Honda CR-V vs Mitsubishi ASX

What's the difference?

The most-expensive version of the latest Honda CR-V is one of the most convincing family-orientated mid-sized SUVs in Australia, regardless of price and positioning.

For efficiency, economy, driveability, packaging, safety, quality, refinement and value-for-money, it is an outstanding value proposition. Don't buy a RAV4 or Forester hybrid before checking this one out.

We cannot wait for the e:HEV hybrid powertrain to filter down to cheaper grades, to make the best CR-V in decades even more accessible.

The Mitsubishi ASX ES is a compact SUV that, surprisingly, can fit its occupants with relative comfort. The boot is a good size and you have just enough up front to satisfy a driver for everyday use.

The size makes it perfect for urban dwellers and the ongoing costs are fantastic. But by current standards its safety is lacking a fair few items for me.

Though considered handsome, the CR-V has never been a style leader. Function over form has always been its calling card, and Number Six is no exception.

Cleanly drawn, with boxy proportions and a blunter, squarer nose providing a contemporary if somewhat bland appearance, the Thai-built Honda lives on the larger end of the mid-sized SUV scale, resulting in lots of space and practicality.

Yet there are interesting and worthwhile details to explore, like narrower-than-usual windscreen pillars for exceptional forward vision.

The same applies to the considered positioning of the exterior mirrors, minimising blind spots, while deep glass areas allow light to flood in.

The stylish, Volvo-esque L-shaped tail-light graphic probably connects most clearly with past CR-Vs, giving the latest version an elegant overall presence.

Compared to the old model, the latest version's wheelbase has been stretched by 40mm to 2700mm, while front and rear tracks are 10mm wider, coming in at 1611mm and 1627mm, respectively.

Note that the front-drive models' ground clearance is 198mm – 10mm less than on the (non-hybrid-only) AWD grades.

I love how the ASX looks. It has a wide stance and enough squared edges to not look too cute but its compact size should appeal to urban dwellers where space is at a premium.

The two panels at the front, which sandwich the chrome grille and house quad LED lights, add a lot of personality to the ES.

As do the 18-inch alloys and the way the lights jut out at the rear. There are multiple bright paintwork colours to choose from if you want to add your own flair.

Once inside, you’re reminded that you’re in a base-type model with the analogue instrument panel, traditional gear-shifter and handbrake, but I have fallen in ‘like’ with how old-school it is.

The fabric trims feature a nice lattice-pattern and the dashboard is simple with just three climate dials to navigate.

Overall, the interior is no-nonsense but that might appeal to drivers who don’t want to be overwhelmed by their car and its tech.

Little wonder the CR-V was the world's third most-bought SUV worldwide in 2023. It's big enough for most families' needs... and then some.

This is immediately apparent the moment the big doors are opened up nice and wide, revealing an airy, spacious and extremely user-friendly interior.

The Japanese brand has striven successfully for greater visual symmetry, harmony and operational simplicity in the dashboard's design and layout.

And, sure, the 9.0-inch touchscreen lacks the wow factor of vast buttonless displays as found in flashy alternatives such as the disappointing Chery Tiggo 7, but it works very effectively.

Hondas have always nailed the driving position bit down pat, and the RS is no exception, with ample seat and steering column adjustment, considered controls placements and unimpeded views of the instrumentation and road ahead due to the aforementioned thin pillars.

The instrumentation cluster is an electronic set-up offering the driver the choice of either super crisp and ultra-clear analogue dials, or somewhat fussier bar graphs, with a digital speedo augmenting both.

There's so much to enjoy and so little to criticise inside Honda's mid-sized SUV. Along with space to stretch, the front seats are notably comfortable and supportive, as several hundred kilometres sat ensconced in them proved. Both sides have electric adjustment at this price point, too.

Ventilation also rates highly, with the honeycomb full-dash-length grille and lovely toggle switches bringing aesthetic and tactile delight, respectively.

And, reflecting the CR-V's US focus, storage is on a large and helpful scale, offering bottle holders in the doors amongst other places to stash things in and on.

