Proton X70 MC3 2026

2026 Proton X70 MC3 Executive – 181 PS/290 Nm 1.5T four-cylinder engine, improved NVH; RM99,800 OTR

In Cars, Local News, Proton / By Mick Chan / 12 March 2026 7:08 pm / 4 comments

With the launch of the 2026 Proton X70 MC3, the national carmaker’s C-segment SUV range has been trimmed to two variants, now comprised of the Executive and the Premium, and it is the former that is the subject of our live image gallery here.

Priced at RM106,800 on-the-road without insurance, Proton offers a RM7,000 rebate for the first 1,500 units of the X70 MC3 registered before March 31, which means that the Executive variant is currently priced at RM99,800. Meanwhile, the Premium is currently priced at RM112,800 on-the-road without insurance.

The most significant change in this MC3 update is the engine, the BHE15-EFZ 1.5 litre turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder unit from Geely that also powers the X50 and the S70 MC1. As with its SUV and sedan rangemates, the engine in the X70 outputs 181 PS at 5,500 rpm and 290 Nm of torque between 2,000 rpm and 3,500 rpm, driving the front wheels through a seven-speed wet-dual-clutch automatic.

In addition to gains of 4 PS and 35 Nm over the previous three-cylinder unit, Proton promises improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) as a result of switching to the 1.5 turbocharged four-pot. Overall NVH is reduced by 4.5%, according to Proton.

Equipment for the X70 Executive consists of 18-inch alloy wheels on GT Radial Savero tyres measuring 225/60R18, automatic wipers, six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, front seat ventilation, synthetic leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a 360-degree camera and a powered tailgate with key-detecting hands-free opening, yielding access to a 515 litre boot.

For safety kit, the X70 MC3 Executive gets ABS with EBD and brake assist, traction and stability control, hill start assist and hill descent control, a 360-degree camera system with 3D and transparent view functions, front and rear parking sensors, and six airbags (front, side and curtain). Of note is the absence of ADAS that is specified on the Premium.

The Proton X70 MC3 is sold with a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty and six times free labour for scheduled servicing, as well as a five-year data package that provides 2 GB per month. Exterior colours for both Executive and Premium variants of the X70 MC3 are Snow White, Armour Silver, Jet Grey and Marine Blue. See the Proton X70 MC3 Executive in detail in our live image gallery, below.

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2026 Proton X70 MC3 maintenance costs – new 1.5 litre i-GT turbo four-cylinder less than three-cylinder

In Cars, Local News, Proton / By Gerard Lye / 26 January 2026 11:03 am / 6 comments

Proton kicked off 2026 by launching the new X70 MC3, which sees the return of an inline-four engine in place of the inline-three unit that the SUV got back in 2022. Beyond the engine change, the rest of the X70’s powertrain remains largely familiar, including the seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission driving the front wheels.

The new Geely-sourced BHE15-EFZ 1.5 litre turbocharged and direct-injected inline-four is also found in the facelifted X50 and produces 181 PS and 290 Nm. Compared to the older GEP3 three-cylinder – also 1.5 litre with turbocharging and direct injection – you’re looking at a gain of 4 PS and 35 Nm. Additionally, Proton promises better NVH with the new engine, which uses a toothed timing chain compared to GEP3 that gets a timing belt.

As with the Saga MC3, we’re here to compare the maintenance costs of the X70 MC3 against its predecessor with the older engine. The figures presented here were taken straight from Proton’s aftersales page on its official website, so let’s get to it.

Over five years/100,000 km, the 2026 X70 MC3 is cheaper to maintain than the 2025 model by RM287.18. Looking closer into the maintenance schedules, we can see the cost and interval change of most items like the engine oil filter (RM50.25), fuel filter (RM28.18), N95 cabin filter (RM79) and engine air filter (RM71.64) are identical for both models.

