Mitsubishi has pulled the covers off a new compact SUV that looks likely to replace the ASX in South Africa.
Mitsubishi has released the first exterior images of its new compact SUV, along with some information, ahead of its official debut at the Indonesia Auto Show that kicks off on 10 August, although the company has yet to announce the name of the vehicle.
What you see here is a production version of the Mitsubishi XFC Concept that was unveiled in 2022, and it’s set to be built in Indonesia, primarily for ASEAN markets, while other markets such as Europe receive a new ASX that’s just a lame rebadge of the Renault Captur.
When the XFC Concept was revealed last year, Mitsubishi Motors SA marketing head Jeffrey Allison said the production version could become a strategic vehicle for South Africa.
In terms of its footprint, the new compact SUV is actually 25mm longer than the current Mitsubishi ASX, at 4,390mm, while the width is identical at 1,810mm. The new nameless SUV also boasts a class-leading ground clearance of 222mm, Mitsubishi says.
All models are front-wheel driven and the carmaker says we can expect a 1.5-litre engine under the hood, paired with a CVT transmission. But there’s no word yet on whether that engine will be normally aspirated or turbocharged (or perhaps both?) and no power or performance stats have been divulged.
Either way it could prove a welcome successor to the aged, and somewhat conservative ASX.
The newcomer has an edgy design that remains relatively faithful to the concept car that inspired it, with a large grille and boomerang-shaped headlights upfront as well as pronounced body creases and a sweeping C-pillar design.
Mitsubishi has yet to show us inside the new model, however, but all will be revealed later this month so stay tuned!