Fourth-generation Geely Boyue L on the way: New 1.5TD Pro engine, LiDAR, CMA platform – Is this the next Proton X70?

Geely is getting ready to launch the fourth-generation Boyue L petrol SUV in China. Built on the CMA platform, the new model will debut Geely's new 1.5TD Pro high-output engine and Qianli Haohan (G-ASD) H5 driver assistance system, bringing a major step up in both performance and technology.

It is hard not to draw a comparison with Apple. Back in the day, the iPhone 8 was the phone many of us were carrying. Today, we are talking about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone DUO.

The Boyue L has gone through a similar evolution, with the latest generation gaining a far more advanced mix of technology and equipment.

Go back to December 12, 2018, and Proton was unveiling the X70 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The iPhone 8 was still very much part of the picture at the time.

The 2018 Proton X70 launch, which we also attended

A lot has changed since then. The X70 was one of the models that helped put Proton on the map in Malaysia's C-segment SUV market, but the model has now been around for several years.

As the tech world moves on to new generations of smartphones, it is only natural to ask whether the X70 is also due for a much bigger update.

The 2018 Proton X70 launch, which we also attended

The new Boyue L is particularly interesting to Malaysian buyers because of its connection to the X70. The Boyue has long been one of the core SUVs in Geely's line-up, and the model forms the basis of Proton's best-selling X70.

With the current X70 having been on the market for some time, talk of a major facelift or all-new replacement is hardly surprising. So, could this new Boyue L offer a glimpse of what the next Proton X70 could look like?

Exterior

The fourth-generation Boyue L retains Geely's "Mountains and Rivers" design language, but adds two new exterior colours: Danxia Red and Snow Mountain Gold.

It is also available with new 20-inch Star Blade wheels, giving the SUV a more substantial and upmarket look.

Space and comfort 

Geely says the new Boyue L achieves an 84.27% space utilisation rate, with 32 storage compartments throughout the cabin.

The front seats offer heating, ventilation, massage and leg-rest functions, while heated rear seats and rear privacy glass are standard across the range.

Double-glazed acoustic glass also helps keep the cabin quieter. According to Geely, overall NVH performance has improved by 16% compared with the previous model.

Driver assistance

The new petrol Boyue L will be fitted with Geely's Qianli Haohan H5 driver assistance system.

The system uses 27 sensors in total, including one LiDAR, three millimetre-wave radars, 11 high-definition cameras and 12 ultrasonic radars.

Based on an end-to-end large-model architecture, the system supports City NOA, Highway NOA and HPA memory-assisted parking, covering a wide range of driving and parking scenarios.

Smart cabin

Inside, the new Boyue L gets the Flyme Auto 2.5 AI-powered smart cockpit, centred around a 15.4-inch 2.5K touchscreen.

The display works alongside a 25.6-inch AR-HUD, while Geely's Xingrui AI large model supports voice functions such as more natural conversations, complex vehicle-control commands and route planning.

The SUV also features an external speaker and smartphone connectivity.

Performance

Power comes from Geely's new-generation 1.5TD Pro high-output petrol engine, which produces 148 kW and 315 Nm. That is an 11.3% increase in power and an 8.6% increase in torque over the previous generation.

Geely says the new Boyue L can accelerate from 0-30km/h in 1.82 seconds and 0-100km/h in 8.60 seconds. Fuel consumption is rated at 6.69 litres per 100km on the WLTC cycle.

Could this be the next Proton X70?

The iPhone 8 was a classic in its time, but we have since moved on to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone DUO. Even with a new processor or display, the iPhone 8 simply cannot make up for the generational gap in hardware and features such as 5G and Dynamic Island.

The Proton X70 is not a smartphone, of course, but the question is still worth asking: after several years on the market, is it time for Proton's first SUV to get a truly ground-up replacement?

If this new Boyue L eventually makes its way to Malaysia in some form, the CMA platform, larger dimensions, a four-cylinder high-output engine, a more advanced cabin and LiDAR-based driver assistance would give Proton plenty to work with in the C-segment SUV market.

And if that happens, would you like to see the next-generation X70 take its cues from the technology and design of the new Boyue L? Let us — and even Proton — know in the comments.