EVER since its announcement, many have been wondering if Proton’s latest flagship offering would make a successful transition going locally-built.
After all, the complete knocked-down (CKD) model has a lot to live up to in order for Proton to maintain its present dominance. Not to mention last year’s complete built-up (CBU) variant was dubbed “local car of the year”.
Big shoes to fill indeed as the company moves forward.
So here we are, after the official launch of the 2020 X70. The CKD version, now locally-assembled at Proton’s Tanjung Malim plant, doesn’t look all that different from last year’s model. Not until you take it for a spin, at least.
Was all the buzz surrounding its unveiling warranted? Personally, yes, the 2020 X70 is one of those vehicles where the inside matters more than what’s on the out.
You need to drive it to believe --and it’s well worth the wait as long as we keep those expectations in-check.
THE BEAUTY WITHIN
A first glance of the 2020 X70’s design belies its “true” potential. Its exterior is deceptive in this as you’ll only find what’s new once you’ve sat in or driven it.
Case in point, the exterior’s aesthetic is a return from the previous model, save there’s a new logo on the front grille and the new Space Grey colour option, in addition to the existing Snow White, Armour Silver, Jet Grey, Ruby Red and Cinnamon Brown.
That’s pretty much of it on the outside.
On the inside, the furnishings and offerings remain largely intact with that of Nappa Leather seats, panoramic sunroof (only on the premium X model) and an eight-inch touchscreen unit with a GKUI infotainment system that features online music streaming, navigation and voice command.
Safety features are a mix of the standard, the old and the new, including six SRS airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brake distribution (EBD), brake assist (BA), auto brake hold, electronic stability control (ESC), traction control system (TCS), hill hold assist (HHA) and hill descent control (HDC).
Others are 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), intelligent high beam control (IHBC), tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) front parking sensors, reverse camera, 360 camera, immobiliser and anti-theft alarm.
There are five new features found only in the CKD variant: ventilated seats, power tailgate with foot sensor, rear reclining seats, an upgrade to the existing engine, and a lauded seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission.
THE DRIVE
First, the disclaimer. Proton has stated that the 2020 X70 we were driving are pre-production models and, thus, any kinks found would be rectified prior to its launch.
So, here’s to hoping that the little faults found are addressed by the time the SUV goes to the showroom because it may or may not affect your overall experience.
With that out of the way, it needs to be mentioned that the 2020 X70 comes with some caveats that need to be agreed upon before you can really appreciate it.
For starters, how much do you like the CBU X70’s design? From the onset, the biggest question you’ll be asking yourself is if the look of the X70 has ever appealed to you, considering the CKD model is pretty much the same.
Overall, it hinges on a rather conservative design that’s thankfully slightly more sporty than clean. This is because the latter would have really put a damper in its appeal.
The same goes for its interior; it’s replicating what’s familiar though personally, unlike its exterior, it could really benefit from having more style and vibrancy injected into its design.
Once you get past the aesthetics, then come the true offerings of the 18-inch alloy wheel 2020 X70 — the drive.
On paper, the improved 1.8L TGDI engine maintains a power output of 135kW/5,500rpm but an improved torque of 300Nm/1,750rpm — a five per cent increase over the CBU X70’s 285Nm/1,750rpm.
Its acceleration of 0-100kph has also said to be improved by a second - 9.5 seconds from the previous 10.5 seconds while fuel consumption is at 7.6 litres per 100km.
In practice, the newfound speed and power is something to be admired, finally putting the missing “sport” into the SUV — something the previous model has been chastised for lacking.
Combine that with the company’s new 7DCT and the SUV delivers one of the smoothest DCT driving experiences. Who would have known (other than the technician and engineers) that the change from dry to wet-clutch would make such a massive difference in feel. The jerkiness during a transmission shift is close to gone.
The drive is so seamless you won’t even realise you’ve been hitting high speeds in personal record time — in part thanks to the upgraded engine as well. We’d like to say Geely-Proton did achieve its 97 per cent manual transmission efficiency.
Having driven, as well as cruised and accelerated the 2020 X70 along our highways and urban roads, it’s safe to say, on a personal level, the SUV offers one of the best driving experiences in its class and range as a package.
The ride is made all the more sweeter with the car’s ventilating seat feature, keeping the driver cool throughout the journey. Back passengers need not feel left-out. The rear, head reclining seat offers a very relaxing angle (27 to 32 degree slant) for resting, perfect for those who want to fall asleep. What a dream.
Divisively though, what puts a dampener in the whole experience is the infotainment system. The Baidu OS looks beautiful no doubt but navigating it during our time with the car was challenging. Nothing that a little calibration on Proton’s end couldn’t fix but it is no less frustrating.
First is the screen clarity. Make sure you turn off the car’s headlights during daytime or turn the brightness in settings all the way up because the screen glare makes it impossible to see anything.
But do this only after you’ve selected your display mode of choice since fiddling with the modes seems to reset the settings.
Then there’s the touch sensitivity, which is inconsistent. The letters and words are too small to read and this is made worse if you are the driver. And, of course, Baidu’s map leaves something to be desired compared to Google Maps or Waze.
Remember the ventilating seat feature? You can only access its function by activating it through the infotainment. It’s on the next page of the screen, which wouldn’t be an issue if the infotainment isn’t so stubborn.
Lastly is the foot sensor for the boot space, which really takes getting used to. Let’s just say you’ll need practice to make it effective for you.
Again, to note, Proton has said many of these issues will be rectified by the time the car is officially launched. Most likely, you’ll not encounter any of this.
VERDICT
It’s very easy to recommend the 2020 X70 if you know what you’re in for. If winning “car of the year” prize last year was anything to go by, then consider this an upgrade in performance. Don’t let the CKD moniker dissuade you either. You’re not missing out much from the CBU variant.
Perhaps it’s also because of its price. At RM94,800 (Standard 2WD), RM106,800 (Executive 2WD), RM119,800 (Premium 2WD), and RM122,800 (Premium X 2WD) — which is supposedly a savings of more than 13 per cent over the pricing of the CBU selection — this means there is little in the way of competition at this point.
The car truly shines in its drive performance, being both smooth and extremely responsive. As a package for its price point, the car is tough to beat. Where it presently falters is when you’re not focused on the road and the accelerator.
As mentioned, loving the car does come with concessions. Since driving from Point A to B will pretty much be your daily activity, the car needs a bit of work on its finer, quality-of-life features like calibrating the infotainment to be more consistent and user-friendly, as with the foot sensor out back.
These are minor inconveniences that can add to the frustration.
Personal taste obviously, but some also felt as with the CBU unit, how the overall design is playing it a bit too safe especially the interior, which could really use some zest. A bit of a missed opportunity to not address it this round.
Then again, if Proton were to mess too much with the SUV, we could then argue that the 2020 X70 is a totally different vehicle that shouldn’t even be compared to last year’s model.
Only time will tell if Proton will retain its “car of the year” title with this year’s X70.
However, should the little faults mentioned here be addressed by the time the car is officially launched, it’s safe to say you’re looking at a solid contender for the top spot.