Mitsubishi ASX

Overview

Mitsubishi is in an altogether different world from what it was earlier. Gone are the heydays of making envious old school Lancers and Pajeros, and what Mitsubishi is focusing on now is a new generation of SUVs to lift itself up from the doldrums. One of the models with which it is trying to pick pace is the all-new ASX compact SUV. The ASX might be the smallest SUV from Mitsubishi, but is high on character with new generation elements in terms of both design as well as performance.

In UAE, the Mitsubishi ASX is being offered in only one petrol powertrain, spanning in three different variants – GLX 2WD, GLX AWD, and GLX HL 4WD. Color options being offered on the Mitsubishi ASX are Lightning Blue Metallic, Red Metallic, Titanium Grey Metallic, White Pearl, White Solid, Cool Silver Metallic, and Black Mica.

Interior

On the inside, things are not as dramatic as the front end styling of the ASX, with the interior cabin having a no-nonsense approach with a simple layout. The cabin exudes top notch build quality, which gives it an impression of a high-end vehicle.

The three-spoke steering wheel has a very simple design, however, the small chrome touches on all the three spokes make it look elegant. The instrument console, despite showing a host of data, looks too plain for a vehicle of this category. Same can be said about the centre console as well – it looks good, but could have styled in an even better way. However, it manages to look modern with a large 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system and piano black finish around it. The space is adequate for five passengers at most, though the rear seat space could have had better legroom.

The Mitsubishi ASX gets a host of comfort and convenience features which enhance its appeal even further. To start with, the compact SUV gets panoramic glass roof, leather upholstery, cruise control, push button start with keyless entry, fully automatic climate control and a 4-speaker music system with reverse camera and navigation.

Exterior

In terms of looks, the Mitsubishi ASX is sort of a mix bag. While the front end of the compact SUV looks pretty aggressive, the rear looks as if it lost on the plot, with an unimpressive and plain design for it.

At the front, the Mitsubishi ASX impresses you with its extrovert appeal, which looks very much inspired from the Lancer EVO. The slim and rectangular grille gets chrome garnish at the upper portion and piano black finish on the lower one, with the latter extending till the side parts of the main headlamps. The headlamps get projector units with HID lighting for better illumination and get a zig-zag chrome element below them, which extend all the way down to form fog lamp housings. The silver skid plates on the lower portion of the front bumper add some ruggedness to the frontal look.

From the sides, the ASX adorns a conventional crossover silhouette with raised height and sloping front bonnet. However, the high ground clearance, large 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels and side cladding give it a stance of an SUV. There is a sharp kink which starts at the front fender and goes all the way to the rear, in order to prevent any blandness in the side profile of the ASX.

At the rear, the Mitsubishi ASX gets BMW 5-series-esque tail lamps which get bulges at the outer partitions, making the rear look bigger than what it is. Apart from the trapezoidal housing for license plate and black cladding on the lower portion of the rear bumper, there is nothing much at the rear to add some character to the ASX.

Comfort Suspension

Being a compact crossover, the Mitsubishi ASX gets a decent ride and handling characteristics with minimal body roll despite its raised stance. Built on a monocoque frame, the ASX gets MacPherson struts with coil springs and stabilizer bar at the front and a Multi-link with coil springs and stabilizer bar at the rear. The suspension is set on a softer side to make the overall ride quality plush and comfortable. The 4WD system works effortlessly, however, don’t expect the ASX to be a hardcore off-roader, with the vehicle being good enough for mild off-road driving.

Engine Performance

The Mitsubishi ASX is armed with only one engine and gearbox combination – a 2.0-litre petrol motor mated to a CVT transmission. The engine is good enough to pump out a maximum power output of 150 PS and a peak torque output of 197 Nm. The engine is smooth and refined and has a linear power delivery on offer, and is quite enough for a vehicle of this size.

Braking Safety

Despite being the smallest and most affordable SUV from Mitsubishi, the ASX is packed with some really appreciable safety features. The compact SUV is equipped with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Active Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, reverse parking sensors, engine immobilizer, and tyre pressure monitoring system. However, it would have been nicer if the ASX was armed with side and curtain airbags as well, at least in the top-spec variant.

Verdict

The ASX is Mitsubishi’s answer to the brimming compact SUV segment, which in recent times, has seen a sharp rise in terms of volumes. Given Mitsubishi’s expertise in SUVs, the ASX had huge expectations on its back, which it receives successfully. With a handsome design and smart interior packaging, the ASX is a practical compact SUV to live with. However, we would have loved to see the interior cabin and styling a bit more special and extrovert like other UVs from Mitsubishi. This very safe approach in design and performance makes the ASX suitable for many buyers with mature mindsets, giving it a potential of bringing in good numbers for Mitsubishi.