In terms of differences, the newer model requires less engine oil per interval (4L vs 5L) that sees a reduction in cost. To add, the cost to replace the brake fluid is also less (RM24.10 vs RM50.11), and if you really want to go into detail, so to is the cost of the engine oil drain plug gasket (by 50 sen).

On the other hand, the newer engine requires costlier spark plugs (RM166.72) compared to the outgoing engine (RM117.45) because it needs one more. The 2026 X70 counters this by not requiring a timing belt change, which costs RM195.16 for the 2025 X70. However, the drive belt for powering accessories is costlier for the newer model at RM147.57 instead of RM41.36.

To offset the pricier items, the service labour cost for the 2026 X70 is cheaper at every interval compared to the 2025 X70. When we put the costs together over five years, the end result is that the newer car is cheaper to maintain than the 2022 facelift.

Click to enlarge

It’s worth mentioning that the cost of owning a car goes far beyond just maintenance, as there are other things to consider like fuel consumption. The 2026 X70 is claimed to consume 6.9 litres per 100 km, which is 5.5% better than the outgoing car’s 7.3 litres per 100 km. That should contribute to ownership savings, although fuel consumption is subjective and dependent on driving style.

Consumables (brake pads, shock absorbers, batteries and tyres) also vary between owners. Both the 2026 and 2025 X70 models share the same wheel sizes of 18 or 19 inches depending on variant, with unchanged tyre sizes as well (225/60 for the 18-inch or 225/55 for the 19-inch). With both having the same engine displacement of 1.5 litres, road tax is identical at RM120.

So, the new 2026 X70 MC3 is cheaper to maintain than its predecessor and priced less spec-for-spec as well at RM99,800 for the Executive (2025 car was RM110,800) and RM112,800 for the Premium (2025 car was RM123,800). It sounds like a win-win situation then, but what do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below. As always, things are not always as clear cut when you consider things beyond the standard service costs.

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Proton promises courtesy car and free service for repair works over 3 days – valid for 2026 Saga and X70

In Cars, Local News, Proton / By Jonathan Lee / 13 January 2026 4:34 pm / 4 comments

During the launch of the new X70 last week, Proton’s director of after-sales Wan Hazran announced three after-sales commitments, promising to minimise time spent at service centres in a bid to increase consumer confidence in the refreshed SUV and its new engine.

Firstly, the company said that cars entered for basic maintenance (engine oil and filter replacements only, i.e. 10,000, 20,000 or 30,000 km) will receive “fast service,” although exactly how long that service will take is unknown. This is for customers who make an appointment ahead of time and choose to stay on at the service centre instead of leaving the premises.

For more involved maintenance procedures (say at 40,000, 60,000 or 80,000 km), Proton is promising a turnaround within 24 hours, and this applies for both appointments and walk-ins. But the biggest benefit is for customers whose repair works take more than three days.

In this situation, the service centre will provide a courtesy car to use during this downtime, as well as a one-time free service offer the next time the customer comes in for scheduled maintenance. We’ve since been told that these commitments will be made for the new Saga, too.

As a refresher, both the X70 and Saga come with a new 1.5 litre i-GT four-cylinder engine, in 181 PS/300 Nm turbo form in the X70 and as a 120 PS/150 Nm naturally-aspirated mill in the Saga. The latter has also been completely revamped with a new design inside and out, plus a brace of new technologies and driver assistance functions.

Prices for the Saga start at RM38,990 for the Standard, rising up to RM44,990 for the Executive and RM49,990 for the Premium. As for the X70, its variant lineup has been streamlined to just two, the RM99,800 Executive and the RM112,800 for the Premium – both with the current RM7,000 launch rebate for the first 1,500 units, valid until March 31.

