Here it is, my full in-depth review of the new Proton S70. As usual it’s very long – though my initial X50 review was even longer – but it covers all you need to know about Proton’s latest sedan – everything that is good and bad, plus how it compares against the X50, Honda City and Toyota Vios.
The review covers the segment confusion (whether it’s a B or C, and if that’s even relevant – short answer, no), variant/price breakdown, interior quality and space, fit and finish issues, spec levels, equipment omissions, performance, fuel economy, refinement, ride and handling, ADAS, the lot. It’s purely intended for those looking to buy the S70, hence the detail and length.
As a quick recap, the Proton S70 comes in four variants: Executive for RM73,800, Premium for RM79,800, Flagship for RM89,800 and Flagship X for RM94,800. My take is, do ignore the first two for their complete lack any form of ADAS active safety features – AEB at least should be a bare-minimum essential item for any new car in 2024, and I don’t buy Proton’s reasoning for this omission one bit.
All variants get the same 1.5 litre three-cylinder MPI turbo engine with 150 PS and 226 Nm of torque, mated to a seven-speed wet dual clutch transmission. The combo is a big upgrade over the base Geely Emgrand’s 1.5 NA and CVT package, but Proton’s locally-led transplant job leaves a lot to be desired. More on the poorly calibrated transmission/throttle in the video above.
Do leave a comment below on your thoughts on the Proton S70 and my review of it. Was I too harsh on it, or appropriately so?
GALLERY: Proton S70 1.5T Flagship X
GALLERY: Proton S70 1.5T Flagship
GALLERY: Proton S70 1.5T Premium
GALLERY: Proton S70 1.5T Executive
GALLERY: Proton S70 brochure and price lists
Are you planning to buy a Proton S70? You can place a booking for RM500 now with our partners Proton PJ Regal Motors. If you have a car to trade in, get a quote from myTukar.
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No AC/AA No Buy…!!!
80ribu ..Baikbeli Civic FC turbo
Spent hour checking out the s70 and decided to cancel booking & book other similar priced model. Yes the turbo, size (C segment head/shoulder room), modern soft touch dashboard, are very tempting. But considering the below, it’s a letdown.
1. No AA/AC. Bummer.
2. Lack of physical buttons/switches for sport mode, 360 camera, infotainment & other functions. Don’t expect drivers to touch the screen everytime u want to overtake or park, dangerous. Aircon controls should have round knobs to adjust temp, rather than clicking up or down.
3. Lack of adjustable height for front passenger seat. Position can be uncomfortable for plump size or older persons.
4. Double pull/push for reverse & drive is totally weird. That lateral shift movement of manual mode is even weirder.
Such a shame. Their corporate team should have hired better/other consultants to conduct market analyses.
But my s90 Volvo is having no 2 and 4 exactly
Right!
Some people complaining about the gear lever implementation but completely ignore the fact that some Conti-Marquis use the same design/style. (BMW for example)
Ironically similar whining from japanese and 2nd local car brand owners complaining the positioning of turn signal stalk when upgraded to conti car. LEL
Great informative review as always Hafriz! i enjoyed it, though i do wish there was a shorter 20min version of it, a highlight of sort.
Sounds like a great car for its price range, though the low-speed throttle and refinement does sound concerning. Hope Proton can fix that and it’ll become the perfect car for its price! the tyres could be upgraded too in due time for better refinement. but overall, this would be the car i would buy if i was in the market for a city or vios
The low-speed throttle and cabin noise is a deal breaker for me. Coming from the Iriz which face similar issues, upgrading to S70 doesn’t seem much of an improvement.
Proton will always be a Proton. Honda is a better buy as people look highly on the “H” badge.
Fully agreed Bro
I don’t buy Honda. Am a 50+ year old. Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, I reckon I have owned all those but no Honda. Daily ride since 1990, Proton or Perodua. Just a personal preference
Yup ..Honda famous for neverending oil leaks,steering rack issues,very sensitive gearbox prone to premature failure n other issues .Just get Toyota.
Yeah..hondas are only good just for attracting b!itches..for ease of mind, better get toyota instead
H and T overprice that all. Quality getting worse.
“Executive for RM73,800, Premium for RM79,800, Flagship for RM89,800 and Flagship X for RM94,800. My take is, do ignore the first two for their complete lack any form of ADAS active safety features”
at RM89.9k…better buy honda.
and with complete lack of AA/AD in proton…really ,just buy a honda city at that price.
Low speed throttle and refinement, goes to show, proton have not fully completed it’s development and yet product released to the market. X50 and x70 are both mature products. This S70 should be but proton took the effort to incorporate another engine and gearbox, further development work needed. Unfortunately this is where the short coming surface.
Glad to hear proton still shines in ride and handling tuning. Well done rnd team
Hahaha i know this room is full of worried salesman
And “baik beli-” geng
Went to check out the S70 and test drove it. Overall, not bad la. But it can do much much much better for the price. No AA/CP is turn-off. C’mon la! Those buttons is really weird. Wonder what those designers were thinking. Common la, if you want to sell this as everyday car for the common folks, you gotta to listen and see what’s the best in the range out there and practicality. The low speed doesn’t really exudes confidence. Coming from Exora, doesn’t seems a lot of difference other than the insulation on the S70 is better. Of course la, pricing higher. But the engine is a big let down. It sounds so coarse and unrefined like those 4-cyl. City/Vios is more refined and practicality. The reverse gear is No-No. It was so confusing. Also, the air cond dials/controls. What a let down. Wonder what kind of brains those designer were thinking. You expect ppl hv 3 hands is it?! One for the steering, one for the gear and the other for the touchscreen, while driving. Such basic usability sense is lacking.
this car special, need a co pilot. so we will have four hands to handle it.
Comparing so-called self-claim ‘C-Segment’ with T & H B-Segment?
Ah beng kor won’t buy this. BTW, all bc bruk above 20yrs must scrap
I have been shortlisting options to upgrade from my 2017 Proton Iriz. Civic was on top of my list until the S70 pricing was announced but the terrible stop-go driving experience in the review is a dealbreaker for me until Proton iron things out.
That said, hats off to early buyers and sedan drivers in general. Sedans are a dying breed with so many crossovers and SUVs on the road. We need to keep sedans alive, especially ones within reach price wise!
Bullshit representation of Proton in Pakistan. Al Haj Automobiles its bastard CEO Hilal Afridi is a big cheat. Beware of him.
Just tested drive s70, surprisingly fun to drive compared to new vios. Power adequate, comfortable suspensions, interior quality is great. Overall value for money especially for the
Obviously, the powertrain engineers have some inspiration from 1998 Dodge Intrepid ES with the side-to-side shifter.
I kinda like that setup personally, it unique and much more natural hand movement rather than pushing up or pulling down, but that just me, I’m a strange person that likes what the majority dislikes
Check out the old sedan gear shift in the video below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=XKexN2czcaY
Prefer proper written review rather than video. Didn’t bother to watch video.
It’s well reviewed. My concern is the throttle calibration. Sudden acceleration is no no