Proton X70: Malaysia's Geely-Built SUV From 2018 to the 2024 Facelift

The Proton X70 is a compact crossover that Malaysian carmaker Proton launched in December 2018. It was the company's first SUV, and it was built by rebadging the Geely Boyue after Geely took a major stake in Proton. The X70 later gained a local assembly line, a major facelift in 2024 and a long list of export markets.

What is the Proton X70?

The Proton X70 is a C-segment compact crossover from Proton, launched on 12 December 2018. It was the first SUV the company had released, and early cars were imported fully built from China. Local assembly took over later, using kits that were assembled at Proton's own plant.

The X70 is distinguished from the Boyue by several design elements and by its right-hand drive configuration. Those differences were the main work of turning a Chinese donor car into a Malaysian product, and they shaped the rest of the car's development.

A Boyue rebadged for Malaysia's roads and climate, and Proton's first step into the SUV market.

Why did Proton build an SUV?

Proton had no SUV until the X70, and the decision followed Geely's arrival as a major shareholder. On 24 May 2017 DRB-HICOM agreed that Geely would take a 49.9% equity stake in Proton, and on the same day it announced a crossover based on the Geely Boyue.

DRB-HICOM cited several problems at Proton, chief among them its lack of technological competitiveness. Through the partnership, Proton would gain access to Geely's technology, which the company hoped would fix that gap.

The Boyue was picked as the first new product under Geely ownership. It was meant to compete in the booming SUV market, a segment in which Proton had not been represented before.

When did the X70 go on sale?

The X70 was launched on 12 December 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, in a ceremony led by then-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. He was also a former chairman of Proton, and the event was pitched as a tribute to the original Saga launch.

At the launch Mahathir presented the first X70 key to his wife, Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali. She then drove across the Penang bridge, a nod to the original Proton Saga.

The name had been settled through an online public poll in April 2018, in which people chose between PX7, X7, X70 and X700. The X70 name was announced in September 2018, and the car went on sale with it that December.

When did local assembly begin?

Local assembly at Proton's Tanjung Malim plant started on 13 December 2019. The locally assembled CKD version launched in February 2020 with lowered pricing and a few major mechanical updates. Imported CBU units were no longer brought in from China once the CKD cars arrived.

The CKD car could be told apart from the imported one by Proton's new round logo, although the styling was otherwise identical. The new car also brought a revised gearbox and a torque boost, which the next section covers in more detail.

The CKD Premium 2WD trim dropped the panoramic sunroof that the imported version had. That sunroof was reserved for the top-of-the-line Premium X 2WD, which became the only variant to include it.

What engine and gearbox does the X70 use?

The X70 uses a 1.8-litre turbocharged gasoline direct injection engine. In its original form it produced 182 hp (185 PS; 136 kW) and 285 N-m (210 lb-ft) of torque, and it was paired with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The CKD version kept the same basic engine but with more torque.

The CKD version changed the gearbox to a 7-speed wet dual-clutch unit. The same engine's torque rose by 15 N-m, to 300 N-m (221 lb-ft).

Pakistani cars used a different engine: a 1.5-litre unit with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, rated at 174 hp (176 PS; 130 kW) and 255 N-m. The spec reflects Pakistani tax structures, which can make the car affordable.

How was the Boyue turned into a right-hand drive car?

Proton had to change 761 parts to turn the Boyue into a right-hand drive X70. That number shows how much of the donor car had to be reworked for a configuration it was never designed for. Proton also had to reposition critical parts such as the dashboard and pedals.

The localisation process also meant adjusting the car for the tropical climate. The X70 was tested in tropical heat and at high altitude, because its duties ranged from the crawl of Kuala Lumpur traffic to the mountain roads of the Genting Highlands.

Kuala Lumpur traffic at 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) is a standing test of cooling and comfort. The climb to the Genting Highlands, above 1,800 metres (6,000 ft), tests the engine in thinner air.

Testing repeated around 25 percent of the 548 tests that had been run during the development of the Boyue. Proton said the effort was needed because the car had to survive both city and mountain conditions.

How many engineers worked on the X70?

A total of 95 Proton engineers were involved in the project, from research and development through to testing. They were joined by technicians from manufacturing and quality teams, and around 200 people were sent to Geely within a six-month span to conceive the X70.

The scale of that transfer shows how far Proton was relying on Geely's expertise at the time. Proton described the exercise as a way to enhance its own engineering expertise.

How localised was the X70 in Malaysia?

