CarBrandLogos archive · Proton · 2018

ProtonX70

The SUV that brought Proton back from the brink, on Geely's terms.

Photo: LuvsMG481 · CC BY-SA 4.0

The story

A defining chapter in Proton history.

Explore the ideas, engineering and context that shaped the Proton X70, then continue into its specifications and place in the marque's lineage.

2021 Proton X70 1.8AT Standard black interior view in Brunei

Origins

Geely bought just under half of Proton in 2017, and this was the first product of that deal. The X70 is a reworked Geely Boyue, re-engineered for right-hand drive and retuned for Malaysian roads and tastes, with Azlan Othman credited for the local design work.

2021 Proton X70 1.8AT Standard black interior view in Brunei · AIMHO'S REBELLION 8490s · CC BY-SA 4.0

Design and engineering

Commercially it changed everything. Proton had been losing ground for years to Perodua and to imported crossovers; the X70 arrived with equipment, cabin quality and a level of finish the brand had not offered before, and it sold in numbers that pulled Proton back up the Malaysian sales table. The first cars were shipped complete from Geely's plant in Ningbo, after which assembly moved to Tanjung Malim in 2020 and gained the seven-speed wet dual-clutch gearbox in place of the earlier six-speed automatic. Pakistani assembly followed in 2021.

2022 Proton X70 Front · Koenigseggvibes · CC BY-SA 4.0

In production

Engines have followed Geely's roadmap, from the 1.8-litre four to the Volvo-derived 1.5 turbo three-cylinder and, later, a 1.5 turbo four. Front-wheel drive was standard, with four-wheel drive offered for the first several years. Purists note how little of the car is Malaysian. Proton's accountants note that it worked.

2022 Proton X70 Rear · Koenigseggvibes · CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

The facts that define it.

Produced

2018–present

Engine

Petrol engine

Designer

Azlan Othman

Body

5-door SUV

Technical specification

The X70, in detail.

Production: 2018–present
Class: Compact crossover SUV (C)
Body style: 5-door SUV
Layout: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive (2018-present); Front-engine, four-wheel-drive (2018-2024)
Engine: Petrol engine; Petrol: ; 1.5 L Volvo Engine Architecture#JLH-3G15TD; JLH-3G15TD Straight-three engine; I3 Turbocharger; turbo (2022-2025) ; 1.5 L BHE15-EFZ Turbocharger; turbo I4 (2026–present) ; 1.8 L 4G18TDB Inline 4;
Transmission: 6-speed automatic (CBU 2018-2019); 7-speed wet DCT (CKD 2019-present)
Designer: Azlan Othman
Assembly: China: Ningbo, Zhejiang (2019); Malaysia: Proton City, Tanjung Malim, Perak (PTMSB, 2020–present); Pakistan: Karachi (Al-Haj Group, 2021–present)
Manufacturer: Proton