since 1976
since 1976
By Lee Pang Seng
SMALL doesn’t mean feeble and this is clearly noted when many carmakers, including premium brands, are developing small displacement engines for their newer range of vehicles. Using turbochargers to raise engine power output without sacrificing fuel consumption is now a widely adopted norm.
The modern-day turbocharging system is very efficient with electronic controls and new engine developments, making them suitable for docile urban motoring and speedy highway drives. With the use of equally efficient transmission systems, good fuel mileage could be achieved too although in large part, that would depend on how heavy-footed one is.
Proton has enjoyed this small engine success with the 1.5-litre turbo in the X50 since late 2020 and has decided to extend that benefit to prospective X70 owners. The X70 has a 1.8-litre turbo engine that many perceive to be the best displacement size for a dimensionally bigger SUV (sport utility vehicle).
If you were to compare the two in engine output, the 1.5 (1477cc) Turbo with direct injection churns out 130kW (177PS) at 5500rpm and 255Nm that peaks early at 1500rpm and plateaus till 4000rpm. The 1.8-litre (1799cc) turbo naturally has more power with 135kW (184PS) at 5500rpm and 300Nm of torque from 1750rpm to 4000rpm.
The difference between them is that the 1.5-litre engine is a three-cylinder unit while the 1.8-litre is a four-cylinder engine. Thus, the three-cylinder unit is lighter and weighs about 30kg less than the 1.8. This lowers overall vehicle kerb weight and that means it would require less effort on the engine part to get the vehicle moving quickly.
Doing away with the sunroof for the X70 1.5 range, among other items, reduces vehicle weight further to 60kg. However, one has to bear in mind that the X50 1.5 Flagship model with the 130kW engine tips the scales at 1370kg while the X70 1.5 range varies from 1585kg to 1615kg. A common item among them is the seven-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) with manual mode.
For the recent media drive from Proton’s Centre of Excellence (COE) in Subang Jaya to Desaru, Johor, the top X70 1.5 model was provided. This was the 1.5 TGDi Premium 2WD (two-wheel drive) that had all the bells and whistle in equipment and fittings, making it the heavyweight of the X70 1.5 range at 1615kg.
Now that we have absorbed all the information we needed to know, the test of the pudding was in the drive impression. We had three on board – driver and two passengers – and the first thing that came to mind was that the X70 1.5 Premium moved effortlessly as we left COE for Dataran Bukit Tangga. That detour was Proton’s way of letting us enjoy a scenic drive before we headed to Malacca for lunch.
Given all that weight differences and such, there was no hint of sluggishness as the engine responded readily to our accelerator foot. You wouldn’t believe that this five-seater SUV in a comparable D-segment bracket is powered by a 1.5-litre engine. We are already fans of small turbo engine power, having driven other car makes with similar displacement power units as well as even smaller displacement engines.
Our expectations generally were nicely met and the easy-going pace of the X70 1.5 was helped no less by the rather good torque of 255Nm that was available from 1500rpm. This helped very much in urban driving and on the highway, the wide torque band (till 4000rpm) came in handy in picking up speed to overtake confidently.
The three-cylinder engine ran smoothly with no indication of roughness or vibration, and during the times we floored the accelerator to get going, good insulation all round – on the engine bonnet, foam engine cover (instead of plastic as it is said to work better in suppressing engine noise) and firewall padding – muted the high engine revs. Our audible judgment also found no harshness in engine note as revs went to 4000rpm and above.
The only dampener was in taking off quickly from standstill as that was when its weightier side (against the X50) showed up. We could feel the turbo lag a lot more in the X70 when we put our foot down on the accelerator. It took a bit longer for the turbo to kick for us to gain good speed. And once the X70 1.5 was up to speed, the strong torque available over a wide engine range provided good moving acceleration for reasonably quick overtaking.
In fuel consumption, Proton says the X70 1.5 returns seven per cent better fuel mileage than the 1.8, which is still available for those who swear by big engine displacements. We ran a short distance (about 20km) on the highway by keeping as much as possible to 110km/h and the electronic feedback indicated a mileage of 7.5l/100km (13.3km/l), which was in line with Proton’s claims.
Like any car or vehicle, turbocharged or normally aspirated, driving at robust speeds would not provide good fuel mileages. And as expected, we found the low fuel warning light coming on before we could reach Desaru. Luckily, we made it to the petrol station just before reaching town to fill up. On the 350km drive back to COE the following day, we filled up at Alor Gajah to be on the safe side.
For a sizeable SUV, the Proton X70 took well to winding roads at good speeds. We hardly felt the body lean and directional feedback through the electronic power steering was good. The seven-speed DCT also selected the right gear automatically to allow us to take the corners reasonably quick. We tried the manual mode but with no steering wheel paddle shifts to change gears, we switched back to the automatic transmission.
The MacPherson front and multi-link rear suspension appeared well set up for such winding road drives. The X70 1.5 Premium ran on Continental UltraContact UC6 SUV 255/55 R19, which is of the same size as that on the X70 1.8.
It also fared well enough on ride comfort, taking to B-roads and running over patched road surfaces, speedbumps and rumble strips with the least transmission of impacts. Yes, we could feel that the 19-inch tyres were firmer and as a rear passenger, we felt a fair bit of the road impacts coming through especially at robust speeds on the highway. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop us from taking turns to have a nap as a passenger.
We also like the quiet ambience of the interior during those fast highway drives. The body aerodynamics also seem well sorted out and there was enough body panel and roof insulation to keep the wind noise out. The three of us could enjoy making small talk along the way without having to raise our voices.
As this was the first time that we were driving an X70, having being a passenger previously, notably in the Geely Boyue in Hangzhou, China (which the X70 is based on), we were discovering its other merits and features at the same time. The non-conventional tachometer in the LCD (liquid crystal display) instrument panel was one of them. It is presented in a bar form with a horizontal indicator that slides up and down according to the engine rpm.
Then there was the ‘Hi Proton’ voice command feature. We tried that for opening and closing the driver’s door window and selecting air-conditioner temperature. All we had to do was say out loud ‘Hi Proton’ to the eight-inch touchscreen monitor and a sweet voice would reply, asking us what we would like to do. It’s useful if you don’t want to fiddle around while driving.
A convenient feature gaining traction in more new vehicle models is the ‘power kick’ for opening doors and the tailgate. The Proton X70 Premium has this feature with which you ‘kick’ under the SUV where the tailgate is and the tailgate would open. It’s a handy item when your arms are loaded with groceries and other things.
The air inside the X70 is also cleaner with the standard N95 cabin filter that is part of the air-conditioning system and the air purifier feature. It certainly made travelling in the X70 nicer for people with sinuses like me. The six USB ports would allow many to charge their handphones on the go while they lounge in the brown Nappa leather seats that the X70 1.5 Premium is endowed with.
And for a good idea of what’s around you as a driver, the 360 Camera with 3D (three dimensional) displays on the eight-inch touchscreen monitor should do the job. A Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is also standard and useful in keeping you informed if any of your tyres is losing air due to a slow puncture or other causes.
If you haven’t booked the Proton X70 1.6 Premium before June 2022 when the Sales and Service Tax exemption was lifted, then you would be looking at a price of above RM120K. The X70 1.5 Premium price without SST was just under RM118K on the road without insurance. It’s still a good buy for its feature-loaded package even if you have to pay a little bit more.
