Review: Proton S70 Flagship X – The best value B-sedan, if you don’t mind the 3-cylinder engine
Proton’s latest new model brings it back to the good old days when the company only made sedans. The car in question is the Proton S70, which is a B/C segment sedan that thankfully has decent proportions. Even in its range-topping form, the Flagship X, the Proton S70 doesn’t cross the RM100k price mark and thus it rivals the likes of the Toyota Vios G and the Honda City V.
Proton calls it a C-segment sedan and most of the internet may call it a B-segment sedan. If you ask me, I’d say that it is a combination of the 2 segments as it has the weight, performance, and comfort of a C-segment sedan, but the size and practicality of a B-segment sedan. Most importantly it has the price of a B-segment sedan. Let’s carry on.
The Proton S70 Flagship X at a glance:
- Engine: 1.5-litre inline-3 Turbo MPI
- Transmission: 7-speed DCT
- Engine Max. Power: 150 PS
- Engine Max. Torque: 225 Nm
- Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive (FWD)
- Price: RM94,800
Proton S70 exterior – Possibly the best-looking “affordable” sedan
Within its price range, the Proton S70 is perhaps the best-looking one among its peers. With the Honda City trying to emulate the BMW 3 Series, albeit on a budget, and the Proton Persona sporting questionable design choices, the beauty pageant for the B-segment sedan is really a battle between the Proton S70, Toyota Vios, and the Nissan Almera. And many would easily vote for the S70 here.
And if we compare it against the C-segment sedans in the market, it perhaps looks sportier than the standard Toyota Corolla Altis but doesn’t quite have the presence of the average C-segment sedan (Civic, Mazda 3 Sedan).
The Proton S70 Flagship X does have some fancy items on the outside like the fancy taillight startup sequence and optional body kit, but it really doesn’t need it. It already looks mature and proper.
And since I’ve mentioned the body kit, it is also worth mentioning that the rubber lining for the body kit could use some improvement as it appears to have jagged corners in certain areas. All else, the Proton S70 looks sophisticated, and it looks like it would fit right in on the streets of Putrajaya.
Proton S70 Interior - Great ergonomics, but not the most spacious
The cabin of the S70 is a great place to be in, especially when you compare it against cars within its price range. The ergonomics are spot on and it is considerably clever. The centre console comes with clever stuff like the removable cupholder, the two-stage design and the decently sized centre armrest storage box. Even the door bins are considerably large.
What could use improvement in terms of cubby space would be the pockets behind the front seats. They could use more size, or at least better compartmentalization. You’d understand this if you have a family.
What I do personally like about the S70’s cabin is that it doesn’t try too hard with any form of red accents of red stitching. Mind you, this is the Flagship X, and that most cars below RM100k would try to spruce things up in their rang-topping variants with red elements to make them feel sportier. There is not even any form of ambient lighting in the S70, which I think makes it easier on the eyes.
Speaking of lights, the light coming from both the touchscreen head unit and digital instrument cluster are also at a decent setting as they don’t glare and hurt your eyes while you’re driving at night. And speaking of the screen, praise has to be given to Proton’s infotainment system in its latest models. Compared to the ones you would find in Japanese cars, it actually looks properly designed for the car with a more comprehensive user interface.
One advantage that the S70 would have over its price rivals would be the various “Vehicle Control” functions in the head unit itself. It feels intelligent in comparison and makes you feel like you’ve got a better value for your money. Things like your windows, lights, and driving modes can be controlled via the screen although this can be a double-edged sword.
The good thing about having these controls in the screen is that it reduces clutter on the dashboard and that it also allows for voice command to control these things too. What’s not so great is when simple things like the sunroof and the “Door Light Control” function are only embedded in the screen. Yes, some controls can be added to a swipe-down shortcut, but not all. And it can become a hassle at times. Other than that, the screen is a handy tool as it has a decent 360° 3D panorama view and a decent navigation system.
And yes, I haven’t mentioned it yet, but the S70 doesn’t get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It is a setback for most of us, and an update should me made to provide it.
In terms of comfort, the S70 provides good and supportive seats in both the first and second row. The first row seats provide nice side bolsters while the second row seats come with a plausible recline angle. If you’re the type to do long journeys with the family, it is a decent car for the task.
What is lacking for the S70’s interior would be its boot space. Yes, on paper it does have a comparable boot space of 500 litres, which is more than the Honda Civic’s 497 litres. However, due to its design, the Proton S70’s boot space isn’t the most practical one as its boot height is quite limited, thus not allowing large suitcases to be positioned on their sides.
Proton S70 Driving Experience - Easily more powerful than the average B-segment sedan
The Proton S70’s performance is that of a C-segment sedan. With a 1.5-litre turbocharged MPI engine, the S70 makes 150 PS and 226 Nm, easily more powerful than the Toyota Vios and Honda City with their naturally aspirated 1.5-litre inline-4 engines. The performance of the S70 is perhaps comparable to the Honda Civic FE 1.5 turbo (182 PS, 240 Nm), and in a rolling-start drag race from 80km/h, they’re pretty much neck and neck (a drag race from a standstill would have the Civic win).
The weight of the Proton S70 also makes it a C-segment sedan at 1,319 kg (The Honda Civic FE 1.5 Turbo weighs 1,362 kg). But since Proton showcased the S70 drag racing against the Vios and City, I’d say that a handling comparison between the S70 and Vios is more apt. And in this sense, the Vios is the more fun car to toss around due its light weight and grippier tyres (despite its lack in power).
Nonetheless, the S70 is a considerably sharp “affordable” car to drive. You will feel its weight through the corners, but given the comfort setup that it has, I’d say that it manages to balance comfort and sporty handling quite well (at this price point).
The NVH levels are also decent in the S70 with most of the noise being road noise. Wind noise is tolerable and you seldom here the chatter of the 3-cylinder turbocharged engine.
Proton S70 fuel consumption - 8.3l/100km
Lastly let’s address the fuel consumption of the Proton S70. So the official consumption figure of the S70 was only released a bit later after its launch and it is reportedly 6.2 l/100km, at least on paper. The most interesting thing to me when I first got into the car would be the fact that the computer was telling me that I could drive for about 730 km on a single tank. So I had to try out myself.
I drove from a full tank to an almost empty tank and managed to drive for 523.7 km, and the computer told me I still had 42 km to go. So if I had a bit more patience and a bit more courage, I could have managed about 560 km on a single tank.
Mind you I was driving with the typical balik kamoung style which included heavy traffic, a lot idling, and occasional hard acceleration, so I’m sure some of you out there could go further than I did.
So I did 523.7 km by using 43.669 l of fuel or RM89.52 with RON95. So I basically did about 12km/l or 8.3 l/100km. I did this out of pure curiosity and I hope you find it useful.
Verdict
The Proton S70 essentially provides the perks of a C-segment sedan for B-segment price. If you’re comparing its against the Civic, it is a lot cheaper, and if you compare it with the Vios, it comes with more power, an electric driver seat, foldable rear seats, and a spare wheel.
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