GALLERY: 2026 Proton X70 1.5TD Premium MC3

GALLERY: 2026 Proton Saga 1.5 Premium MC3

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2026 Proton X70 MC3 launched – 1.5T 4-cyl engine; no more sunroof, Nappa leather; priced from RM99,800

In Cars, Local Car Launches, Local News, Proton / By Jonathan Lee / 8 January 2026 4:41 pm / 20 comments
Welcome to the very first car launch of 2026, and to the new Proton X70. Arriving less than a year and a half after the C-segment SUV’s major facelift, this third minor change (hence the internal “MC3” suffix) in eight years brings with it the Intelligent Green Technology (i-GT) engine from the facelifted X50, welcoming a four-cylinder back into the lineup since 2024.

But while the rest of the car looks very similar to the last one, there’s more than meets the eye. Proton is touting significant improvements in refinement and fuel efficiency with the new engine, and the X70 also receives proper Proton ride and handling tuning. There’s also been a slight revision to the kit list to keep prices competitive even with the new (and almost certainly more expensive) engine.

Trust us – despite what it looks, there’s a lot to go through with the new X70. So, let’s get straight to it.

Executive and Premium only, prices drop by RM4,000

We’ll start with the most important bit first, and that’s the prices. This time around, the national carmaker has streamlined the range to just two variants, the Executive and Premium – the two previous bookends, the base Standard and range-topping Premium X, have been expunged.

The two variants cost RM106,800 for the Executive and RM119,800 for the Premium, both on-the-road without insurance. On top of that, Proton is offering an RM7,000 launch rebate for the first 1,500 units – valid for registrations made before March 31 – along with a boot tray, sunshades and door visors collectively worth over RM700. With that, the prices are as follows:
- 2026 Proton X70 1.5TD Executive – RM99,800
- 2026 Proton X70 1.5TD Premium – RM112,800
By comparison, the previous X70 retailed at RM98,800 for the Standard, RM110,800 for the Executive, RM123,800 for the Premium and RM126,800 for the Premium X, although it also had a RM7,000 rebate at launch that brought these prices quite a bit lower.

Comparing the pre-rebate prices side-by-side, the Executive and Premium are both RM4,000 less expensive than before. As always, these figures include a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, six times free labour for servicing and a five-year data package, now upgraded to 2 GB per month (up from 1 GB per month). Interest rates as low as 2.2% are also promised for a nine-year loan with 90% financing.

As part of the launch package, Proton is also offering overtrade support of up to RM2,000 for trade-ins, as well as an upgraded first-year Proton Insurance Programme with Special Perils coverage, personal accident coverage for passengers at up to RM15,000 prer person and up to RM2,000 in additional flood relief coverage. Again, these are limited to the first 1,500 customers, valid until March 31.

Proton is also promising after-sales commitments that include “fast service” for basic maintenance, a turnaround within 24 hours for major service intervals, and a courtesy car and a one-time free service offer for repairs that take more than three days.

New 1.5 litre i-GT turbo four-cylinder engine is quieter, more efficient

Beyond the pricing, the big news is of course the engine – the Geely-sourced BHE15-EFZ 1.5 litre turbocharged and direct-injected four-pot that replaces the old GEP3 three-cylinder. As per in the X50, it produces 181 PS at 5,500 rpm and 290 Nm of torque between 2,000 and 3,500 rpm.

These numbers represent increases of 4 PS and 35 Nm – the latter being a 13.7% jump – over the three-pot, and they are a closer match to the original 184 PS/300 Nm 1.8 litre four-cylinder. Despite peak torque being made 500 rpm higher, Proton says that the new mill delivers improved low- to midrange throttle response.

We’ve written plenty about the new engine before, but suffice it to say that Proton is promising a big reduction in noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) as part of this switch. This is helped along by a toothed timing chain that not only saves on maintenance versus the previous timing belt (its lifespan is rated at over 200,000 km) but is also a claimed 25.24% quieter compared to a regular chain drive. By the way, the 1.8 litre engine in the original X70 had a (non-toothed) timing chain, too.

