Mitsubishi Motors has unveiled the new XFC Concept ahead of the Vietnam Motor Show 2022, which the company says will preview a new compact SUV that is set to go on sale in several ASEAN markets starting next year.
Based on previous reports, this “compact SUV” is most likely referring to the next-gen Mitsubishi ASX, which is set to go up against the likes of the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, and if it makes it over to Malaysia, the Proton X50.
Unlike the European-market ASX that was merely a rebadged Renault Captur, the XFC Concept here is very much a Mitsubishi design, which the company says is themed around it being the “best-suited buddy for an exciting life”… whatever that means.
Key design elements here include the reimagined Dynamic Shield front fascia, joined by a unique T-shaped headlights assembly that somewhat resembles Volvo’s Thor’s hammer look. The T-shaped is also mirrored onto the rear of the car, where the three-dimensional taillights accentuate a unique design “bulge” on the tailgate.
The unique flared wheel arches, sculpted bonnet, offroad-inspired bumpers, and swollen rear haunches all help give the compact SUV more visual muscle, although we expect these, alongside the camera-based wing “mirrors” system, to be significantly reworked and/or toned down when it becomes a production model.
The interior of the Mitsubishi XFC Concept exudes a sense of premium-ness, with a focus on good forward visibility thanks to a three-tier dashboard design wrapped in a variety of textiles and materials. However, we expect most of these, including the unique seat design and plethora of touch sensitive buttons, to be significantly scaled back in order to fit in the price bracket of a compact SUV.
With that being said, the general design of the cabin does look fairly production ready, with the twin floating-style displays most likely being retained in the eventual production vehicle. Mitsubishi also says that the XFC Concept was designed to maximise interior and cargo space despite its small footprint, with a particular focus on rear legroom, offering “top-level comfort in its class”.
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Technical details for the XFC Concept (or next-gen ASX for the matter) have yet to be disclosed, but Mitsubishi says that the concept vehicle comes equipped with four driving modes – normal, wet, gravel, and mud – where the Wet mode in particular is designed with usage in ASEAN countries in mind. We all know how frequently our roads get flooded when it rains.
Mitsubishi Motors president and chief executive officer, Takao Kato also revealed that a hybrid variant for the model is also on the cards. “In the future, we plan to add an electrified variant to the lineup and to also roll it out in regions outside ASEAN,” he said.
“We hope to grow the model from a vehicle for the ASEAN market to a global strategic vehicle, making it a core model like the sales-leading Xpander crossover MPV.”
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