Mitsubishi ASX 2015 News

It scored the five-star safety ranking in a fresh round of NCAP testing in Europe that includes the first results for an electric car - a four-star score for the Mitsubishi iMiEV. The Citroen C-Zero and Peugeot's iOn, which share the basic design of the iMiEV, also got a four-star score. In other results, the Hyundai ix20 - a baby MPV under consideration for local sales - also got five stars and the bargain Dacia Duster was a three-star disappointment. The Mitsubishi result with the iMiEV wins praise from the head of Euro NCAP, Dr Michiel van Ratingen, "We recognize the efforts done by Mitsubishi to demonstrate that plug-  in battery powered cars can be as safe as others. It shows that a future 5 star accolade for EVs is not unthinkable," he says. "Whether produced by established car manufacturers or by new players on the market, consumers should expect to get electric vehicles that meet the same safety standards as conventional vehicles." Euro NCAP confirms its real-world emphasis by testing the iMiEV with 'live' batteries, also emphasising the post-crash battery integrity and operation of the battery cut-off switch. At the same time as the latest European results, the Kia Optima - already one of the surprising delights in Australia in 2010 - became the first Korean car to achieve the highest safety rating from the National Highway Transport Safety Administration in the USA. It gets a five-star ranking under a system that includes tougher new crash tests.  

It appears in the Mitsubishi lineup midway between a Lancer Sportback and an Outlander.  It’s officially an SUV, but with one 2WD model in the range, and compact dimensions, the ASX has more than a touch of car-like civility about it. It’s a smart move for Mitsubishi, effectively giving Lancer customers wanting something closer to an SUV an in-house option, at the same time as giving Outlander customers who want to downsize to something a little more car-like the same option – only in reverse. In fact, all three vehicles share the same platform (the automotive equivalent of architectural underpinnings). Compared with Outlander, the ASX shares many other components – such as brakes, suspension and AWD system. The ASX is a five-seater available with either a 1.8-litre turbodiesel engine with 110kW and 300Nm or a 2.0-litre petrol four with 110kW and 197Nm. The ASX marks the first time an Australian-delivered passenger car with a Mitsubishi badge has been available with a diesel engine. It’s also the highlight of the range. The diesel is available with a six-speed manual transmission – an automatic is on the way – while the petrol gets the option of a continuously variable transmission and comes standard with a five-speed manual. There are three variants available – 2WD, 4WD and Aspire. The 2WD entry-level ASX is available with the 2.0-litre petrol engine and is a front-wheel-drive proposition. The 4WD and Aspire ASX models have the option of either petrol or diesel, and both get the AWD transmission. Headlining the range, ASX Aspire gets 17-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, hands-free proximity smart key technology, dusk-sensing headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, power adjustment on the driver’s seat and Mitsubishi’s Multi-Communications System (MCS) – which boils down to audio, sat-nav and Bluetooth all rolled up in the one unit. MCS is a 40gb hard-drive-based system that allocates up to 15gb for your favourite tunes, controllable via a seven-inch LCD display. The LCD also becomes a reversing camera monitor whenever reverse is selected – with potential life-saving benefits. And the audio is pumped through the vehicle via a quality Rockford Fosgate system packing 710 watts of aural punch. Safety gets a big tick across the ASX range too, with stability control, traction control, hill-start assist, ABS with EBD, an emergency stopping signaling system, and seven airbags. Not bad for a vehicle that kicks off at just $25,990.

But Mitsubishi has taken the letters and massaged them into its newest off-roader and called it the Active Sports Crossover, or ASX.  The newest member of the Mitsubishi team arrives in local showrooms in August.It will line up next to the Kia Sportage, Hyundai ix35, Holden Captiva 5, Suzuki Grand Vitara and Nissan Dualis in the ultra-competitive sub-$30,000 compact off-roader arena. Mitsubishi Australia Ltd president and CEO, Masahiko Takahashi, says it will be sold as a manoeuvrable city car that could bring new buyers into the Mitsubishi family.  "It also has the added benefit of being very smart, especially in terms of the technology that drives its engineering, design and all-wheel drive ability," he says.The ASX was originally born as the cX concept at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show.  The finished product has links with both the Outlander and Lancer Evolution X and borrows the ‘family’ look front end.  In size, it is 345mm shorter than the Outlander and 200g lighter.The production car also uses a one-piece hatch instead of the two-piece doors on the concept.  Japanese versions are powered by either 1.8 or 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engines.  Although local specifications are yet to be released, both petrol and diesel engines – as well as front or all-wheel drive versions – are tipped.Takahashi says as an entry off-roader, the ASX has the potential to drive strong sales to supplement the Triton, Outlander and Pajero.  It will be pitched into the profitable compact off-roader segment, which is experiencing massive growth.Off-roader sales are up 35 per cent this year as buyers move out of family sedans and into lifestyle vehicles.  "The global trend is for smaller compact off-roaders," he says.  "We believe this trend will become very noticeable in Australia as well."With the appeal of front-wheel drive crossovers growing, the new Mitsubishi chief says the company is also looking at adding a front-drive version of the bigger Outlander later this year.  "It's under consideration," he says.