Review: Proton X90 Premium – the best value-for-money SUV for the family?
The ideal car for the modern family is an SUV. As much as enthusiasts don’t quite enjoy the “SUV invasion”, it is the most practical body style for a family. First there were 5-seater SUVs, and now we’re slowly warming up to 6-/7-seater SUVs. And with the introduction of the Proton X90, us Malaysians now have a considerably affordable option in this segment. And among the variant offerings of the Proton X90, the Proton X90 Premium is the most practical one – offering 7 seats and a complete set of advanced safety features at RM144,800.
In the segment of the Proton X90 is also the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro. Some may argue that the Innova Zenix is a contender too, but its isn’t really as it is a bit smaller. The X90 and the Tiggo 8 Pro are basically what you would end up with if you wanted the configuration/practicality of the Mazda CX-8 (or Kia Sorento) at a cheaper price. With that in mind, let’s have a closer look at the Proton X90 Premium.
The Proton X90 Premium at a glance:
- Engine: 1.5-litre inline-3 TGDi engine with Belt Starter Generator (BSG)
- Transmission: 7-speed DCT
- Engine Max. Power: 177 PS
- Engine Max. Torque: 255 Nm
- BSG Max. Power: 14 PS
- BSG Max. Torque: 52Nm
- Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive (FWD)
- Price: RM144,800
Proton X90 Premium exterior - Looks right at home in Putrajaya
The latest generation of Proton premium cars exude the aura of government officials. With the large grille and a generally serious and upright-looking front end, the X90 (or any of the premium Proton cars) look right at home on the streets of Putrajaya. Given the Geely partnership that underpins Proton cars, achieving that look/aura is rather necessary.
There are a good amount practical things on the outside of the Proton X90 Premium, and this includes things like walk-away auto lock, nearby auto unlock, the automatic powered tailgate, and roof rails.
One lacking thing on the exterior of the X90 Premium would be its headlights which are of the reflector kind. With 4 variants on offer, one would expect that the headlights on the top-2 variants to at least be of a more sophisticated design. That aside, the illumination provided by the headlights is pretty good. At the back, I would suggest moving the reverse light up into the upper taillight cluster, just to make it more visible to other road users.
Proton X90 Premium interior - As versatile as a family car should be
Modern day Proton cars generally have good ergonomics, and as such there’s not much fault to find with the X90 Premium. The seats are comfortable, the armrests are positioned nicely, and you get tilt & telescopic steering adjustment, so finding the perfect driving position isn’t too difficult.
However there is one tiny problem with the ergonomics of the first row and that is with the cupholders in the centre console. When the cupholders are unoccupied, you can comfortably rest your arm on the centre armrest and still be able to reach the gear lever, centre console controls, and the steering wheel – all are within reach. But when the cupholders are occupied, your cups/bottles will obstruct your arm from reaching those earlier mentioned items. This can get very annoying as your cockpit will start to feel claustrophobic.
That aside, the first row of the X90 is a nice place to be in and you get a good amount of storage space. The centre armrest storage box is large, the centre console has a practical lower deck, the glovebox is of a decent size, and the door bins are moderately sized. The only lacking bit in terms of cubby space in the first row would be the storage compartment to the right of the steering wheel which is unable to fit the traditional Smart Tag.
Moving on to the second row seats, the Proton X90 gets a 3-seat configuration as opposed to the Flagship variant’s 2-seat configuration. Like the front seats, they are comfortable and plush, and feel satisfactory given the price of the car.
A problem with the second-row seats would be the rather low seating position which could be the cause of motion sickness for some passengers. Practicality and cubby spaces in this row could be improved too with things like compartmentalized pockets behind the front seats.
As for the third row, the Proton X90 perhaps has the most spacious one among its peers. Wit 6-/7-seater SUVs, the third row space is rather limited due to dimension constraints of the car itself. It is of course not perfect in the X90, but decent enough for short trips for adults. Children would probably enjoy the extra space that the X90 offers. And while there may not be much creature comforts in the third row, the X90 does try to compensate with the rather intelligently-designed phone slots with USB chargers.
I am personally not a fan of 6-/7-seater SUVs due to their generally compromised boot space. The third row seats basically use a lot of space (even the most intelligent ones) and most cars in this segment lack a tonneau cover (except for the Kia Sorento). But it is a compromise we have to make when we want a versatile family car.
Given the offerings in this segment, I’d day that the X90’s boot is pretty alright. With all seats occupied, you can squeeze in some small luggage, and with one seat occupied, you can still put a decent amount of things in the boot. Of course with the third-row seats folded, you basically have the typical boot space of a dedicated 5-seater SUV (minus the tonneau cover).
What I personally like about the X90’s boot would be the additional space that it has underneath the boot floor. I like to carry my tools around with me and I could 3 small tool boxes underneath the boot floor, alongside my child’s bicycle helmet.
Proton X90 Premium driving experience - A relaxed cruising experience albeit the diesel-like rattle
The X90 is a big, soft SUV. It does try to lean towards being firm, but it isn’t. Even the steering wheel feels light. And that’s all good since it’s a family car that is supposedly easy to drive. It soaks up bumps and undulations pretty well too.
This is Proton’s first hybrid car, and on first glance at the spec sheet, some may doubt whether the 1.5-litre TGDI engine can haul all that weight (approx. 1,700 kg) around. I’ve driven it, and I’d say that it is good enough for the usual urban commute and relaxed highway cruising. It also does a decent job for a drive up Genting Highlands with a full load (at a relaxed pace).
What is less satisfactory about the powertrain is the lack of power when trying to overtake at highway speeds. It isn’t very responsive, and there’s not much power delivered when it does respond. It also sounds like a diesel engine, which could be bothersome to some of you.
And just to put the numbers out there, the 1.5-litre TGDI engine itself makes 177 PS and 255 Nm while the Belt Starter Generator (BSG) makes 14 PS and 52 Nm.
What I’d also like to address about the driving experience of the X90 would be its Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) systems. So this is a very handy feature to have and for cars above RM100k, you would expect this to be a standard item.
These systems in the X90 are no doubt handy, but the programming could be fine-tuned. When engaged, the automated braking can feel a bit too abrupt and annoy the driver behind you. All else, they are decent-enough systems.
Proton X90 Premium fuel consumption - 10 l/100km
So I drove the X90 Premium from a full tank to an almost empty tank, and I managed to drive it for 513km. Refueling it suggested that I used 51.373 litres of fuel, which costs RM105.31 with RON95. This means that I managed a fuel consumption rate of 10 l/100km or 9.99 km/l.
This figure was achieved by doing normal highway and city driving with full use of the air-conditioning. There was also a considerable amount of sitting in heavy traffic.
Verdict
The Proton X90 Premium is a versatile family SUV. While some may not be fan of its downsized engine configuration, it is capable of getting the job done.
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