2025 Mitsubishi ASX assessment | CarExpert

We preserve anticipating the Mitsubishi ASX to run out, and 12 months after 12 months it retains being renewed.

It was launched again in 2010, again when Julia Gillard was our Prime Minister, and has had 4 facelifts since then – the latest being in 2019.

Sure, that is one outdated automobile, simply the oldest in its phase. And since its 2010 launch, variations with turbo-diesel energy, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone.

Although it now not tops the gross sales charts in its phase, it stays an especially fashionable choice.

I final drove an ASX 4 years in the past, and it hasn’t modified since then apart from the same old reshuffling of the mannequin lineup. So much has modified within the small SUV phase since then, nevertheless.

The MG ZS has turn out to be Australia’s best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion and Chery Omoda 5 have come alongside to present native consumers extra trendy however inexpensive Chinese language choices.

Most of those Chinese language SUVs provide equally tempting costs to the ASX, however for much longer lists of normal security gear.

How does the Mitsubishi ASX evaluate?

View an in depth breakdown of the Mitsubishi ASX in opposition to equally sized automobiles.

Mitsubishi

ASX

How a lot does the Mitsubishi ASX value?

For 2024, Mitsubishi launched an ES Road package deal for the ASX ES, and we’ve put this to the take a look at right here.

Given it prices $2500 greater than the ES for beauty upgrades – detailed additional beneath – and no further efficiency, it isn’t our decide of the vary.

Finest to stay with the usual ES, which might have earned a greater worth for cash rating, or get the LS which prices the identical as an ASX with the ES Road package deal however packs extra security and comfort options.

To see how the Mitsubishi ASX strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software.

What’s the Mitsubishi ASX like on the within?

For one thing this outdated, the inside truly has held up fairly effectively.

The doorways really feel a bit mild and tinny, which whereas making it simpler for youths to enter the automobile doesn’t set the most effective first impression.

You then sit down and see an instrument cluster and an general dashboard format that haven’t modified since 2010, and issues are off to a wobbly begin.

Talking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, whereas the local weather management knobs appear to be they as soon as held custard tarts and the headliner appears like mouse fur. It initially all appears a bit low-cost and outdated – the latter of which is smart, given it is a 14-year-old automobile.

Look a bit nearer, nevertheless, and the ASX (largely) holds as much as scrutiny.

These cheesy fan pace and temperature knobs are nonetheless infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based local weather controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and solely in locations you’re unlikely to the touch. And people analogue devices are nonetheless enticing, even when the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now.

Oh, positive, the display in between the analogue gauges is garbage. There’s no digital speedometer, whereas the journey laptop is ridiculously unintuitive and is managed through a single button. Even a tamagotchi has extra buttons, and don’t get us began on how the gas economic system readout flips backwards and forwards between modes everytime you restart the automobile.

The infotainment system can be rudimentary, with notably dated graphics. However there’s (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so that you’ll most likely by no means take a look at the remainder of it, whereas the display dimension continues to be acceptable in 2024 – when you’re asking for greater than eight inches, you’re being grasping.

The reversing digicam decision is enough, too. The touchscreen’s placement inside the centre stack – as an alternative of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX’s age, nevertheless it’s nonetheless simple to see on the run.

Additionally betraying the ASX’s age is the dearth of a wi-fi cellphone charger or perhaps a spot sufficiently big to maintain your cellphone. There’s a tray on the base of the centre console, nevertheless it gained’t match a lot of at this time’s massive smartphones. You possibly can put it within the centre console bin, whereas there’s additionally a decently sized glove compartment.

The gated shifter and handbook handbrake are one other couple of indicators you’re in an outdated automobile, although the previous is not less than totally different from the one the ASX launched with again in 2010. Progress…

The fabric upholstery is enticing with its tessellating cubes sample, and the entrance seats are snug although I couldn’t get a really perfect seating place – I all the time felt like I used to be perched too excessive.

