The 2022 Proton X70 doesn’t sport many differences from the outside but underneath, it has something major. That being said, the X70 has only undergone a minor change so what else is different in this update?

Rather than stating the obvious elephant in the room engine under the hood, we’ll start with the exterior, and first up are the gloss black finishing trims. This can be seen on the front grille, front fog light surrounds, the trim that connects the taillights, and the diffuser piece.

At least this next difference doesn’t make it feel like finding a certain guy in stripes and glasses. Shoes maketh man and in this case, the refreshed X70 sports new 18- and 19-inch alloy wheels on all variants of besides the base Standard.

If you’re a keen follower of Proton’s first rebadged Geely model, the design isn’t really ‘new’ since it was first shown on the X70 SE. However, the Ocean Blue colour isn’t carried into the update and remains exclusive to the outgoing SE.

Speaking of not being carried over, the Premium X variant is dropped and there are now two Premium variants as well as two Executive variants. That bumps the number of X70 variants to five from four.

There is a difference between the two pairs of variants with the Executive variants offered with either front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). Yes, the AWD variant makes a return to the Malaysian-spec X70 but it has never really left us as it is offered overseas.

Also read: 2020 Proton X70 introduced in Bangladesh, gets 1.5T engine with 177 PS/255 Nm, 7-spd DCT

As for the pair of Premium variants, the difference is under the hood with a choice of either a 1.5-litre TGDI 3-pot (177 PS/255 Nm) or a 1.8-litre TGDI 4-cylinder (184 PS/300 Nm). Despite dropping one cylinder and 0.5 litres, the 3-pot unit is supposedly enough to catch up with rivals that come with 4 cylinders.

Also read: Same 1.5L displacement but 1 less cylinder, how does the 2022 Proton X70 compare with the CR-V?

Also since it shares the same unit as its little brother, the X50, the X70 1.5 TGDI variants use a timing belt instead of a timing chain which is found on the 1.8-litre engine.

Also read: Are timing chains better than timing belts?

No matter which engine or layout you choose, the X70’s transmission remains the same with all units mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) with manual mode.

Also read: Like it or not, dual-clutch transmissions are here to stay

Moving on to the interior and it’s 99% similar to the previous X70 with the remaining 1% of change happening above your head. Say hello to a black roof lining that replaces the grey on the outgoing X70.

Features are also carried over from the pre-updated X70 which includes Nappa leather seats, a power tailgate with foot sensor, and a 9-speaker Kenwood sound system for the Premium variants.

Besides, front ventilated seats are now available as standard on the Executive and Premium variants. Previously, if you wanted cooled seats, it was only available on the Premium and Premium X.

Safety features are also carried over from the previous X70 with 6 airbags, stability control, traction control, and hill hold assist available as standard. ADAS is still only available on the upper variants which include AEB, ACC, LDW, and blind-spot information system.

Aside from the engine, the changes on the 2022 Proton X70 aren’t much and prices range from RM 93,900 to RM 121,800. The prices stated are exempt from sales tax and are valid until 30-June 2022.

Even with sales tax being exempted, the 2022 X70 is actually pricier than before and don't worry about bringing out your calculator because we've already done the maths for you. So, if you’re interested in the new X70, you're going to have to pay more for the same SUV with a smaller engine.

Also read: New 2022 Proton X70 is more than 4 percent more expensive than pre-facelift