Proton S70

An all-black theme is common for the cabin of the Proton S70 in all of its four variants. However, while the Executive variant feels basic with its fabric upholstery, the other three variants of the sedan have leatherette upholstery as standard.

The Proton S70 has a flat-bottom, three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel, behind which sits the instrument console binnacle, which has a full-LCD arrangement in Flagship and Flagship X variants. The centre console is dominated by a rectangular touchscreen infotainment system at the top, below which there are sleek-looking AC vents and buttons for the climate control system. 

The lower centre console looks inspired by an aircraft’s cockpit, with sleek and angular designs for the electronic parking brake switch and transmission lever. This lower centre console also has a brushed aluminium finish that makes the cabin look richer. 

Pros and Cons:

Pro: New-age screens for instrument console and infotainment system

Con: Overall layout looks too simple and lacks character

Features and Technology

The Proton S70 is the best feature-equipped sedan ever launched by the Malaysian carmaker in the country. All four variants of the S70 are equipped with cruise control, three drive modes (Eco, Comfort and Sport), a push start-stop button, remote engine start, all four power windows with auto-down function, rear AC vents, four speakers and USB charging ports – 3 at the front and 2 at the rear.

The base-spec Executive variant misses out on features like leatherette upholstery, anti-trap function for the power windows, rear centre armrest and automatic climate control, which are present in the remaining three variants of the Proton S70. The Flagship and Flagship X variants of the Proton S70 further get three steering modes (Normal, Sport and Comfort), a full-LCD instrument console, security tint for the windows, 6-way powered driver’s seat, two additional speakers for the audio system and a wireless charger. A sunroof is an exclusive feature offered only in the Flagship X variant.

The Executive and Premium variants of the Proton S70 have an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, that features smartphone and Bluetooth connectivity. On the other hand, the Flagship and Flagship X variants have a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, that also supports voice command, online navigation, online music streaming, online weather forecast, 4G and Wi-Fi and Proton Link App. 

Pros and cons:

Pro: Flagship and Flagship X variants are well-equipped with modern features

Con: No ventilated seats in any of the variant

Boot Space and Storage

Being a premium compact sedan, one can expect a large and capacious boot compartment in the Proton S70. And the sedan doesn’t disappoint on that front, with it offering a boot space of 500 litres. Even the in-cabin storage spaces are pretty decent, with the sedan having bottle holders in all four door panels, in addition to usable spaces in the front glovebox and beneath the front centre armrest.

Pros and cons:

Pro: Massive boot space

Con: Cup holders are less 

Save for the badges at the front and rear, the Proton S70 looks exactly the same as the Geely Emerald on which it is based. All the body panels and exterior elements have been shared with the Chinese sedan, and the Proton S70's overall proportionate-looking design has an air of modernity.

The front profile of the Proton S70 looks elegant with a wide grille with tapered edges at the bottom, chrome surrounds, and diamond studded-themed chrome inserts, which makes the car look premium when viewed head-on. The headlamps to the sides of this front grille come with a halogen setup in the Executive variant and LED arrangement with auto on/off function in the remaining three variants, with LED DRLs offered as standard in all four variants. The triangular chrome inserts on the corners of the front bumper further make the S70 look dynamic.

The side profile of the Proton S70 continues the sense of elegance with its stretched profile, with the long wheelbase of 2,627mm adding to its road presence. While the Executive and Premium variants come with 16-inch silver alloy wheels, the more premium Flagship and Flagship X variants have 17-inch machined alloy wheels.

All four variants of the S70 come with electrically adjustable rearview mirrors, with auto folding functionality available from the Premium variant onwards. The sedan also comes with LED combination tail lamps, with the Premium, Flagship and Flagship X variants also having an LED-connected light bar that makes the rear end look fancy. 

The colour options offered across the Proton S70 lineup are Snow White, Armour Silver, Space Grey, Passion Red, Marine Blue, Teal Bayou Green, and Quartz Black. 

Pros and cons:

Pro: Premium and elegant design language

Cons: No visual differences from the donor car (Geely Emerald)

Proton claims a fuel efficiency of 18.86 kmpl for the S70, which is achievable in highway driving conditions. However, like any other turbocharged petrol engine, this 1.5-litre turbo-petrol powertrain of the S70 is very sensitive to throttle inputs. If driven aggressively or in dense traffic conditions, the fuel efficiency can fall to 9.6 kmpl.

Pros and cons:

Pro: Impressive fuel efficiency on highways

Con: Real-world city efficiency could have been better

Equipped with a suspension combination of Macpherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear, the overall ride quality of the Proton S70 feels very comfortable and well-settled. The three driving modes – Normal, Eco, and Sport – have well-differentiated engine tuning, with some of that also reflected in suspension behaviour. There are three steering modes on offer too – Normal, Sport, and Comfort, with the Comfort variant having the lightest steering feedback. Proton claims a turning radius of 5.5 metres for the S70, which is decent for a car of this size. 

Pros and Cons:

Pro: Plush ride quality

Con: Low ground clearance

All four variants of the Proton S70 come with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission being the standard gearbox in all of them. This engine churns out a maximum power output of 150 PS and a maximum torque output of 226 Nm.

The refinement levels are smooth at idle, but the engine has the typical three-cylinder vibrations at higher RPMs. The responsiveness from the 7-speed DCT is pretty decent too, though it is not in the league of dual-clutch transmissions from German carmakers. Proton claims that the S70 can do the 0-100 kmph run in 9 seconds, which makes it a decently quick sedan for its size. 

Pros and cons:

Pro: Good midrange performance

Con: Refinement levels at higher RPMs

The standard safety features offered in all four variants of Proton S70 are six airbags (front, side and curtain), ABS with EBD and brake assist, auto brake hold, electronic stability control, traction control, hill hold assist, rear collision warning, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, door opening warning and rear parking sensors. Reverse camera and front parking sensors are offered from the Premium variant onwards.

More safety features are available in the Flagship and Flagship X variants, which include autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, intelligent cruise control, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, lane centring control, traffic sign information, intelligent high beam control, tyre pressure monitoring system and a 360-degree parking camera. The Flagship X variant also comes with a digital video recorder.  

Pros and cons:

Pro: Several safety features are standard, including 6 airbags and some of ADAS features

Con: No paring camera in base Executive variant

Competitor Comparison

The Proton S70 competes with the ever-popular offerings in the premium compact segment, which are primarily preferred by first-time car buyers. The alternatives for the Proton S70 include the Honda City, Nissan Almera, Toyota Vios, Mazda 2 Sedan, and MG5.

Conclusion and Final Verdict

Compared to the established rivals from the Japanese carmakers, the Proton S70 had a herculean task of making a mark among first-time car buyers, considering that it is a badge-engineered version of a Chinese car and not an original product developed from the grounds-up. Meeting most of the expectations, the S70 succeeds in delivering a premium experience with a modern and feature-rich cabin, a powerful turbocharged petrol engine, and comfortable ride quality.