Proton S70 first drive: Finally, the Malaysian Honda Civic we’re looking for?

Source : EuroNews

Over the years, Malaysians have expressed a strong desire for a viable locally-produced alternative to the C-segment sedan, especially as popular models like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla have become increasingly expensive, making them less accessible to the average consumer. Proton, the national carmaker, made commendable efforts with models such as the Waja, Persona, and Prevé to fill this gap. Despite their merits, these vehicles were often perceived as falling short in comparison to the dominant Japanese competitors.

After stopping the Prevé for three years, Proton is bringing back a new car called the S70 in the C-segment sedan market. This is the fourth car made with help from Geely, a company that partly owns Proton. It’s Proton’s first brand-new four-door car since they introduced the current Persona in 2016. Now, with the support from their Chinese investor, Proton has more money to compete with other cars.

But, there’s a catch. The S70 is made on a smaller B-segment platform. It doesn’t have as many features, and it’s not as powerful as some other cars in the market. The good news is that the S70 will likely be much cheaper than the Civic and Corolla. So, the question is, will the lower price be enough for people to ignore its drawbacks and choose the S70 over other cars?

Pricing will be crucial

Great news! The S70 is set to be revealed tomorrow, on November 28. Even though we don’t know the exact price yet, some folks at the preview event shared that it will be around the same range as the Honda City and Toyota Vios. So, you can probably expect it to cost somewhere between RM80,000 to RM100,000. That gives us an idea of what to look forward to in terms of the price tag for the S70.

Proton’s argument is that for the same money, you’ll get a physically larger car with a greater level of standard equipment, build quality, technology (debatable, but we’ll get to that later) and performance. The fact that the S70 is being mentioned in the same breath as the Civic and Corolla is almost secondary, even though it does hold its own in some aspects.

Modern design with some shortcomings

Stepping inside the S70, you’ll notice that it inherits the modern and minimalist design from the Emgrand. The dashboard is sleek and horizontal, complemented by a full-width air-con vent design and a generously wide center console. However, what sets the S70 apart is its commitment to practicality. While boasting a contemporary aesthetic, the cabin doesn’t compromise on convenience, featuring all the physical controls you’d expect – from the sturdy steering wheel to the essential window and door mirror buttons, not to mention the easily accessible air-con switches.

In a world where many car manufacturers are shifting all functions to a central touchscreen, Proton, or more accurately, Geely, has chosen a different path with the S70. They’ve opted to retain physical controls, acknowledging the importance of tactile functionality. This decision provides a user-friendly experience, ensuring that essential controls are right at your fingertips.

Now, delving into the technological prowess of the top-tier Flagship and Flagship X models, you’ll find an impressive 10.25-inch instrument display and a substantial 12.3-inch center touchscreen. The latter operates on Proton’s advanced Atlas operating system. The user interface is designed for hassle-free operation, and the displays are not only legible but also intuitive. Even though simplicity characterizes the instrument cluster, it adds to the overall ease of use, making the driving experience with the S70 both advanced and accessible.

Unfortunately, Proton has still seen fit not to include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the company clearly continuing to insist people use its in-car apps. It has at least indicated that CarPlay and Android Auto integration is on the cards, but it will require a change in hardware, so those who buy the S70 now won’t get them. Another minor niggle is that opening and closing the Flagship X’s sunroof, which comes with a manual sunshade, can only be done either by voice or, more controversially, digging into the touchscreen.

Build quality is generally very good, the dash being covered in soft-touch materials—the grille’s songket pattern is repeated in the lower half, a nice local touch. But whereas other C-segment models continue using plush slush mouldings in the door cards, they’re hard plastic in the S70. Do bear in mind, however, that this is still miles better than the B-segment norm, which limit the use soft-touch materials to smaller areas on the dash.

Note: This article is an original information from EuroNewsand For the full details, please check the original source.

Video : Paul Tan’s Automotive News