Ahead of its global debut at the GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show on August 11, Mitsubishi Motors has released the first pictures and information about its all-new compact SUV.
The name has still not been revealed but it is based on the XFC Concept shown in October last year.
Dynamic Shield front end
At the front, the Dynamic Shield front face has been evolved in line with the design concept. Here, the design consisting of left and right bumpers that protect the front grille.
The LED daytime running lights combine an L-shape with slitted accents to emit light in an iconic T-shape, making the SUV instantly recognizable as a Mitsubishi model even from a distance.
The lower part of the body has the solid and powerful proportions of an SUV. Below the muscular fender flares, the bottom of the vehicle is 222 mm above the ground. 18-inch wheels are fitted with large-diameter tyres for enhanced handling on rough roads.
Same size as ASX
Preliminary information about the SUV’s size shows it to be 4390 mm long and 1810 mm wide – which is almost identical to the ASX. Compared to the Honda HR-V, the length is 60 mm more while the width is 20 mm greater.
Other information available at this time is that the powertrain will be a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a CVT. On front-wheel drive is mentioned, suggesting that MMC will not be having an AWD version.
“In this all-new model, we have further evolved the design to meet the needs of the compact SUV market, which has been growing in recent years,” said Seiji Watanabe, Division GM of Design at Mitsubishi Motors.
“In addition to the robustness and powerfulness characteristic of Mitsubishi Motors, we have pursued a design that is more stylish, energetic, and distinctive than ever,” he added.
Production in Indonesia
The new model will be built at the Mitsubishi Motors factory in Bekasi, West Java, with first deliveries starting in November this year.
The ASX was assembled in Malaysia at Tan Chong Motor Assemblers but it’s not known if Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia will assemble the new SUV locally.
At present, the XPANDER MPV is assembled in Pahang, while the Triton is imported from Thailand.
To know more about Mitsubishi models available in Malaysia, visit www.mitsubishi-motors.com.my.