This is it, the Proton X70 facelift. You’ve seen the first official images yesterday, and here is it in full, the first big facelift for the first Proton-Geely model, which was launched way back in December 2018. Since then, the C-segment SUV has gone CKD and received some updates, but this is a new face – do you like it?
First up, the most important aspect – aesthetics. The X70 has been looking a bit tired, and that’s not a knock on the Boyue-based SUV, it’s just ageing. Proton’s once flagship model has been on our roads for over five and a half years now with the same looks, and this is before factoring in the raft of fresh entrants in the very competitive SUV market. Some have took direct, explicit aim at the X70, and P1 has been taking the hits.
So, it’s a good thing that this facelift is a big one that really transforms the X70’s looks, so big that it’ll be a pretty costly endeavour if you try to DIY a pre-facelift car. The most obvious item is that big, bold grille; the pentagonal nose filled with Proton’s Infinite Weave design and songket diamond pins. Flanking it are full-LED reflector headlights that are much slimmer than before.
These, along with restyled front bumper, means that no one will mistake your X70 facelift from an old one. Remember the ‘susah to DIY’ part? You’ll have to get new headlamps, but note that the front fenders bonnet are also new to match the lights/grille. The shapely hood has two spines down the middle.
This is the look of the facelifted 2022 Geely Boyue, but interestingly, the rear bumper has been redesigned with horizontal (as opposed to vertical) reflectors and fake corner air outlets. This appears to be a Proton in-house designed unit and isn’t shared with any Geely model. This supposedly gives the X70 the impression of a wider stance. No changes to the tail lamps, though.
The X70 facelift gets new wheels to complete the exterior changes – 19-inch two-tone units for the Premium and Premium X, and 18-inch two-tone for the Executive.
Inside, the most obvious change is a new dashboard decor panel that again looks to be unique to the Proton. The gloss black insert is most obvious on the passenger side, which incorporates 72-colour ambient lighting with a ‘rhythmic’ function that changes colour according to the music played. Next to it is a larger ‘floating’ 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen powered by Atlas 2.0, which debuts Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in a Proton. Finally!
Note that AACP will not be available at launch, but the X70 facelift is designed for it and owners will get a free OTA update for the phone mirroring functions in due time. The IHU’s hardware has been upgraded to dual quad-core processors, 4GB RAM and 32 GB storage.
Elsewhere, the X70 receives the brand’s latest three-spoke steering wheel as seen on the X50 and S70 and Stone Grey Nappa leather upholstery with a new criss-cross stitching pattern on the door cards. This darker theme replaces the previous brown, and the headlining is now black instead of beige to match. The 7.0-inch digital meter panel is no larger, but it gets new graphics from the X90/S70 for a more modern look. The fuel and temperature gauges on either side of the screen have also been redesigned.
Convenience wise, the new proximity locking/unlocking (walk away auto lock) and Nearby Auto Open hands-free tailgate would really be handy at the grocer. Basically, the car detects the key and opens the hatch – there’s no more kick sensor. We also noticed some changes to the gear lever – the design of the protrusion remains, but the park button has been moved and there’s a new shift pattern.
Another addition is the Level 2 semi-autonomous driving features to match the X50 and S70. This includes a stop-and-go function and lane centring assist added to the adaptive cruise control, plus traffic sign recognition.
The other features in the pack include Autonomous Emergency Braking, Intelligent Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning and Prevention, Lane Centring Control, Lane Change Assist (blind spot monitoring), Rear Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Door Opening Warning and Intelligent High Beam Control. However, note that ADAS is reserved for the high-end Premium and Premium X variants, which is the normal practice for Proton.
Under the new hood, the X70 retains the 1.5-litre turbocharged TGDi three-cylinder engine from the MC, producing 177 PS and 255 Nm of torque. Drive is sent to the front wheels (no AWD variant, it’s 2WD across the board now) via a revised seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. Proton claims fuel economy of 7.3 litres per 100 km, which is a 4% reduction from the 2022 model. This has been achieved via combustion efficiency, thermal management and friction reduction, with a positive side effect of low speed NVH improvement.
The X70 facelift will be available in four variants – Standard, Executive, Premium and Premium X. Basically, the ‘X’ is the Premium with the addition of a panoramic sunroof. We’ve attached the spec breakdown below for you to see which variant gets what. As for colours, Marine Blue is new and nice, joining Ruby Red, Snow White, Armour Silver and Jet Grey.
By the way, Proton says that the latest X70 has 360 new parts and R&D took up 290,000 man hours. The SUV was then road tested for 4.2 million km. Prices have yet to be revealed, so you’ll have to stay tuned for this all-important piece of info. As reference, the outgoing model is priced at RM98,800 for the Standard, RM110,800 for the Executive, RM116,800 for the Executive AWD, RM123,800 for the Premium and RM126,800 for the Premium X.
For now, what do you think of the Proton X70 facelift? Like the new face and interior touches/updates?
GALLERY: 2025 Proton X70 facelift Premium X
GALLERY: 2025 Proton X70 facelift Premium
GALLERY: 2025 Proton X70 facelift official images
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