Fresh off its refresh that saw a reduction in price with the deletion of its previous ADAS features, the 2026 Proton X90 has been hit with a revocation of its previous 5-star rating by the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries (Asean NCAP) due to that very nature and has been downgraded to
In 2023, the X90 originally earned a 5-star rating under the Asean NCAP 2021–2025 protocol. However, upon reviewing the official specifications for the refreshed 2026 X90, the organisation discovered that a majority of the ADAS technologies present during the 2023 assessment have been removed. These include:
- Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
- Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
- Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
- Blind Spot Technology (BST) – Previously a standard feature, now entirely removed
“We deeply regret Proton’s decision to remove life-saving ADAS technologies from the new facelift model. To protect consumers and maintain the integrity of safety standards, we have no choice but to revoke the 2023 5-star rating. This serves as a reminder to all manufacturers: safety is not a trade-off. Do not sacrifice proven safety technology for ‘face-value’ luxuries like infotainment systems or leather upholstery,” said Assoc. Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Siti Zaharah binti Ishak, Director General of MIROS.
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Under the 2021–2025 Protocol, a vehicle’s star rating is restricted if it performs poorly in any single category, ensuring “all-round protection.”
The removal of these technologies has caused the Safety Assist (SA) score to drop to a 4-star level, while the Motorcyclist Safety (MS) category that relies heavily on Blind Spot Detection, has plummeted to a 1-star rating. Consequently, the X90’s overall rating is downgraded to 1-star.
“Blind Spot Detection (BSD) is a critical weighted factor in our Motorcyclist Safety category. Its removal, alongside other advanced safety assists, has stripped the X90 of the points that previously earned it a top-tier rating. Safety must be a priority accessible to all, not a luxury. ASEAN NCAP will continue to monitor all rated manufacturers; we will not hesitate to revoke the ratings of any brand that compromises vehicle safety post-assessment,” added Ts. Yahaya Ahmad, Technical Leader of Asean NCAP.
Nonetheless, Asean NCAP confirms that the 5-star safety rating for X90 variants manufactured between 2023 and 2025 remains. These specific models were verified to include the ADAS technologies mandated by our 2021–2025 assessment protocol.
MIROS and Asean NCAP urge consumers to exercise due diligence and verify the safety specifications of their specific variant to ensure it meets these 5-star standards.
The updated X90 is now up to RM 37,000 cheaper but the majority oof those savings likely came from the complete deletion of ADAS features across the range. Apart from that, the other major change in the refresh is the switch to Proton’s BHE15-EFZ 1.5-litre i-GT turbocharged four-cylinder engine, replacing the previous engine and mild-hybrid system.
It now makes 181 PS and 290 Nm of torque, paired with a retuned 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission.