The Proton X90 has undergone its first Minor Change (MC) update, positioning the 3-row SUV at a much lower price point with a new powertrain too.
When the Proton X90 debuted, it was positioned as the flagship model for the company. It was fully decked out with the company’s first hybrid powertrain. Proton even went out of their way to develop multi-link rear suspension for the car, which wasn’t present on the donor model. Unfortunately, the X90 was not a major sales success given the high asking price of around RM150K. Now with the first model change (MC), Proton is repositioning the X90 as a more affordable people carrier – one that omits certain equipment in order to meet a larger footprint at a lower price point. That being said, there are some genuine improvements to the spec.
The key change that was expected by all was the introduction of the new i-GT 1.5L turbocharged direct injection 4-cylinder petrol engine. It produces 181PS and 290Nm of torque and returns 6.9L/100km in the X90. The engine is paired to the familiar 7-speed dual clutch automatic sending power to the front wheels. Gone is the 3-cylinder hybrid and in comes a more conventional powertrain. The multi-link rear suspension is still here.
The most anticipated update in the X90 MC is the official integration of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This allows drivers to seamlessly mirror their smartphone applications onto the large central infotainment display, providing safer access to navigation, music, and communication. This is coming at launch and not via an OTA update.
Another new update, a new roof rail that takes up to 75kg. There’s also a new colour: Quartz Black, which replaces the red from before. There’s also the Marine Blue, Snow White, Armour Silver and Jet Grey.
That’s about the extent of the ‘additions’ for the X90. Proton has seen fit to reposition the model to a lower price point but to do this they’ve had to remove ADAS in its entirety. The thinking here is that the market for a 6 or 7 seater SUV above RM120,000 isn’t particularly large, so they’ve removed the hybrid element and the active safety in order to meet a lower price target.
Thus, there are now three variants priced from RM106,800, RM116,800 and RM122,800. Plus, each variant has an RM7,000 launch rebate built in, as well as other launch promos tied in, bringing the effective launch price of the new X90 below RM100,000. Here’s the spec break down for each variant.
Proton X90 1.5TD Lite
- Drive Mode Selector
- Full LED Headlamps with Daytime Running Lamps
- Front Sequential Turn Signal Lamps
- 18″ Alloy Wheels
- Electric Door Mirrors with Auto Fold
- Front Welcome Lamps
- Utility Roof Rails (New Design)
- 12.3″ Infotainment Head Unit
- 3.5″ Meter Combination
- Wireless Apple CarPlay ® & Android Auto™
- Leatherette Steering Wheel
- Steering Mode Selection
- Leatherette Seats
- 60:40 Split Fold 2nd Row Seat Configuration
- 50:50 Split Fold 3rd Row Seat Configuration
- Auto Dual Zone Air-Conditioning
- 2nd Row & 3rd Row Air Vents
- 6 Speakers
- 7 USB Ports
- Remote Engine Start
- 6 SRS Airbags
- 4 Rear Parking Sensors
- Reverse Camera
- Walk Away Auto Lock
Proton X90 1.5TD Prime adds
- Auto Headlamps
- Follow Me Home Lights
- Auto Rain Sensing Front Wipers
- 10.3″ Meter Combination
- 6-Way Driver Power Seat
- 360-degree HD Camera with 180-degree Transparent View
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
- 2 Front Parking Sensors
Proton X90 1.5TD Prime X adds
- Nappa Leather Seats
- 6-Way Driver Power Seat with Lumbar 2-Way
- 4-Way Front Passenger Power Seat with Boss’ Switch
- 1st & 2nd Row Ventilated Seats
- 2nd Row Captain Seats Configuration
- Ist & 2nd Row Ergonomic Headrests
- Digital Video Recorder (DVR)
