The cat’s finally out of the bag – Proton has dropped the initial round of information surrounding its upcoming model, the Proton X90. The new model is set to be a D-segment SUV, positioned above the Proton X70.

Four variants will be offered – Standard, Executive, Premium, and Flagship. The Flagship variant is the only variant that gets captain seats on the second row, effectively making it a 6-seater SUV. Every other variant is a 7-seater model.

For the first time ever in Proton’s history, a petrol-electric hybrid model will be offered, albeit merely a mild-hybrid rather than a proper full-hybrid. Under the hood of the Proton X90 is a turbocharged 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine mated to 48-Volt mild-hybrid (MHEV) system.

Proton’s, or rather Geely’s MHEV system is made out of six main hardware. The first is the belt-starter generator, followed by a hybrid management system, lithium-ion battery, battery management system, DC-to-DC converter, as well as a hybrid control module.

With this MHEV system in place, Proton says that the X90 is roughly 15 percent more fuel efficient than models without the 48-V system.

​​Also Read: Proton X90 enters production at Tg. Malim with 1.5T mild-hybrid, 190 PS and 300 Nm

Combined system output is 190 PS and 300 Nm, with drive routed to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

During the media preview session for the Proton X90, photography was not allowed, but Proton did provide several hi-res shots of the new SUV, giving us a good look at the soon-to-be launched model.

Up front, the Proton X90 is largely identical to the Geely Haoyue it’s based on, albeit with tweaks done to differentiate it from its Chinese sibling.

The most noticeable change is the new front grille with diamond-like inserts, which Proton said is inspired by the songket pattern. There’s also a new Ethereal Bow that’s now positioned below the roundel Proton logo.

Despite being positioned as Proton’s flagship model, the Proton X90 does not get projector headlights; only LED reflector units are offered here. Regardless, there’s the usual LED daytime running lights, LED front fog lights, and even sequential turn signals.

Standard and Executive variants wear 18-inch alloy wheels, while the Premium and Flagship variants don 19-inch units. The latter gets a 5-spoke split design with 235/50R19 Continental EcoContact 6 tyres.

Speaking of handling bits, Proton has also confirmed that the Proton X90 will get a rear multi-link suspension configuration, putting it on par with similar segment rivals.

Also Read: Multi-link or torsion beam? Which one would the Malaysian-spec Proton X90 get?

Stepping inside, the Proton X90 offers three-zone automatic air-conditioning – two for the front, and the rears are independent from the front. Nappa leather upholstery is also available on upper variants of the Proton X90, as well as powered front seats.

As for the infotainment system, Proton mentioned that there’s now a massive 12.3-inch infotainment system with a generous 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB internal storage. Modern-day connectivity options like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is still nowhere to be found.

Also Read: Spied: Possibly your first look at the right-hand drive (RHD) Proton X90!

Proton has also upped the ante in the safety department. On top of the usual ADAS equipment like autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, and adaptive cruise control, there’s now the addition of Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Rear Collision Warning (RCW), and even Traffic Sign Information (TSI). The latter is able to “read” speed limit signs and adapt the X90’s speeds to match the speed limit – a feature that’s usually reserved for way more expensive cars.

The Proton X90’s full specifications will be revealed upon the launch of the car in the near future. Before that, Proton will be organizing several preview sessions for the Proton X90 nationwide starting 8-April.