ROAD TEST MITSUBISHI ASX:MITSUBISHI SALES staff must feel like Fine Gael frontbenchers. They watched from the wings for almost a decade of excess – then, when it seems they'll finally get their chance to shine, an unexpected rival comes along and looks set to steal the show.
The ASX arrives several years after the great crossover boom led by Nissan’s Qashqai, in the midst of a global recession that shows no signs of abating. As if that wasn’t enough, Mini comes along and launches a fashion-conscious crossover that’s going to steal the limelight. Sometimes you just can’t get a break.
The ASX should have been one of the first out of the blocks. After all, the Japanese brand has as much experience in off-roaders and SUVs, thank to its Pajero and Outlander, as any other mainstream brand. The over-riding question that needs to be asked is: Why has it taken so long to get this car on the road?
While the development of the 1.8-litre diesel that features in the ASX was worth the effort, surely they could have used another engine – even from its co-operation with PSA Peugeot – to get some metal on the forecourt?
The vehicle itself is diminutive in the metal, smaller than most imagery suggests, akin to a supermini, cross-bred with an SUV. The end result is rather fetching.
For once Mitsubishi has a vehicle that actually suits the brand’s deep grille. For the week we drove the ASX, it received nothing but compliments on its looks from onlookers, a great onus for a brand that hasn’t had a proper head-turner for some time.
The smart exterior doesn’t, unfortunately, carry through to the inside, which is rather drab and predictable. Flat cloth seats offer none of the comfort or support you expect in modern hatchbacks and, while controls are functional, there’s not much in the way of luxury. It’s a pretty basic package in terms of appearance and you’d be left wondering where your €23,000-plus went when sitting behind the wheel in traffic.
That said, the standard specification – there is only one equipment level offered in Ireland – is relatively generous. In particular, the inclusion of traction control deserves praise, something that some big-selling rivals still only offer as an optional extra. Irish people remain pretty short-sighted when it comes to safety and will opt for creature comforts over something that might save lives but can’t be used to impress the neighbours. That’s why so few opt for traction control from the options list and why it makes so much sense to fit it as standard. Besides, the EU is making it a standard requirement for new cars from 2012, so it’s only sensible to fit it on vehicles now.
Our test car was powered by the new 1.8-litre 150bhp diesel – a remarkably good powertrain in this class. It might not be class-leading in terms of emissions but it packs a lot more power than its equivalently-priced rivals. While you mightn’t notice the full benefits of its power range around town – the natural habitat for these mini-SUVs – out on the open road the cold statistics come to life when you kick down the throttle.
At €25,520, there are rivals in this class that seem to offer better value at entry-level when you just compare prices. However, this engine is more comparable with the 2-litre diesels versions from rivals and in that regard it starts to offer good value.
Handling is as neutral as you’ll find on most of these type of cars, offering no particular problems but not standing out from the crowd. Neither is the ride anything to write home about, capable of soaking up the average bumpy road but sometimes bottoming out with a thump on the more treacherous speed ramps that lace our suburban streets.
In terms of practicality, the ASX is roomy enough for five, while the boot is more spacious than the stature of the car would have you believe. For example, it swallowed a sizeable load from Ikea during our week in the car, despite our concerns at the checkout.
The biggest problem for this car is that’s it’s a good all-rounder with a great little engine, but is likely to get lost in a market crammed with new offerings. For similar money you can get the Peugeot 3008, which is better to drive and feels more premium inside; the Nissan Qashqai, which is a firm favourite for Irish buyers; the new Hyundai iX35, which takes over from the successful Tucson; and a host of more functional bargain propositions such as the Suzuki SX4. Then there are the more quirky models like the Kia Soul or Skoda Yeti.
As if that was not enough to be getting on with, there’s the new Mini Countryman, a car that’s likely to fly out of Irish showrooms in the next 12 months. It has only just arrived, and starts at €24,210. Although that only gets you the sedate One D version, it carries with it a brand prestige the Mitsubishi could never hope to muster.
As we’ve already mentioned, many of its rivals offer lower-powered diesel versions that boast better emissions and that gap is only going to increase as the race to sub-100g/km gathers pace across the industry. The problem is that the 1.8-litre diesel, while more than the equal of larger 2-litre engines, carries a road tax of €302.
In a climate where costs seem to outweigh every other consideration, buyers may well sacrifice performance for cash savings.
For example, the Korean brands of Hyundai and Kia are preparing to introduce you to the 1.7-litre diesel engine, which will be offered with start/stop features to bring emissions on models such as the Sportage SUV down to band A, with motor tax of just €104.
The ASX exemplifies the situation at Mitsubishi – a plucky Japanese brand struggling to stand out in the crowd. Even its electric i-Miev, which generated plenty of positive publicity from green advocates, is now priced virtually the same as the larger family hatchback from Nissan, the Leaf. At €29,000 for a supermini, even the most devoted Green party activist will struggle to justify the costs.
You have to wonder if all the efforts to get i-Miev on the road would have been better spent delivering ASX to market much earlier.
On paper, the ASX looks like a more expensive proposition than entry-level rivals, but consider this version as more of a mid-range proposition with an engine akin to a 2-litre diesel and you’ll soon find that its rivals are actually closer to €30,000. That’s when the value of ASX starts to show.
The ASX is a smartly-styled small family car with SUV pretensions and an impressive new diesel engine. It’s just not unique enough to stand out in the crowded market and, with the arrival of models like the Mini Countryman, it doesn’t quite have the personality to set the new car market alight.
It’s arguably the best car in the Mitsubishi range at the moment and will record decent sales for the brand. But it could have done so much more if it had got its spot in the limelight a couple of years ago.
Mitsubishi ASX
- Engine: 1798cc 16-valve turbocharged diesel engine putting out 150bhp @ 4,000rpm and 300Nm of torque from 2,000rpm
- 0-100km/h:9.7 seconds
- L/100km (mpg):urban – 7.8 (36.2); extra-urban – 5.0 (56.5); combined – 6.0 (47.1)
- Emissions (tax):150g/km (€302)
- Specification: standard includes hill start assist, roof rails, electric folding mirrors, seven airbags, ABS with traction control
- Price: €25,550 (€23,675 for 1.6-litre petrol)
The Rivals
MINI COUNTRYMAN ONE D
- Bhp: 89
- Torque: 215Nm
- 0-100km/h:12.9 secs
- Bootspace: 350-1170l
- L/100km (64.2): 4.4 (64.2)
- Emissions (tax):115g/km (€104)
- Price: €24,210
PEUGEOT 3008 1.6 HDI SX
- Bhp: 110
- Torque: 260Nm
- 0-100km/h:12.2 secs
- Bootspace: 432-1604l
- L/100km (mpg):5.1 (55.4)
- Emissions (tax):137g/km (€156)
- Price: €26,420
HYUNDAI IX35 2.0CRDI 2WD
- Bhp: 136
- Torque: 320Nm
- 0-100km/h:10.8 secs
- Bootspace: 591/1,436l
- L/100km (mpg):5.5 (51.4)
- Emissions (tax):147g/km (€302)
- Price: €26,995
NISSAN QASHQAI 2.0D SV
- Bhp: 105
- Torque: 320Nm
- 0-100km/h:9.5 secs
- Bootspace: 410-1513l
- L/100km (mpg): 6.4 (44.1)
- Emissions (tax):167g/km (€447)
- Price: €29,995