was first made available with the 1.5-litre engine (albeit the three-cylinder version). We believe the latest X70 with the Proton-tuned suspension should meet the needs of most customers in its handling performance.
Our next item was the 0-100lm/h acceleration runs; one in Standard mode and the other in Sport mode. The i-GT four-cylinder 1.5TD engine is mated to a seven-speed DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) to deliver output to the front wheels. A time recorder for the first run in Standard mode indicated a time 10.8 seconds. The initial turbo lag was all too noticeable when we floored the accelerator in taking off.
Thinking that we would improve our acceleration time in Sport, we found the turbo lag on take-off to be just as bad, if not worse. Although we could feel the turbo kicking in strongly after that, we actually clocked a slower time of 11 seconds. Before we took off, we were told we could step on the brake with the left foot and bring up engine revs with the right foot via the accelerator.
As we didn’t do that in Standard mode, we felt the results would be coloured somewhat with a different approach. Apparently, we could improve the acceleration time to 9.8 seconds with that approach. We noted that when the other media people used that approach, they got the front wheels screeching on take-offs as the turbo was already in full boost.
The final exercise was the doing the banked oval course to experience the level of improved quietness and comfort that come with the engine improvements and NVH updates. Firstly, we already noted the quieter engine during the earlier two sessions, especially on hard acceleration. This third run was to affirm this observation while cruising.
We were advised to take to the banked sections at 90km/h, but we did it at about 110km/h or slightly more. As we reached speeds of almost 140km/h on the straights between the banked sections, we clearly didn’t slow down enough. Of course, at a higher speed, we could hear the road noise more as at a banked angle, we were closer to the road surface. We had two runs around the oval course to draw our conclusions.
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There was no doubt that the latest X70 was comfortable to drive at the speeds covered. This affirmed our road drive experience in the 2022 KL-Desaru run. Whether the latest X70 would be a quieter drive, we would need a decibel meter to decide that. Nevertheless, as the X70 has already set a precedent as a quiet cruiser, you would expect more of the same in the latest variant.
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