Overall NVH is down by 4.5%, and Proton says the X70 now offers a quieter and more refined engine than the “industry average.” On the display units, we could see a liberal amount of sound deadening having been applied to the underside of the engine cover and on top of the valvetrain to help tamp down the noise.

Mated to a seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission, the car delivers a quoted fuel consumption figure of 6.9 litres per 100 km. This is a 5.5% reduction from the 7.3 litres per 100 km of the previous model – itself being 4% lower than the 2022 MC.

Both X70 variants are front-wheel drive, as the Executive AWD trim was discontinued as part of the facelift. Proton claims the X70 now delivers maintenance costs that are 17% lower on average and 13% lower over five years compared to the competition, although it did not specify which rivals the car was benchmarked against. It also says the car is aiming to be the most fuel-efficient pure ICE-powered SUV in its class.

Proton ride and handling tuning

Although the X70 has always displayed tidy road manners, it was never especially engaging in the corners. That’s because the chassis has been practically untouched since it arrived from China as little more than a rebadged Geely Boyue back in 2018 – although Proton did retune the dampers for better body control with the advent of CKD local assembly in 2020. In fact, the company has barely made any tweaks to the Geely-based models it has sold since then.

But with this latest model, Proton has given its engineers free rein to revamp the suspension setup, finally giving it the firm’s famed ride and handling “special sauce.” The goals were to reduce low- to mid-frequency road noise and improve the car’s “roll support capacity” and “rear-axle impact strength.” The folks even went so far as to adjust the steering ratio for quicker and more direct response.

We should point out the change in the tyres, as the Premium has ditched the Continental UltraContact UC6 in favour of the GitiComfort F50, due to the shuttering of the Continental plant in Alor Setar. While many would consider this a downgrade, you are at least still getting proper summer tyres here – unlike the GT Radial Savero mud and snow rubber hitherto fitted to the lesser Standard and Executive variants.

A brief test drive at Proton’s Shah Alam test track confirmed a noticeable change in the X70’s demeanour, though don’t go about expecting this to be a hot SUV now. This is still a car that prioritises a comfortable driving experience above all else, after all.

However, the steering did feel sharpened up and less ponderous, requiring fewer turns lock-to-lock to negotiate a slalom course. And while the X70 still exhibited quite a bit of body roll, the roll rate was more controlled, and there was a pleasing fluidity and elasticity in the way the body movements matched how much steering angle was applied.

There’s only so much you can do with unchanged components, however, as there was still little in the way of actual steering feedback. Given that the track was baby-bottom smooth, it remains to be seen if the tweaks have affected the X70’s exemplary ride comfort – we’ll have to take the car out onto the open road to be sure.

As for the engine, the i-GT mill was markedly more refined compared to before, being quieter and vibrating far less on idle. The engine note was also smoother with none of that three-cylinder thrum, and even when fully extended it remained remarkably hushed. Performance was blunted by the sluggish nature of the DCT, which insisted on starting in second (at least in Comfort mode) even under hard acceleration, taking a second to downshift to first and belatedly spinning up the budget tyres.

Same design inside and out, minor spec downgrades for Premium

As the facelift was only introduced in 2024, Proton has left the rest of the car well alone, meaning you still get the bolder 2022 Boyue-derived front fascia, the redesigned rear bumper and the latest 18- and 19-inch alloy wheel designs. The only exterior change is to the colours – Ruby Red has been discontinued, leaving a four-strong range consisting of Snow White, Armour Silver, Jet Grey and Marine Blue. The latter is now available on the Executive for the first time.

Inside, the X70 retains the rather dated-looking interior, still with the Boyue’s Hangzhou Bay Bridge-inspired undulating dashboard. It was freshened up as part of the facelift with a new silver-and-black trim piece, a “floating” 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality and an X50-derived flat-bottomed steering wheel.

You also get a double-pull bonnet release that completely unlatches the bonnet and removes the need to fumble underneath for a lever, similar to a BMW. Unlike the X50, the X70 does not receive the Atlas operating system upgrade that added a Bahasa Malaysia option for the interface and “Hi Proton” voice control.