Moving to the rear seat area, entry/egress is ridiculously unimpeded, with a decently-shaped bench.

Families are also likely to appreciate series-best legroom, backed up by a handy amount of girth – always a good thing.

You're also met with occupant-facing air vents, overhead grab handles, even more door storage, the obligatory folding centre armrest with cupholders, front-seat-sited map pockets and a pair of USB-C outlets.

However, the standard sunroof does rob some headroom so people taller than about 180cm had better try before they ride, though the 60/40 backrest reclines to 16 positions and that's helpful here.

Being a hybrid, the RS e:HEV misses out on the sliding bench which adjusts by 190mm in other CR-Vs.

Vision out is exemplary back there, enhancing an already spacious and airy ambience. But if the front seat area majors on Japanese quality, the rear is hardly premium, with plenty of dreary cheap plastic trim, betraying the Honda SUV's focus on the price-driven American market. But nothing squeaked, rattled or broke, thankfully.

Further back, the tailgate rises remotely quickly enough, and there's quite a wide and long area to store things, but the electrification elements make for quite a high and uneven floor – though a deep bin area is also provided to hide stuff in.

There's also just a can of goo in lieu of a spare wheel.

Cargo capacity rises compared to the previous CR-V, ranging from 589 litres with the rear seats up, to 1636L, or 1072L if measured only to the window line.

The ASX is roomier up front than in the rear, and taller occupants will be most comfortable in the front row. There is plenty of head- and legroom, and surprisingly for this class, there’s also a good amount of elbow room!

The front seats are comfortable and well padded and adjust manually but I miss having lumbar support on longer trips.

The fabric trims look nice and it’s great that carpet mats come standard in the ES.

The back seat offers an okay amount of room for my 168cm (5'6") height but taller occupants may feel squished.

My son struggled at times to fit his large school bag through the smaller door apertures, as they are not as wide as the front. However, its 205mm ground clearance makes it an easy car to slide into most of the time.

The back seats aren't terribly comfortable because you feel like you’re perched on top as they sit straight like a church pew. Expect a few 'oomphs' from passengers when going around corners.

Individual storage options up front are good for this class with a deep middle console and glove box, two cupholders and two drink bottle holders. Plus, there is a little cubby in front of the gear shifter which is the perfect size for a phone.

In the back, there is a single map pocket and two cupholders but I would have liked to have seen at least one USB port, too.

As you might expect at this grade level, the amenities are very basic throughout the car. It takes a while for the air conditioning to hit the back row because of the one-zone climate control and lack of directional air vents back there. This is something my son reminds me of on hot days.

The technology matches the amenities with the 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system being super simple on graphics and options. It is responsive but basic to use.

There are two USB-A ports and a 12-volt for charging and it’s easy to connect to the wired Apple CarPlay. There is wired Android Auto for those users, too.

The instrument panel has a small digital screen that shows your trip information and average fuel usage but is otherwise analogue and easy to read. There is digital radio and Bluetooth connectivity but that’s it for the tech.

The boot is a good size at 393L and you get a temporary spare tyre underneath the floor. The load space is level and while the tailgate isn’t powered, it’s not a heavy lid to operate.

There are six models for the ASX and ours is the second-from-the-bottom ES grade, which will cost you $27,990, before on-road costs. Let’s check out some of the features you get for the price tag.

Being at the lower end of the line-up means your specifications are a bit slim in the ES but you do enjoy an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system, fabric trims, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as full LED exterior lights.

Other items include 18-inch alloy wheels, one-zone climate control, two USB-A ports, Bluetooth connectivity, rear parking sensors, dusk sensing headlights, rain sensing windscreen wipers, carpet mats, automatic high beam function, and a digital radio.

The price point for the ES places it as one of the more affordable options compared to its similarly specified rivals with the Kia Seltos S coming in at $29,500 and the Suzuki Vitara sitting at $31,490.

However, the MG ZS has a before on-roads cost of just $22,990 and you get a fair few more features than our test model. Some extra standard specification in the ES would make it stand out against its competition. 

The CR-V hybrid is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder direct-injection Atkinson Cycle petrol engine.

