2022 Proton X70 is launching this Thursday, will it come with 1.5L turbo engine and AWD option?

[ UPDATE 9/06/2022 13:30 ] Proton X70 2022 is officially launched in Malaysia and it comes with 1.5L TGDi engine and AWD options. Here are 8 things you need to know about the updated Proton X70.

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Shortly after releasing its updated Proton Saga for 2022, Proton is launching its new X70 SUV this coming Thursday. This is currently their flagship SUV offering and Proton says they are “unleashing a design that will level up your driving experience”.

The 2022 Proton X70 will be unveiled online on Proton’s official Facebook page at 11:00am on Thursday, 9th June 2022. Looking at their teaser, the new updated X70 will get a 19″ rim design that’s similar to the X70 Special Edition model that was released in July 2021.

While most people are looking forward to a major facelift, this 2022 model is expected to retain the same design as the first X70 that was introduced in 2018. You can expect the same new rounded Proton logo as the current model and perhaps some minor tweaks for both the interior and exterior. We hope Proton offers an upgraded infotainment system but it would probably not support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

On the safety front, we are hoping that Proton will upgrade its Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and offer at least Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) for its lower variants. In the safety department, the X70 Premium model currently trails behind the X50 flagship which offers Level 2 semi-autonomous driving features such as lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control that supports stop and go traffic.

According to Paul Tan, the biggest change is likely found under the hood as the Proton X70 is expected to run on the same 1.5L 3-cylinder TGDi engine that’s found on the top-spec Proton X50. The current locally-assembled Proton X70 2020 is using a 1.8L 4-cylinder TGDi engine with a 7-speed wet DCT that’s rated to push a maximum power output of 135kW (181hp) and 300Nm of torque.

Meanwhile, the 1.5L 3-cylinder TGDi unit is rated to push an output of 130kW (about 175hp) and 255Nm of torque. It is worth highlighting that Proton does sell the X70 with the smaller 1.5L turbo engine in other markets such as Pakistan and Nepal.

In sheer numbers, the smaller engine option seems slightly underpowered on paper and it isn’t clear if this will replace the 1.8L engine for the entire range. Word has it that Proton may reintroduce its All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) model which was previously offered on the fully imported Proton X70 back in 2018. In Nepal, the Proton X70 AWD model is running on a 1.5L turbo engine and is offered in Executive trim.

With the SST exemption coming to an end on 30th June, expect to pay more for the new Proton X70 2022 model. Even without the tax exemption, we are already seeing a price hike for most models including the recently updated Proton Saga which is now priced from RM34,400. That’s RM2,000 more than the previous base model Saga which starts from RM32,400 with the tax exemption.

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