Mitsubishi Motors has been teasing its upcoming compact SUV for quite a while now, but we’re now finally getting a firm launch date. Based on the Mitsubishi XFC Concept it unveiled last year, the all-new Mitsubishi compact SUV will be making its official debut at the 30th Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS), which will be open to the public from August 11-20 this year. Pre-orders for the car have also been opened on Mitsubishi Motors Indonesia’s official site.
The new compact SUV is widely rumoured to be the successor of the Mitsubishi ASX, although it has yet to be confirmed whether the upcoming SUV will continue to carry the ASX name just yet. What we do know is that the upcoming SUV is a five-seater B-segment SUV, and will rival the likes of the Honda HR-V, Toyota Yaris Cross, as well as the Chery Omoda 5 which will be launched in Malaysia next week.
And before you ask, yes – there is already a second-gen Mitsubishi ASX in the European market, but that model is essentially a rebadged Renault Captur.
Mitsubishi describes the new compact SUV as stylish yet robust, all while being practical with ample interior and storage spaces. The Japanese carmaker also says that it’s specifically designed for the ASEAN market, with specific design considerations and tunings to handle our local environment, be it rough surfaces or flooded roads.
According to Mitsubishi Motors president and chief executive officer, Takao Kato, however, the model will also be introduced to other markets, with a hybrid variant also already on the cards.
RELATED: Here’s your first look at the all-new 2023 Mitsubishi Triton – global debut on 26 July
The design of the rumoured ASX successor, in particular its exterior, is said to look very much like the XFC Concept headlined by a modern reinterpretation of Mitsubishi’s signature Dynamic Shield front fascia, and the new T-shaped lighting signature for both its head- and tail-lights.
We still don’t know much about its interior just yet, but Mitsubishi recently confirmed that it’ll feature a Yamaha Dynamic Sound audio system that promises a “premium and immersive sound experience.”
As for performance, rumours suggest that the new XFC-based compact SUV will be built on the same chassis as the Mitsubishi Xpander. Does that mean it’ll be powered by the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated (NA) engine too? We will have to wait and see.
READ MORE: Mitsubishi XFC Concept gives us a taste of how the next-gen ASX will look like!