Married to a pair of electric motors that make a combined power output of 152kW, it delivers a system total of 135kW at between 5000rpm and 8000rpm, as well as an impressive 335Nm of torque from 0-2000rpm.

It sends drive to the front wheels via a single-speed electric continuously variable transmission (e-CVT), featuring deceleration paddles that help redirect regenerative braking energy back into the battery.

Tipping the scales at 1771kg (kerb), the power-to-weight ratio is 76.2kW/tonne. Not great, but the e:HEV's brawn lies in its hefty torque output.

The ES has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum power output of 110kW and 197Nm of torque. It is a front-wheel drive and has a continuously variable automatic transmission.

For manual enthusiasts, you can option a five-speed gearbox on the base GS model but I find the ES to be perfectly adequate to run about town in. And while it’s lacking a little in power, it has enough punch for open-road driving if need be.

Like Toyota's hybrids, Honda's do not need to be plugged in; the small 1.06kWh lithium-ion battery fitted is charged by either the engine or via regenerative braking energy.

Honda says the e:HEV RS on the Urban, Extra Urban and Combined cycles should average 4.9, 5.8 and 5.5 litres per 100km, respectively. The latter figure equates to a carbon dioxide emissions rating average of 125 grams/km.

Fitted with a 57L fuel tank, that means the driver can expect to achieve about 1035km between refills – and on 91 RON regular unleaded petrol at that.

Out in the real world, we managed a still-laudable 6.5L/100km during our time with the RS e:HEV, achieved through a mixture of inner-urban and open-road driving.

The ES has an official combined cycle fuel economy figure of 7.7km/100km but my real-world usage came to 8.6L.

This is a disappointing figure considering how much open-road driving I do, so I would expect that figure to be higher in the city. Unfortunately, the ES isn’t as economical as I was hoping.

Based on a 7.7L/100km fuel cycle and the 63-litre fuel tank, expect to see a driving range of around 829km.

If the good-looking e:HEV RS's compelling value and great interior don't convince, then the driving experience might.

Building on five generations of gradual evolution, the latest CR-V uses an updated version of the previous model's all-new architecture – a very solid foundation to build an SUV upon.

Pairing that with Honda's latest hybrid electrification tech is the automotive equivalent of putting together peaches and cream. Even to a vegan.

From the first push of the starter button, the driving experience is seamless, elevating the e:HEV to the premium realm.

As it's in EV mode for much of the time at lower speeds, the SUV powers forward quickly and effortlessly, gliding along with a determined hum.

When the petrol engine eventually engages, it does so smoothly and quietly, yet the electric motor's influence and effects are far from done; the driver can sense all that torque (335Nm, remember) just from the immediacy of the throttle response.

Result? The CR-V's mid-range thrust makes it a deceptively rapid vehicle, accelerating instantly and surging strongly in almost no time at all. Keep an eye on that speedo, too, because the powertrain delivery is silken.

Furthermore, and going against type, the brakes thankfully avoid the wooden feel of many rival hybrids, and instead pull up immediately and with normal and natural pedal pressure.

Additionally, the paddle shifters provide variable off-throttle braking, though not quite down to a full stop.

Honda's chassis engineers have earned their keep when it comes to the CR-V's dynamics, too.

Light and easy around town for painless parking, the steering weights up nicely at higher speeds, allowing the driver to get into a linear rhythm with the machine, and without it feeling nervous or top-heavy when corners get tight – a rarity in an electrified SUV of this size.

And while it lacks the intimate connection of sportier SUVs like the Mazda CX-5 (given the RS badges), most people will appreciate the Honda's calm and controlled handling and road holding.

For the record, suspension in the CR-V consists of MacPherson-style struts up front and a multi-link rear end. However, a bit more suppleness would transform the e:HEV.

Wearing 235/55 R19 tyres, its ride around town is fine over larger bumps, absorbing them smoothly and without fuss, while overall tyre/road noise intrusion is pretty good, too.

Yet smaller-frequency surface irregularities, like joins and rail tracks, are not so easily dealt with, resulting in some sudden harshness.