With the Standard variant gone, the base X70 now comes with 18-inch alloys, auto wipers, a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, front seat ventilation, faux leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a 360-degree camera and a powered tailgate with a key-detecting hands-free opening function. This is on top of the usual features such as LED lighting, keyless entry with proximity locking and unlocking, remote engine start, dual-zone auto air con and six speakers.

The Premium continues to add 19-inch rollers, driver’s seat lumbar adjustment, a four-way power-adjustable passenger seat with shoulder “boss” switches and 72-colour ambient lighting with a “rhythmic” function. However, while the steering wheel still comes with a Nappa leather wrap, the seats no longer get the soft cowhide treatment, instead receiving the same faux leather as the Executive. This also means that the X70 now gets a black interior with red strips across the range – no more Stone Grey.

Additionally, the Premium does not get illuminated vanity mirrors with card holders on the underside. This downgrade was applied on the facelift, with the higher-end sun visors being reserved for the Premium X; since the latter has been discontinued, you can’t get those sun visors on any X70. Ditto the panoramic sunroof, the sole raison d’être of the Premium X.

ADAS and BLIS still only on Premium

Given that even the Saga can now be had a basic array of advanced driver assistance systems such as autonomous emergency braking, it’s frustrating that Proton is continuing to reserve these features for the Premium model, instead of fitting them across the range. That’s no real surprise given that the range-topper’s reduced feature count makes ADAS one of its few remaining USPs, but it’s disappointing nevertheless.

Worse still, the Premium is still the only trim to feature the rear radar sensors that enable items such as blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, rear collision warning and a door opening warning. This stands in stark contrast to the X50, which now offers them as standard.

The Premium’s ADAS kit is at least vast, with Level 2 semi-autonomous driving functionality thanks to adaptive cruise control with stop and go and lane centring assist, plus traffic sign recognition and auto high beam. Six airbags and stability control continue to come standard, with a tyre pressure monitoring system still exclusive to the Premium.

The full spec-by-spec breakdown is as follows:

2026 Proton X70 1.5TD Executive
Gets as standard:

Mechanicals
- 1.5 litre DOHC i-GT TD engine
- 1,499 cc turbocharged direct-injected four-cylinder petrol
- 181 PS at 5,500 rpm, 290 Nm of torque at 2,000-3,500 rpm
- 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission
- 6.9 litres per 100 km fuel consumption
- Eco, Comfort and Sport drive modes
- Front-wheel drive
- MacPherson strut suspension (front), multilink (rear)
- Ventilated disc brakes (front), solid disc (rear)
Exterior
- LED auto headlights with welcome and follow-me-home functions
- LED daytime running lights
- LED taillights
- Silver roof rails
- Dual exhaust pipes
- 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels with 225/60 R18 tyres
Interior
- Keyless entry with remote start
- Proximity auto locking/unlocking
- Push-button start
- Black interior with grey stitching and red strips
- Black headliner
- Dual-zone auto climate control with rear vents
- Auto wipers
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- Cruise control with speed limiter
- Six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
- Front seat ventilation
- Faux leather upholstery
- Multi-function steering wheel
- 7.0-inch digital instrument display
- 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- “Hi Proton” voice control
- Six speakers
- Two front USB ports (USB-A and USB-C)
- Dash cam USB-A port
- Two rear USB ports (USB-A and USB-C)
- Electronic parking brake with auto brake hold
- Proton Link 2.0 app connectivity (vehicle status, remote control, navigation)
- Powered tailgate with key sensor for hands-free opening
- 515 litres boot space
Safety
- Six airbags (front, side, curtain)
- ABS with EBD and brake assist
- Traction control and stability control
- Hill start assist and hill descent control
- 360-degree camera system with 3D and transparent functions
- Front and rear parking sensors
2026 Proton X70 1.5TD Premium
Adds on:

