Proton X70: Variants explained

Proton finally launched its first ever SUV called the X70 here in Malaysia. It was a well presented and conduct launch event that caught the attention of quite a bunch of people who were present at the venue and also of those who were watching the live streaming of the entire event on the Internet. Proton also announced a Facebook Live Contest prior to the commencement of the launch which proved to be a good marketing strategy.

Anyway, let’s jump right into it and address the elephant in the room; the Proton X70 price starts at RM 99,800 for the base model. There are four variants of the SUV - STANDARD 2WD, EXECUTIVE 2WD, EXECUTIVE AWD, and PREMIUM 2WD. The last one is the most expensive model costing RM 123,800. So how exactly each variant is different than the others, we’re going to find that out.

STANDARD 2WD

Being the base variant of the X70, it is the most affordable model. There are a handful of base specifications that remain common across the board. The engine powering the new X70 is a 1.8L TGDi petrol unit that has been tuned to produce 184PS at 5500 revs and generates peak torque of 285Nm at 1700 to 4400 revs. It is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode. As the name suggests, the power is transmitted to only two wheels.

This variant comes with halogen headlamps and no DRLs, 17-inch alloy wheels, 6 airbags, an 8-inch infotainment head unit, a rearview camera, fabric seats, and an air purifier system. These were some of the highlighting features of the STANDARD 2WD variant.

EXECUTIVE 2WD

Moving on, the EXECUTIVE 2WD sits at number two in the list. It is a tad bit expensive than the base model and sells at a price of RM 109,800. To justify the price difference, Proton has added a few extra features apart from the ones that we’ve already discussed.

The EXECUTIVE 2WD gets LED headlamps with LED daytime running lights. Instead of 17, it has 18-inch alloy wheels. To up the interior quality a bit, fabric seats are replaced by leatherette seats. The driver seat is 6-way electrically adjustable. There are front parking sensors and a 360-degree camera. We also have an Auto-Dimming Rear View Mirror, Front Welcome Lamps, Front Footwell Lamps, and Auto Rain Sensing Front Wipers.

EXECUTIVE AWD

Price at RM 115,800, the EXECUTIVE AWD is the third most expensive variant of the Proton X70. If you compare it with the STANDARD 2WD variant, then you will indeed notice a lot of added features. However, the difference between the EXECUTIVE AWD and the EXECUTIVE 2WD is not that much.

You must have guessed it by the name itself that the EXECUTIVE AWD variant features Proton’s Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system. The rest of the mechanicals remain the same. Apart from that, there is an additional safety feature called the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). That’s it. These are the only two differences between the EXECUTIVE AWD and EXECUTIVE 2WD.

PREMIUM 2WD

The last, but not the least, model mentioned in the Proton X70 variants list is the PREMIUM 2WD. It is the most expensive X70 available, priced at RM 123,800. It has the largest wheels of all, 19-inch in size, and the interior gets a treatment of Nappa leather on the seats. Along with the driver power seat, even the front passenger seat is 4-way electronically adjustable. It also comes with a panoramic sunroof that has a remote function. The number of speakers in the variant is 9 with power amplifier and subwoofer.

There is an increase in safety features as well. We get Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Door Opening Warning System (DOW), and 4 front parking sensors.

Looking at the long feature list, it seems that the PREMIUM 2WD would be the best choice. However, it is a bit disappointing to see that Proton has excluded the AWD system from this one. It would have been great if that could have been made available at least as optional.

So there you have it guys, a breakdown of all the variants of the newly launched Proton X70. Proton has done a commendable job with this one. It has already received an overwhelming response by the media and interested buyers at the KLIMS 2018. And now it is officially launched and available at the dealerships for you to have a look. Which variant are you going to buy? Do let us know in the comments.