Its arrival has been on the cards since it was spied late last year and then spotted again testing in January, and now, it’s finally here, with the wraps coming off the 2026 Proton X90 MC earlier this evening. The facelift for the three-row SUV comes nearly three years after it was introduced here in May 2023.
Unlike the Geely Haoyue, which it is based on, the refresh for the automaker’s third X series model doesn’t bring about the visual makeover the Haoyue L received last year. In fact, design-wise, the X90 MC is virtually untouched, with the same exterior as before, save a couple of very minor bits, of which new utility roof rails are one. The rails are not just dress-up items but fully-functioning units, capable of handling 75 kg of load.
The front and rear end remain as is, and given that the exterior doesn’t veer away at all from the pre-facelift, dimensions for the vehicle remain at 4,835 mm long, 1,900 mm wide and 1,785 mm tall, with a 2,815 mm-long wheelbase. At the front, it’s all the same, and so the chrome pin grille and full LED reflector units, complete with the L-shaped LED daytime running lights, are all here.
Same with the alloy wheels, which have been carried over, although the 19-inch option (on the previous Flagship) has been dropped, with all MC versions riding on the 18-inch design (and 225/55 profile tyres) from before. The only significant change comes with a switch in tyre choice, with the MC moving over from the Continental EcoContact 6 (19s) and Goodyear Efficient Grip (18s) to Giti Control P10 rubbers, the brand selection in line with developments elsewhere.
There are some changes, and omissions, which we’ll get to. The line-up – and naming convention for the variants – has been revised. In 2023, there were four variants, these being the Standard, Executive, Premium and Flagship. Of these, three (Standard, Executive and Premium) were seven-seaters (2-3-2 configuration, with a bench middle-row), while the Flagship was a six-seat version (2-2-2 layout, with a pair of second-row captain seats).
The range has now been trimmed to three, with the X90 MC series now consisting of the 1.5TD Lite and 1.5TD Prime seven-seaters and 1.5TD Prime X six-seater. More importantly, the prices have been significantly revised from before, and they are (all on-the-road, without insurance):
- Proton X90 1.5TD Lite (seven-seater) – RM99,800
- Proton X90 1.5TD Prime (seven-seater)- RM109,800
- Proton X90 1.5TD Prime X (six-seater) – RM115,800
The above prices are with a RM7,000 rebate across the range (without that rebate, it’s RM106,800, RM116,800 and RM122,800, respectively), and makes the X90 MC considerably cheaper – by up to RM30k in the case of the range-topper – from when it was first introduced, when pricing was RM123,800 for the Standard, RM130,800 for the Executive, RM144,800 for the Premium and RM152,800 for the Flagship.
There’s a reason for this price restructuring. The car isn’t a volume mover, having sold just over 10,000 units (10,463 registrations from launch up to February 2026, by our reckoning), and the landscape has changed since the car made its debut, with competitors having sprung up. Cost sensitivities have also come into play in the segment, and so pricing of the SUV has been adjusted to keep it competitive, the idea being to offer a proposition of value to those looking for a larger-sized family mover, minus the frills.
The X90 MC does bring with it something new under the skin, and this is the switch from the previous GEP3 1.5 litre three-cylinder turbocharged GDI engine (with a 48V mild-hybrid system) to a BHE15-EFZ 1.5 litre Intelligent Green Technology (i-GT) turbo four-cylinder engine, the same as seen on the the updated X50, X70 MC3 and S70 MC1.
The new mill, which is paired with a retuned seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission, produces 181 PS (179 hp) at 5,500 rpm and 290 Nm of torque from 2,000 to 3,500 rpm. While output numbers are lower than the outgoing GEP3 engine, which delivered 190 PS (187 hp) and 300 Nm, the i-GT should deliver far lower maintenance costs – helped by a toothed timing chain that has a 200,000 km lifespan – along with reduced noise and vibration.
The efficiency improvements of the newer engine should also offset the loss of the previous belt-driven starter-generator. This is reflected in the claimed 6.9 litre/100 km FC, very similar to the old mild-hybrid despite the lack of start-stop and coasting features.
As before, the X90 MC continues to feature a rear multi-link suspension configuration, which was originally developed by Proton and chosen over the torsion beam the Haoyue has. The original X90 also featured suspension tuning to cater for Malaysian roads, and there should be no changes to that in this regard.
As it is with the exterior, the interior has been carried over, although there are improvements to kit. The seat upholstery is now leatherette from the base model on (previously, the Standard came with fabric seats), and AACP finally makes its way on, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available across all variants.
Otherwise, everything is familiar from before – the analogue instrument cluster from the previous Standard continues on the new base Lite, with only the Prime and Prime X coming with a full-width 10.3-inch digital instrument panel. The 1920 x 720 pixel resolution 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen has been retained for the entire line-up, but omits “Hi Proton” voice functionality and any data-based (4G or WiFi) connectivity features.
Elsewhere, the equipment list largely reads as before, from the dual-zone air-conditioning with an independent rear AC, with all rows on the SUV getting air vents (roof-mounted, on the second and third rows) and a G-Clean system, incorporating a N95 cabin filter and ioniser, to the seven USB ports found across all three rows. Cargo volume is unchanged, the boot offering 257 litres with the third row seats up in place, and 2,050 litres for the seven-seater with the second and third row seats folded down (1,011 litres for the six-seater, third row down).
Moving up from the Lite to the Prime adds on auto headlamps, auto rain sensing wipers, front welcome lamps, with a six-way power adjustable driver’s seat. The variant also adds on a 360-degree HD camera with a 180-degree transparent view, a tyre pressure monitoring system and front parking sensors.
As for the Prime X, like it was with the previous Flagship, the upholstery gets bumped up to Nappa leather and the front passenger seat is a four-way power adjustable unit. Also retained for the six-seater is a front passenger ‘Boss’ switch, which allows the front passenger seat to be moved forward to provide more in the way of legroom for the second row occupant seated behind it. The second-row captain seats, which can be manually adjusted fore/aft and individually reclined, retain their ventilation feature.
Now, the omissions, largely made in light of the significant price revision downwards. Besides there no longer being any 4G/WiFi connectivity, the auto dimming rear-view mirror and ambient lighting has been ditched, as has the panoramic sunroof from the Flagship as well as the wireless mobile charger from the old Premium. Likewise, there is no more powered tailgate.
Safety-wise, the airbag count remains at six, but none of the MC variants feature any ADAS kit in any form at all (it was on the Premium on, previously). Basic active safety features like blind spot monitor and RCTA, previously fitted to the Standard variant, have also been removed. Cruise control, however, remains..
In terms of exterior colours, the palette choices have also been revised from six to five with facelift – four shades (Marine Blue, Armour Silver, Snow White and Jet Grey) are carried over from before, while Quartz Black is a new option. The Cinnamon Brown and Ruby Red from before have been dropped. As for the interior scheme, black is the sole colour available across both leatherette and Nappa leather upholstery choices.
GALLERY: 2026 Proton X90 MC Prime X
GALLERY: 2026 Proton X90 MC Prime
GALLERY: 2026 Proton X90 MC studio shots
