2026 Proton X90 is cheaper by RM30k, drops ADAS but sales look promising

The 2026 Proton X90 is a controversial one when it launched here back in March. Never mind the fact that the D-segment finally received the new 4-cylinder petrol engine, but the controversy came from the fact that Proton reduced the car’s safety.

When the Proton X90 was launched here back in May 2023, its feature set was complete, with even the entry-level Standard variant offering basic ADAS kit. The Premium spec offers the full ADAS suite, replete with AEB, FCW, ACC with stop and go, ICC, LDW, etc.

However, with the launch of the updated 2026 Proton X90, the company saw fit to remove all of the ADAS suite, resulting in ASEAN NCAP downgrading the car’s safety from 5-star down to 1-star.

But, at the same time, Proton managed to slash RM 30,000 off the price of the new 2026 Proton X90, with the model now starting from just RM 99,800, down from RM 123,800.

Now, looking at the sales figure and it tells a very different story.

Typical of most model’s sales history, sales within the first few months would spike, before normalizing and the X90 is no exception.

On average, Proton sold about 200 units per month, but that number doubled upon the release of the more affordable model in March. As of June 2026, Proton sold 388 units in that month – higher than what the model did in 2024 and 2025.

As such, the sales figure seems to imply that Malaysian customers are more price-sensitive than they are safety conscious. After all, at its current price bracket, the Proton X90 offers a very compelling package, albeit with less safety kit one would typically associate with a modern-day Proton.