Decision on Mitsubishi ASX replacement soon

The recently launched Renault Captur-based Mitsubishi ASX is firming as the favourite to replace the stalwart 13-year-old first-generation compact SUV still sold in Australia.

Originally crossed off the potentials list because it was only to be built in left-hand drive in Spain for Europe, it could be confirmed for Australia as soon as mid-December or as late as the end of March 2024.

carsales understands Mitsubishi Motors Australia wants a new ASX on sale in Australia no later than 2025.

“ASX is getting a little bit older now and I do believe speaking as the Australia CEO that we need a short-term fix,” Mitsubishi Australia chief Shaun Westcott told carsales.

“I am asking, I am challenging and I am pushing very hard for a solution that meets the product lifecycle of the current ASX.

“We are aiming to announce that decision by the end of this year … It’s not far away.”

The other prime candidate to replace the ASX in Australia is the Indonesian-built Xforce small SUV that was unveiled in August, but it appears to have cooled as a short-to-medium-term option because of the extensive and fundamental engineering work required for safety upgrades that would meet current ANCAP five-star protocols.

However, it appears the longer-term solution within Mitsubishi is for the next-generation Xforce to be developed as a global vehicle capable of also being sold in developed markets such as Australia. This goal has recently been publicly stated by global Mitsubishi boss Takao Kato.

The issue of the ASX replacement has become ever more urgent for Mitsubishi Motors Australia.

The original was launched in Australia in 2010, and despite regular updates since then the ASX is now thoroughly outdated compared to newer and fresher rivals.

That said, sharp pricing and rental fleet deals have kept its sales buoyant, although sales this year (to the end of November) are down 28.6 per cent and the Chinese-built MG ZS now dominates the segment.

Mitsubishi Australia is holding a national dealer conference in December and it would undoubtedly be a positive PR move to announce an ASX solution then.

Alternatively, Westcott conceded the situation may not be clarified until the end of the Japanese financial in March 2024.

The timing of an announcement could simply come down to how long it takes for the business cases to be assessed and a final decision taken.

“There is work underway and I can’t tell you what that is, but there is work underway,” Westcott said.

“Between those two options there are significant studies underway and some of those are at a fairly advanced stage.”

Westcott confirmed the Euro Mitsubishi ASX based on alliance partner Renault’s Captur overcomes the fundamental compliance issues the Xforce has.

“It meets Euro NCAP and that’s an important consideration in the market at the moment in terms of where Australia sits,” he said.

“And then there’s the whole emissions discussion and fuel consumption, so there are a number of moving parts to that. But it is a car that would meet Australian requirements.”

The second-generation Renault Captur has been on sale in Australia since 2021, powered solely by a 113kW 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine. It has a five-star ANCAP rating based on 2019 protocols.

In Europe, the Captur/ASX is offered with multiple powertrains including a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol, mild-hybrid, series/parallel hybrid and a plug-in hybrid.

Westcott suggested a right-hand drive Captur/ASX could be more differentiated from the donor Renault than the left-hand drive version.

“There is a Renault as it stands and there is the opportunity to perhaps investigate and look at other options– and I will quote our global CEO – to create more Mitsubishi-ness with that vehicle,” he said.

Westcott also invoked Kato when justifying how a business case could be assembled for a right-hand drive Captur/ASX on relatively small volumes.

“Our global CEO is on record many, many times saying Australia is a core market for Mitsubishi and we will get the products for this market when we need them and Mitsubishi is firmly and strongly behind Mitsubishi Motors Australia,” he said.

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