New Proton X90 is South Africa’s most affordable seven-seater SUV

The Proton X90 has arrived in Mzansi. Launched at the Festival of Motoring on Thursday and positioned above its X50 and X70 stablemates, this flagship SUV from the Malaysian carmaker offers seating for seven, making it an attractive proposition for large families. 

Proton is offering the X90 in four different specification levels starting with the entry-level Standard model. Riding on 18-inch alloy wheels and sporting LED headlamps and front fog lights, its spacious interior is home to a plethora of features including a leather multifunction steering wheel, cruise control, push-button start, automatic dual-zone climate control with N95 filtration, rear air-conditioning with second and third row air vents, fabric seat upholstery and a 12.3-inch infotainment system compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Seven USB ports are distributed around the cabin. 

Standard active safety features come in the form of six airbags, ABS brakes with EBD, electronic stability and traction control, hill hold assist and hill descent control, rear collision warning, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert, door opening warning, a reverse camera and six parking sensors — two up front and four at the rear. 

Next in line is the X90 Executive, which ups the ante with additional features such as automatic headlamps and rain-sensing wipers, a full LCD instrument cluster, leatherette seat upholstery, ventilated front seats with a six-way electronically adjustable driver's chair, tyre pressure monitoring system, powered tailgate and a 360° parking camera.

Rolling on larger 19-inch alloy wheels shod with 235/50 tyres, the X90 Premium ships with even more bells and whistles. Customers can look forward to niceties such as Nappa leather seats, security tint window glass, two-way lumbar support on the driver's seat and a four-way electronically-adjustable passenger seat, ambient lighting, a wireless charging pad located on the front centre console and an automatic-dimming rearview mirror.

Proton has also included more active safety aids in this model derivative. Adaptive cruise control is standard as is lane departure warning with lane departure prevention and lane centring control. There's also emergency lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, automatic high beam control, park assist and two extra front park sensors. 

The range-topping X90 Flagship comes locked and loaded with pretty much every option you could wish for including a panoramic glass sunroof, individual second row “captain seats”, a Nappa-leather multifunction steering wheel and a front digital video recorder.

From launch all Proton X90 models are powered by a Volvo-designed 1.5l three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. Bolstered by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and a choice of three drive modes (Sport, Eco and Comfort), it produces 130kW and 255Nm of torque. This is delivered to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Now available at Proton dealerships, pricing for the new X90 range is as follows:

X90 1.5 Standard: R559,900

X90 1.5 Executive: R589,900

X90 1.5 Premium: R644,900

X90 1.5 Flagship: R679,900

Pricing includes a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Customers can choose from six different exterior colours, Snow White, Armour Silver, Jet Grey, Marine Blue, Ruby Red and Cinnamon Brown. Service plans are available as a cost option.