Driven over exactly the same roads as the ZR-V e:HEV equivalent, it's clear there isn't quite the polish or sophistication that makes the smaller Honda SUV a highly-convincing dynamic and refined alternative to luxury German alternatives.

Other than the occasionally fidgety suspension, the CR-V hybrid makes for a dynamically impressive family SUV.

I feel like I’ve gone back to basics with the ASX ES. I’m much more alert in it because it doesn’t have the same standard safety tech that I’m used to (more on that below) and it took me a few drives to stop throwing my keys into the cupholder because you need the key to turn on the ignition.

I've missed the good old-fashioned turning of a key. It’s a lot more satisfying than pressing a button.

Overall, the ES is an enjoyable little SUV to drive and there is enough power to allay any worries about whether it will make it up a hill.

The ES is solidly placed on the road and handles corners well but the steering is not exactly razor sharp and you have to make big adjustments. But you get used to that pretty quickly.

In terms of ride comfort, the suspension is adequate for the smooth stuff but you’ll know it if you hit a bumpy road. The cabin noise also creeps up, which is annoying on a longer trip.

It’s certainly compact with its 4365mm length and 1640mm height but that makes the ASX easy to park. The sloping bonnet and relatively flat behind also make it easy to determine where the car starts and ends.

This is very handy because the reversing camera is a bit blurry and you miss out on front parking sensors at this grade level.

The ES has a basic safety package and it’s not until you’re in the higher grades that you enjoy items like rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, or lane keeping assist.

It’s also missing a big-ticket item for me and that’s autonomous emergency braking.

The following safety features come as standard at this grade level, LED daytime running lights, forward collision warning, seat belt reminders, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, dusk-sensing headlights and cruise control.

Models made after January 2023 are currently unrated by ANCAP but the previous ASX achieved a maximum five-star assessment back in 2014.

I’m not sure how relevant that is because it's unlikely this car would fare well with its current list of items against the updated ANCAP testing criteria.

It does have seven airbags, including a driver’s knee airbag but its rivals tend to have a few more safety features that come standard. The most similar rival would be the Suzuki Vitara S model. 

If you need to fit a child seat or two (definitely not three), there are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear outboard seats and three top tethers across the rear row.

Honda offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty that also includes roadside assistance.

At the time of publication until the end of March, there is a special offer that extends those to seven years.

Additionally, there is a six-year rust perforation warranty and an eight-year hybrid-battery module warranty.

There's also five years' free subscription to 'Honda Connect', bringing remote-control operation for climate control, lights and locking/unlocking, as well as trip log data, location status, geo-fencing and emergency callout access.

The CR-V's servicing intervals are every 12 months or 10,000km or when the engine oil monitor light illuminates, with capped price servicing pegged at an annual flat fee of $199 for the first five years.

That's under $1000 over that period of time. Nothing extraordinary here unless you remember the old days of how expensive it was to service new Hondas.

Note, however, that the e:HEV's lack of a spare wheel does bring additional costs – namely in the cost of replacing the expensive tyre-repair kit, as well as the substantial time, inconvenience and flow-on issues of a more-severe puncture that can render the CR-V undriveable if the tyre-repair kit is unable to plug the hole.

Honda is not alone in not offering a spare wheel in its hybrid SUV range, but there are real consequences in being stranded with an unfixable flat tyre that needs to be factored in. Family holidays can be made or ruined in such circumstances.

The ASX comes with the ‘Diamond Advantage’ that Mitsubishi is well-known for and that means you’ll enjoy a 10-year, or up to 200,000km warranty, whichever occurs first.

What?! I know. Pretty great. In terms of duration, that’s much better than anything else on the market at the moment.

Worth noting, however, that a five-year/100,000km warranty is 'standard' and the 10-year cover only applies to cars serviced according to the factory schedule at an authorised Mitsubishi dealership.

If you do, you’ll also enjoy a 10-year or up to 150,000km capped-priced servicing plan. 

And although the services average on the more expensive side for this class at $502 each, having those extra few years is a bonus.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.