Malaysians have been anticipating the unveiling of the updated version of the Proton X70 ever since camouflaged units were spotted on our roads. While the most telling change underneath the cloak is a new front grille, Proton has confirmed that the updated SUV will gain new safety features.

At a media briefing on Proton’s quality control performance in Tanjung Malim yesterday, the Malaysian Tiger confirmed that the refreshed Proton X70 will be unveiled this year. Aside from that, P1 has also stated that the updated SUV will feature Level 2 semi-autonomous driving, joining its Geely-derived stablemates.

To put it more precisely, the upgraded X70 will feature Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) for the first time, essentially replacing the rudimentary adaptive cruise control (ACC) on the existing X70. The standard ACC does not feature stop-and-go, is only activated at speeds above 30 km/h, and only comes with lane departure warning (LDW).

As seen in the Proton X50, Proton X90, and Proton S70, ICC is Proton's lingo for adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and lane keeping assistance, meaning that the cruise control can slow the vehicle to a stop, before resuming, and provide lane centering assistance.

Still, Proton remains mum on further details of the refreshed X70 but based on the spyshots circulating online, the updates would be mainly visual cosmetics including slimmer LED headlights, new alloy wheels, and the redesigned front grille.

The interior, on the other hand, is speculated to be largely carried over from the existing X70 which has been around since 2018. There are rumours that the new X70 could receive a new steering wheel, a new digital driver display, and an updated infotainment system with proper smartphone connectivity.

Also read: Confirmed: Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to finally make its way into the next Proton model - Is it the X70 facelift?

Expect the 1.5-litre turbocharged 3-pot (177 PS/255 Nm) to be carried over to the facelift though the 1.8-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder (184 PS/300 Nm) could be discontinued due to poor demand. Both units are paired to a 7-speed wet DCT with power sent to either the front wheels or all 4 wheels (all-wheel drive).

To recap, the current (pre-facelift) X70 is priced in Malaysia as below:

• 1.5 TGDi Standard 2WD: RM 98,900
• 1.5 TGDi Executive 2WD: RM 110,800
• 1.5 TGDi Executive AWD: RM 116,800
• 1.5 TGDi Premium 2WD: RM 123,800
• 1.5 TGDi Premium X 2WD: RM 126,800
• 1.8 TGDi Premium 2WD: RM 128,800