Materials high quality within the ASX is fairly good general. The place many rivals don’t trouble, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the perimeters of the centre console to make it simpler in your knees.

The tops of the entrance doorways are completed in soft-touch plastic and whereas the piece of soft-touch trim throughout the entrance of the dashboard appears a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the onerous plastic discovered on the sprint prime.

Step into the again and also you’ll discover loads of legroom. At 180cm tall, I might comfortably sit behind my seating place. Headroom isn’t fairly as spectacular, and I solely had a bit little bit of clearance. Taller passengers gained’t be pleased, with the roof showing decrease within the again than up entrance.

The rear-seat occupant could grumble. Their seat is ever so barely greater, whereas there’s a bit little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom.

Actually, everybody again right here may have one thing to grouse about as there are not any air vents, nor are there any USB shops. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders within the doorways, and that’s it.

In case you have babies, you’ll discover ISOFIX little one seat anchor factors on the 2 outboard seats, and top-tether factors for all three seats.

Open the tailgate and also you’ll discover a aggressive 393 litres of bags area, increasing to 1193 litres when you drop the 60:40 break up/fold rear seats.

Beneath the boot flooring is a space-saver spare.

To see how the Mitsubishi ASX strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software.

What’s beneath the bonnet?

We’d usually see the ASX hover round 9L/100km on the day by day commute.

Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and certainly the associated Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed mixed cycle gas economic system in front-wheel drive guise, nevertheless, is nearly the identical at 7.3L/100km.

To see how the Mitsubishi ASX strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software.

How does the Mitsubishi ASX drive?

We’ve pushed newer Korean SUVs with pace restrict help methods that gained’t shut up, in addition to Chinese language SUVs with intrusive lane-keep help and driver consideration monitoring methods.

You could subsequently discover the Mitsubishi ASX, being as outdated as it’s, a refreshingly easy different to these tech-laden rivals.

There’s autonomous emergency braking, which in a number of months will likely be obligatory on all new automobiles in Australia anyway, however no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – not less than not on the ES.

There’s a lane-departure warning system that alerts you when you cross a lane marking, however doesn’t truly nudge you again into place. You subsequently don’t really feel the steering wheel squirming like with many automobiles with lane-keep help methods.

And but regardless of this, the steering is essentially the most awkward a part of the ASX driving expertise. There mightn’t be a nanny intervening to drag you again into your lane, however the steering feels prefer it’s unsettled anyway.

The ASX’s steering feels such as you’re working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn’t really feel fluid in any respect and may nonetheless really feel heavy at low speeds – for instance, once you’re negotiating a carpark.

The engine is slightly gruff. The ticks you’ll usually hear from an idling engine are extra like loud snaps within the ASX, which appears to run tough. Prod the accelerator and also you’re welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound such as you’re caught in a single very tall first gear.

That CVT does take advantage of out of the ASX’s outputs although, giving the Mitsubishi a comparatively zippy really feel off the road. The two.0-litre can however nonetheless really feel a bit bit laboured at occasions, nevertheless, together with once you’re driving on steeper grades.

Tyre roar can be current even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and turns into extra pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at freeway speeds. There’s a little bit of wind noise across the mirrors, too.

Experience consolation is first rate, with the ASX managing a few of Brisbane’s poorer roads with out a lot fuss.

As for dealing with, don’t go anticipating this to be as participating as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You are feeling the excessive centre of gravity and whereas it gained’t fall over in a nook, it gained’t spark a lot pleasure both.

The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the final automobiles nonetheless standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler.

Different automobiles to make use of this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass.

That’s hardly a who’s who of expertise, however then once more Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts…

The shortage of options like adaptive cruise management and lane-keep help is a bit retrograde, however the best omission of all is a digital speedometer. Critically, Mitsubishi, wouldn’t it have been so onerous to suit one?

What do you get?

The ES – sans the ES Road package deal – strikes us as the most effective worth of the ASX lineup.

