With prices starting from just RM 95,000, it’s no surprise why the Proton X70 became a hit among Malaysians.

Even in its range-topping Premium X trim, RM 122,800 isn’t a lot of money, considering the amount of features the Proton X70 offers.

Keep in mind that for the same price you’re paying for a brand-new Proton X70, you can also get a used Honda CR-V.

A quick check on some car listing sites indicate you can get a turbocharged 2017 Honda CR-V 1.5 TC-P or a slightly newer, but lower specifications naturally-aspirated 2018 CR-V 2.0 for the same price as a brand-new Proton X70.

Either way, both the 2017 and 2018 Honda CR-Vs should still have their manufacturer warranty intact, assuming that the previous owner serviced their vehicles at an authorised service centre.

That said, if you plan to finance a used car, expect to pay a bit more in interests, as the average interest rate for financing a used car hovers around the 4% mark, meaning its marginally more than a new car’s interest rate (about 3% on average, depending on the bank).

Interest rates aside, the Honda CR-V is more fuel efficient than the Proton X70, which can help offset the slightly higher interest rates.

Furthermore, apart from paying less for petrol, maintaining a Honda CR-V over a period of 5 years is also cheaper than a Proton X70. 

In fact, the Honda CR-V's Sensing ADAS suite includes Low Speed Follow (LSF) and Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), both of which the X70 lack.

If you intend to get a used Honda CR-V, remember that it is a used car and there's no free lunches. You need to do your homework before committing to a used car - inspect the car to make sure that it was not involved in an accident, and check the paint condition as well as panel gaps. Bring a friend or a mechanic to check the car if you’re not certain of the car's condition.

All else being equal, it is better to buy a used car directly from a private owner than a dealer. That way, you can ask for the full service records and better gauge the car's maintenance history - does it have mismatched tyres? Is the owner's other cars well taken of? where is the car parked? There's a lot of subjective matters that one can gauge from talking to the owner. With a private owner, it's also easier to have the car driven to a workshop for an inspection.

Conclusion – the choice is yours

All said and done, the choice is ultimately yours – if you prefer a peace-of-mind purchase, it’s hard to argue against the value preposition brought by the Proton X70.

But if you don’t mind a used car, the Honda CR-V may be a better choice for some. Not only is the Honda CR-V a more practical SUV than the X70, it also boasts Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, which the Proton X70 lacks.