Proton reached 45 percent local content by the time production began in Tanjung Malim in late 2019, and it aimed to lift that to around 53 percent by the end of 2020. By 2022 around 70 percent of the car's parts were made locally.

Local suppliers could not initially produce some of the advanced components, so Proton and Geely arranged technical assistance and joint ventures with Geely's suppliers in China. That approach was the practical route to raising the local content figure.

What special editions and updates came along?

Proton launched the Merdeka Edition in August 2019 to celebrate Malaysia's independence day, with only 62 units for sale. A Special Edition followed in July 2021, and a June 2022 minor change refreshed the rest of the range. Both were limited runs with set unit counts.

The Merdeka Edition came in two colours, Flame Red with 26 units and Snow White with 36 units. The Special Edition was offered in Ocean Blue and Ruby Red, and its powertrains stayed the same as those of the original X70.

The June 2022 change brought mild styling tweaks and a revised line-up. Standard, Executive and Premium variants moved to a 1.5-litre turbo that the X50 also uses, while the range-topping Premium kept the 1.8-litre unit, and AWD was offered only on the Executive.

What changed with the 2024 facelift?

The facelift of 2 August 2024 refreshed the X70's ageing design with a bold grille, slimmer LED headlights and a redesigned front bumper. It also brought a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen and new two-tone wheels in 19-inch or 18-inch sizes. The changes went well beyond cosmetics, covering 360 parts.

The grille uses Proton's Infinite Weave design with songket-inspired diamond pins, which also appear on the X90 and S70. The rear bumper gained horizontal reflectors and fake air outlets, and the wheel size depends on the variant.

Inside, a gloss black dashboard panel is lit by 72 colours of ambient light that change with the music. The hardware runs on dual quad-core processors with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were promised through a future update.

The facelift also brought stop-and-go cruise, a lane centring function and road sign recognition. The Proton Link app can also start the engine remotely, so the cabin can be cooled before the driver gets in.

The facelifted X70 keeps the 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, which produces 177 PS and 255 N-m. It is paired with a revised seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and Proton said fuel economy improved by 4 percent over the previous model.

Proton updated 360 parts for the facelift, after 4.2 million km of testing. The four variants are Standard, Executive, Premium and Premium X, all powered by the same 1.5-litre unit.

How did Malaysian reviewers rate the X70?

Malaysian reviewers were generally positive. Jonathan Lee of paultan.org praised the car's looks, infotainment, suspension and noise-vibration-harshness, while criticising its high driving position, shallow boot and lack of a powered tailgate. Their verdicts were mixed on the details but warm on the package as a whole.

HP of evomalaysia.com praised the interior's premium feel but said the steering could be better, and noted that turbo lag and body roll were noticeable on the road.

For the locally assembled version, Hafriz Shah of paultan.org criticised the lack of exterior change from the imported car and called the new Proton logo out of place. He did praise the improvements over the imported model, including the DCT gearbox and the added equipment.

The car collected awards early. Carlist.my gave it an Editors' Choice award for connectivity and infotainment in 2018, and the DSF.my Allianz Vehicle of the Year programme named it its 2019 vehicle design winner. CarSifu's Editors' Choice awards in 2019 named it Local Car of the Year.

How safe is the X70?

The X70 scored full marks in the ASEAN NCAP side-impact and head-protection assessments in 2018. Every version carries ABS, EBD, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control and six airbags. The rating dates from 2018, the year the car launched.

The car also has ISOFIX child seat mounting points, and its seat belts have pretensioners and load limiters. Advanced driver assistance features were limited to the Premium 2WD in Brunei, while the facelift added stop-and-go adaptive cruise to the range.

Where was the X70 sold?

The X70 was sold first in Malaysia and then in Brunei, which was announced as the first export market in July 2019. PAD Motors, the official Proton distributor in Brunei, took the 2WD-only version with the same three variants as Malaysia.

Brunei launched the X70 update on 6 September 2020 and the facelifted model on 31 January 2025. Kenya's police service bought 30 X70s on 19 November 2021, and the car went on sale in Pakistan in December 2020.

The Pakistani car's 1.5-litre unit produces 174 hp (176 PS; 130 kW) and 255 N-m. Its supply began with a fixed quota from Malaysia, and the Malaysian prime minister gifted one to his Pakistani counterpart in December 2019.

Proton shipped X70 units to South Africa on 31 May 2022, and Mozambique launched the car on 26 May 2023 with four variants. Bangladesh is the newest market, where Rancon Auto Industries began assembling Proton cars in 2024 and launched the S70, X70 and X90 from April 2025.

What were the X70 specifications?