Malaysia Gets 6/7-seater SUV With Hybrid At RM124k
Finally, the Proton X90 is now available in Malaysia and was launched by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. It's Proton's first time to join the three-row SUV market. The X90 is the priciest SUV Proton has developed, but it's also the most massive and powerful. With the X90, Proton is introducing a lot of new things.
Price And Availability Of Proton X90 In Malaysia
You can buy the X90 in four different versions: Standard, Executive, Premium, and Flagship. All four versions have the same type of engine—an eco-friendly 1.5-liter hybrid. Here are the prices for each version:
The prices include warranty, data package, and free labour for servicing. Insurance not included. The warranty lasts for five years with no mileage limit. The data package gives up to 1GB per month for five years. The first 4,000 bookings get extra perks. They get a bigger data package, a watch worth RM1,499, and an accessories package worth RM779.
"The Proton X90: Stellar Power And Performance"
The X90 has a special engine made by Proton, Geely, and Volvo. It's a three-cylinder engine that uses fuel injection and a turbocharger. The engine is used in the X50 and X70 too. The X90 also has a small hybrid system. It uses a battery and a generator to help the engine work better.
The mill produces 187hp and 300Nm of torque. It's an increase from 12hp and 45Nm in the pure petrol version. The smaller X70 has up to 10% quicker acceleration from standing start. Proton claims up to 15% quicker acceleration when overtaking. Carbon dioxide emissions have decreased by up to 13%. Proton quotes a combined fuel consumption figure of 6.8 litres per 100km.
The X90 has a mild hybrid system. It also has automatic engine stop/start. This helps with smoother startups and turns off the engine when slowing down below 15km/h. The X90 uses the same seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission as the X50 and X70.
Geely Haoyue Takes On Mazda CX-8
The X90 is a car that's just like the Geely Haoyue, which is also known as the Okavango. It competes with other cars like the Mazda CX-8, Nissan X-Trail, Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, and Peugeot 5008. It's 4,835mm long, 1,900mm wide, and 1,780mm tall with a 2,815mm wheelbase. It's the same size as the CX-8 but bigger than the others.
The X90 looks like the Haoyue. It has sharp edges, LED headlights, and a big grill. It also has a fancy front grille that looks like the A-Class. The only changes are the Proton logo and name on the front and back.
Beneath the surface, Haoyue has a better suspension system. It's got independent multilink rear suspension, unlike the old Haoyue with a simpler torsion beam system. This puts it on par with its rivals, minus the Peugeot. It'll give a smoother driving experience. It took lots of work- 96,000 more man hours and 1.2 million additional km of testing.
All cars have LED fog lights, silver roof rails, and 18-inch wheels. Premium and Flagship models have bigger 19-inch wheels.
Interior Tweaks For Increased Recognition
Inside the car, there's a similarity to the Geely design. The air vents have an infinity loop design. Door handles and centre console are noticeable. The steering wheel has three spokes. The gear shifter is short and stubby. There's a rotary drive mode selector as well.
The Flagship model of Proton now has a big 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. It's the biggest screen ever used on a Proton car. Geely made it faster with an E02 processor. It also has 6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. The touchscreen uses Atlas UI by ACO Tech. It's used on other Proton cars too, like Iriz/Persona and X70.
The X90 has a voice control system called "Hi Proton". It can control things like the AC and windows. It has an eSIM for internet data. The instrument display is 10.25 inches, bigger than the X50 and X70 which have seven-inch units. It can show a full-screen navigation map.
The X90 differs from the Haoyue in more ways than just the right-hand drive. One example is that the X90 Flagship has six seats with special "captain's chairs" in the second row. These chairs have built-in armrests and are not found in any Geely version around the world. Additionally, the X90 has unique "pillow" headrests in the first and second rows. These features are exclusive to the Malaysian model.
The Standard, Executive and Premium models have a seven-seater interior. It's different from the Geely because the second row is split 60:40 instead of 40:20:40. This means it's easier to fold the seats and increase cargo space. There are fewer steps to follow.
The air-conditioning vents at the back of the car have been moved from the console and window sills to the ceiling. This is for both the second and third row. The second-row air-con controls have been redesigned. They no longer adjust the temperature, but they do have buttons for rear seat ventilation. This feature is only on the six-seater Flagship model. Additionally, there's a new USB-C port for the second-row passengers.
The Standard model has keyless entry, auto lock and remote engine start. It also has dual-zone automatic air-con with rear fan speed adjustment, fabric seats, an electronic parking brake, hill descent control and six speakers. The Executive model has auto wipers, power-adjustable front seats with ventilation, faux leather upholstery and a powered tailgate.
If you upgrade to the Premium model, you'll get Nappa leather interior, an auto-dimming mirror, fancy lighting, tinted windows, and a wireless charger for your phone. The hands-free tailgate opens automatically after three seconds if you're close to it with the key. Only the top-of-the-range Flagship model has additional shoulder switches for adjusting the passenger seat and a panoramic sunroof.
Top Models Get Full Driver Assistant Suite
The X90 has three new active safety systems: rear cross traffic alert, rear collision warning and traffic sign recognition. It also has regular driver assists like autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane centring assist. These features make it possible to drive semi-autonomously at Level 2. Emergency lane keep assist, park assist and automatic high beam are also included.
The big problem is that only the Premium and Flagship models have certain safety features. The Standard and Executive versions don't have automatic emergency braking, which is important. They do have some safety features, such as six airbags and blind spot monitoring, which helped the X90 get a good safety rating.
The car has front and rear parking sensors and a reverse camera. The Executive version has a 360-degree camera system that can show the car in 3D, and a system to monitor tyre pressure.