Exterior
- 19-inch two-tone alloy wheels with 225/55 R19 tyres
Interior
- Powered lumbar adjustment for driver’s seat
- Four-way power-adjustable passenger’s seat with shoulder switches
- Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel
- 72-colour ambient lighting with “rhythmic” mode
- Security window tint film
Safety
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise control with stop and go
- Lane centring assist
- Lane keeping assist
- Traffic sign recognition
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Rear collision warning
- Door opening warning
- Auto high beam
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
While appearing minor, this MC3 update is an important one for the X70, as it enters its eighth year on the market. The first of Proton’s Geely-based models, it established the company as a serious force in the local SUV market, with over 112,000 units sold – and doubtless the new model will build on this success. What do you think of these upgrades? Let us know in the comments.

GALLERY: 2026 Proton X70 MC3 on track

GALLERY: 2026 Proton X70 MC3 product presentation slides

GALLERY: 2026 Proton X70 MC3 launch slides

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GALLERY: 2026 Proton X70 MC3 brochure and price list
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2026 Proton X70 looks exactly the same, new 1.5L four-cylinder turbo engine – launching this Thursday

In Cars, Local News, Proton / By Mick Chan / 6 January 2026 6:06 pm / 7 comments

There are just two days to go before the official launch of the 2026 Proton X70, as announced by the national carmaker on social media.

Here, Proton’s social media posting shows the front end of the 2026 X70 that will soon officially emerge, which we can see is unchanged from that of the current model that was last updated in August 2024. The big change comes with its powerplant, which will be a new 1.5 litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.

2025 Proton X70 Flagship

This already serves in its B-segment stablemate the X50, in which the engine produces 181 PS at 5,500 rpm and 290 Nm from 2,000 rpm to 3,500 rpm, up 4 PS and 35 Nm over the GEP3 three-cylinder turbo petrol unit. Transmission is expected to be carried over, that being the existing seven-speed, wet dual-clutch automatic gearbox that sends drive to the front wheels; AWD was discontinued from last year’s facelift.

While the 2026 X70 looks the same as before, the carmaker’s claim of “better ride and handling” suggests improvements have been made to the chassis of the soon-to-launch C-segment SUV. As for what changes in particular have been applied, those and more will be revealed at its launch on January 8.

GALLERY: 2025 Proton X70 facelift, Flagship variant

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2026 Proton X70 MC3 launching Jan 8, 4pm – 181 PS/290 Nm 1.5L turbo i-GT 4-cyl from X50 FL confirmed

In Cars, Local News, Proton / By Jonathan Lee / 5 January 2026 9:18 pm / 5 comments

It’s official – Proton is hitting the ground running in 2026 with the launch of the new X70 on Thursday, January 8. Arriving just 17 months after the facelifted model, the latest iteration of the C-segment SUV will feature a brand-new engine, the national carmaker confirmed.

That engine is the 1.5 litre BHE15-EFZ turbocharged four-cylinder from last year’s facelifted X50, which Proton has given the Intelligent Green Technology (i-GT) badge to. It produces 181 PS at 5,500 rpm and 290 Nm of torque between 2,000 and 3,500 rpm – increases of 4 PS and 35 Nm over the old GEP3 three-cylinder, and a closer match to the original 184 PS/300 Nm 1.8 litre turbo four-pot mill.

The outgoing facelifted Proton X70

All that will almost certainly be sent to the front wheels (the all-wheel-drive model was discontinued on the facelift) through the same seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission as before. Expect claims of reduced fuel consumption as well as lower maintenance costs, the latter thanks to a switch to a timing chain.

As with prior minor minor changes where the bulk of the upgrades were under the skin (think X70 MC and X50 RC), expect little in the way of design revisions, which will likely be limited to colour and trim changes. Hopefully, however, we will see driver assists such as autonomous emergency braking being expanded to the rest of the range (not just the Premium and Premium X variants) this time around.

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