Mitsubishi ASX GS highlights:

• 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 16-inch wheels
• 4-speaker sound system
• LED headlights and daytime operating lights
• Reversing digicam
• Cruise management
• Energy home windows
• Electro-chromatic rear-view mirror

ES provides:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Fog lights
• Computerized headlights
• Computerized high-beam
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Rear parking sensors
• Local weather management

Choices

Our ASX ES tester is provided with the optionally available ES Road package deal which prices $2500.

ES Road provides:

• Black massive entrance spoiler
• Black entrance and rear skid plates with pink highlights
• Black tailgate protector
• Black exterior door deal with covers
• Stainless-steel entrance and rear door scuff plates
• Aluminium and leather-based gear shifter
• Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
• Facet decal package deal
• ‘Road’ tailgate decal

That’s hardly price it for an additional $2500. If all you need is a barely sportier search for the ASX, you can simply get an MR variant which is cheaper than the ES with the Road Package deal.

Is the Mitsubishi ASX secure?

When the Mitsubishi ASX was examined by ANCAP in 2014 it acquired a ranking of 5 stars, although this has now lapsed that means the automobile is now unrated.

This ranking from 2014 was based mostly on a frontal offset rating of 14.13 out of 16 and a aspect affect rating of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian safety have been rated Good and Acceptable, respectively.

Commonplace security gear contains:

• Seven airbags, together with driver’s knee airbag
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Ahead collision warning
• Reversing digicam

ES provides:

• Lane departure warning
• Rear parking sensors

LS provides:

• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert

How a lot does the Mitsubishi ASX value to run?

Mitsubishi affords 10 years of capped-price servicing, in addition to a prolonged 10-year, 200,000km guarantee. Nevertheless, to benefit from that you simply’ll must service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership.

In case you don’t proceed servicing your ASX by way of Mitsubishi, the guarantee drops to 5 years and 100,000km.

Scheduled servicing is required each 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first.

To see how the Mitsubishi ASX strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability software.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Mitsubishi ASX

We regularly hear fanatics say, “Oh, if solely you can nonetheless purchase a brand new [BLANK]! If they’d stored constructing it, I’d purchase one now.”

We predict many fanatics who say this are referring to automobiles just like the E39 5 Collection or any V8 Commodore sedan, and never the Mitsubishi ASX, a automobile that wasn’t precisely a class-leader in 2010 and has effectively and actually fallen off the tempo since.

The Mitsubishi ASX is so very outdated, and it has scarcely modified throughout its very lengthy tenure available on the market. It makes extra sense to purchase a near-new one since you gained’t be lacking out on something. Nothing has modified.

It does say one thing concerning the controversial lack of development on this phase, although, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn’t really feel like a whole relic.

The styling has held up surprisingly effectively – what automobile often appears higher 4 facelifts later? – and the inside format and materials high quality stay fairly agreeable, whereas the guarantee is lengthy and the value is reasonable.

Rivals have packed in additional security gear, nevertheless it hasn’t all the time been ideally calibrated. And plenty of of its Japanese and Korean rivals put on a a lot greater price ticket than the ASX.

Whereas Chinese language automobiles are rising up the gross sales charts, we all know there are many consumers on the market who don’t wish to take the prospect. Finally, although, automobiles just like the Chery Omoda 5 and GWM Haval Jolion are essentially the most direct competitors for the ASX on dimension and worth. So that you’ll must determine whether or not you’ll take the prospect, or stick to the confirmed however dated ASX.

Mitsubishi has to select, too. It will possibly’t preserve making the ASX without end, and it must determine whether or not to convey the European ASX, a rebadged Renault Captur, to Australia or whether or not to develop a model of its new Xforce for our market’s stricter security requirements.

For now, it has this new outdated automobile. In case you’re eager on an ASX, our recommendation is to stay to an ES and don’t add any equipment like this ES Road package deal.

Enthusiastic about shopping for a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in contact with considered one of CarExpert’s trusted sellers right here

Click on the pictures for the complete gallery

MORE: Every little thing Mitsubishi ASX