Could an S70 1.5 NA replace the Persona? Proton’s sedan line-up may be heading for a reset
Proton only updated the S70 in February with its new 1.5-litre i-GT four-cylinder turbo engine, yet one product rumour has refused to go away: could the sedan eventually gain a naturally aspirated entry variant and take over the role now occupied by the Persona?
A report in late July again claimed that Proton is preparing a naturally aspirated S70, with the model linked to an eventual replacement role for the Persona. Similar information had already surfaced before the 2026 S70 MC1 launch, when the lower-cost version was tipped to use the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated i-GT engine found in the all-new Saga.
There is an important distinction, however. As of 11 August 2026, Proton has not officially announced an S70 1.5 NA, nor has it formally announced the end of the Persona. The Persona remains listed on Proton’s current website from RM47,800. What follows is therefore a product-strategy analysis based on the current line-up and repeated industry reports, not a confirmed new-model announcement.
The current S70 has moved decisively towards turbo performance
The 2026 S70 MC1 is sold in Executive, Premium, Flagship and Flagship X form, and every variant uses the 1.5-litre i-GT turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 181 PS and 290 Nm, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
At launch in February, the Executive carried an official Peninsular Malaysia OTR price of RM73,800 before insurance, or RM68,800 under the initial limited rebate. Proton’s current S70 model page continues to display an introductory price from RM68,800.
That powertrain and positioning have strengthened the S70’s performance-oriented identity. But if the ageing Persona eventually leaves the range, Proton would still need to address the large step between its entry sedan and its turbocharged S70.
The all-new Saga currently starts at RM38,990, the Persona at RM47,800, while the S70 sits close to the RM70,000 mark at its advertised entry point. For buyers who simply want a four-cylinder engine, an automatic transmission, family space and a manageable purchase price, there is room for another proposition in between.
The all-new Saga is now a more relevant reference than the old Emgrand
Earlier speculation about an S70 NA often started with the Geely Emgrand, the model on which the S70 is based, because naturally aspirated versions of the Emgrand already existed in China. In 2026, however, Proton’s own Saga provides a much more relevant reference point.
The all-new Saga’s 1.5-litre i-GT naturally aspirated engine produces 120 PS and 150 Nm. Reports before the S70 MC1 launch pointed specifically to this engine for a possible entry-level S70, with a CVT considered the likely transmission. Proton has not confirmed the gearbox, calibration or final specification.
If those figures do carry over, an S70 NA would obviously be far slower than the 181 PS and 290 Nm turbo model. That does not automatically make it a weak product, because the two variants would be serving different priorities.
The turbo S70 can continue to sell performance and higher equipment levels. An NA version would instead need to lower the cost of entry while retaining the S70’s larger body, cabin space and everyday family usability. In that scenario, it becomes less of a “cheap S70” and more of a step-up option for the sort of buyer who might previously have considered a Persona.
RM60,000 matters more than the horsepower figure
The commercial case for an S70 NA will depend less on whether 120 PS sounds impressive and more on how clearly Proton separates it from the turbo model on price.
If an NA version sits only a few thousand ringgit below the current turbo S70, many buyers may simply stretch to the more powerful car. But if Proton can place it around the RM60,000 region, the proposition changes considerably.
That would potentially create a cleaner petrol-sedan ladder: Saga at the entry level, an S70 NA for mainstream family buyers, and the S70 Turbo for customers prepared to pay more for stronger performance and equipment.
Move Auto is deliberately not predicting figures such as RM57,800 or RM59,800. Proton has not confirmed the car, so precise pricing would be guesswork. In this analysis, RM60,000 is simply the rough market threshold at which the strategy begins to make sense.
There is a new complication: the e.MAS 5 already occupies this price zone
The logic looks straightforward if Proton’s petrol sedans are viewed in isolation. The 2026 line-up, however, includes a new factor that did not exist when the current Persona was conceived: the Proton e.MAS 5.
The official e.MAS website currently lists the e.MAS 5 Prime at a Special Launch Price of RM56,800. If a future S70 NA were to arrive at around RM60,000, buyers would not only be choosing between a Persona and an S70. They could be deciding between a conventional 1.5-litre family sedan and an entry-level EV at broadly similar money.
That makes Proton’s internal product positioning more interesting. The Saga can remain the low-cost petrol choice, a possible S70 NA could provide a conventional larger sedan, the e.MAS 5 offers an electric alternative, and the S70 Turbo continues further up the range.
In other words, the first competitor for an S70 NA may not necessarily be the Honda City or Toyota Vios. Proton would also have to make sure it does not blur the roles of its own products.
The Persona’s successor does not necessarily need to be another Persona
The current Persona has been on sale since 2016, with its most significant recent update arriving in 2021. Following Proton’s Tech Showcase in late 2025, local media noted that the Persona did not appear in the future platform and model plans presented at the event, leading to expectations that the nameplate may be approaching the end of its current life cycle.
That is still not the same as a formal discontinuation announcement. The Persona remains in Proton’s official retail line-up today, so its final production date and the duration of remaining sales are still matters for Proton to confirm.
If the eventual answer is an S70 NA, Proton would not simply be replacing one B-segment sedan with another. It would be consolidating a wider price range under the S70 name and using different powertrains and equipment levels to create separation.
Four answers will determine whether the idea works
First, Proton needs to confirm whether the naturally aspirated S70 actually exists. Second, the company must confirm whether it uses the Saga-related 120 PS and 150 Nm 1.5 i-GT. Third, the transmission and equipment strategy will determine how much cost can realistically be removed. Finally, the price must be far enough below the turbo S70 to give the new variant a clear purpose.
Until those answers arrive, the S70 NA should be treated as a repeatedly reported and increasingly plausible product direction — not as a confirmed Proton model.
If the S70 NA happens, its significance will not be the absence of a turbocharger. It could signal Proton simplifying its sedan portfolio by turning the S70 into a broader family of cars rather than maintaining separate nameplates for every price band. The e.MAS 5 makes the equation more complicated, because Proton already has an EV around the same potential RM60,000 territory. An S70 NA therefore needs more than a lower output figure — it needs a price and specification that make its role immediately obvious to Malaysian buyers.
Follow Move Auto for more on Proton’s upcoming products, Malaysia’s national-car market and the next developments surrounding the S70 and Persona.
Comments
Post a Comment