Proton’s first car launch in 2023 will be the X90, but before the three-row SUV officially goes on sale in Malaysia, here’s a preview of what you can expect. In this video, Hafriz Shah takes you on a comprehensive tour of the carmaker’s latest SUV, which is positioned as a D-segment model above the C-segment X70.

The order books for the X90 are already open as of April 8, with four variants being offered to buyers. The first three – Standard, Executive and Premium – will come with seven seats arranged in a 2-3-2 layout, while the range-topping Flagship gets six seats in a 2-2-2 layout with second-row captain chairs.

All variants come with the same engine, a 1.5 litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol unit that is augmented by a 48-volt mild hybrid system, which includes a belt starter generator (BSG). This is said to improve fuel consumption by around 15% when compared to the non-electrified 1.5 TGDi powerplant, while also providing higher outputs.

The official figures are 190 PS and 300 Nm of torque, which is a gain of 13 PS and 45 Nm compared to the normal 1.5 TGDi in the X50 Flagship as well as the X70. The electrified mill is paired with a seven-speed wet-dual-clutch gearbox to drive the front wheels.

In terms of dimensions, the X90 measures 4,835 mm long, 1,900 mm wide, 1,785 mm tall and has a wheelbase spanning 2,815 mm. This makes it the biggest car in the line-up – the X70 is 4,519 mm long, 1,831 mm wide, 1,694 mm tall and its wheelbase is 2,670 mm by comparison.

As for styling, the new Proton SUV looks a lot like the Haoyue, although the front is differentiated by the grille, which is described as an evolution of the Ethereal Bow and Infinite Weave elements we’ve seen on Proton models over the last few years. There are even diamond-shaped studs emanating from the central logo that are apparently inspired by a songket pattern.

The interior is also 100% Geely but with the steering wheel on the right side, while other notable highlights include a widescreen digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch central touchscreen – the latter is powered by a more powerful system-on-chip (SoC) and uses ACO Tech’s ATLAS OS – still no Android Auto and/or Apple CarPlay.

Given this is a three-row SUV, interior space is important and the X90 offers sufficient legroom in the second- and third-row seats, although the latter are a little difficult to access as Hafriz points out and demonstrates in the video.

He also goes over a lot of the features that are available for the X90, so if you want to pair what he says in the video to his thorough text article breaking down the details of Proton’s new SUV, give this video a watch. After you’ve done so, check out our first impressions and share your thoughts on the X90 in the comments below and try and guess how much the retail pricing will be.

GALLERY: 2023 Proton X90 Flagship

GALLERY: 2023 Proton X90 Premium

GALLERY: 2023 Proton X90 colour variants