Proton has recently issued a statement in response to the recent video that has been circulating on social media regarding an X70 catching fire at a Puspakom inspection centre.
The full statement from Proton is as follows:
PROTON would like to issue a statement with regards to a video currently circulating depicting a thermal incident on a new Proton X70. We are aware of the incident and would like to thank concerned parties for sharing the information.
The vehicle is now in our possession and was not registered at the time of the occurrence. PROTON engineers have started the investigation process while working closely with the relevant authorities. An update will be issued once all the information has been obtained.
Meanwhile, we would like to reassure all customers that Proton vehicles are developed to meet the highest standards with each unit undergoing stringent quality and safety inspections prior to being delivered.
The Proton X70 was awarded a 5-star ASEAN NCAP rating when it was tested in October 2018 and with nearly 100,000 units produce over the past five years, it is the most popular model in its class during that time period.
Now given the recent spate of fires regarding the X90, this recent blaze with the X70 is certainly not a good look for Proton. Credit where credit is due to the Malaysian automaker though, their quick public response to this incident does show that its proactiveness in addressing safety concerns that its customers might have with their cars.
What more too is that while the X90 fires have lead to its recall, it is worth noting that this car fires are also not too isolated an incident and may be due to a fault with that particular vehicle in itself. Given too that the X70 has been on sale for nearly half a decade now with no major fire-related horror stories to report thus far, this may be a story where there is a lot of smoke (read: unsubstantiated scare stories) but no actual fire (read: actual fundamental flaw that affects ALL X70s).
