Ken Gratton•14 Oct 2014
NEWS
Launch dates announced for ASX and Pajero
And Mitsubishi boss confirms new SUVs will be introduced with plug-in variantsMitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko has made it official: the Outlander PHEV won't be the company's one and only plug-in SUV.
Masuko-san was reported by industry journal Automotive News Europe as saying that the new ASX will launch in global markets from 2016, with a plug-in variant to follow in 2017. Furthermore, the all-new Pajero will a year after that (2018), with a plug-in variant part of the range.
The ASX will be based on the XR-PHEV show car displayed in Tokyo last year, and the plug-in version will run a turbocharged and direct-injected 1.1-litre three-cylinder as a range extender. In Tokyo last year Masuko-san did confirm directly with motoring.com.au that this plug-in drivetrain had been specifically developed for front-wheel drive applications and would find other homes in the range, additional to the production ASX.
At the Tokyo show last year, the Mitsubishi exec didn't confirm that the supercharged 3.0-litre V6 and eight-speed automatic transmission combination in the GC-PHEV show car would ever see the light of day in a production car, but that seems most likely in the circumstances. Masuko-san did confirm at the time that the next Pajero would offer a plug-in variant.
Over the course of some years, Mitsubishi has developed a selection of alternative-energy vehicles, including the battery-electric i-MiEV and the plug-in hybrid Outlander PHEV. This push to market 'electrified' cars comes from legislators in Europe, where the ASX is one of Mitsubishi's more popular vehicles. In some ways the Japanese brand is better placed than many European brands to weather the future regulatory requirements for low- and zero-emissions vehicles. It's why PSA Peugeot Citroen has sourced the i-MiEV to sell in Europe, badged as Peugeots and Citroens.
In Australia, Mitsubishi will certainly introduce both the new ASX and the new Pajero to replace the respective current models. And if the GC-PHEV's styling is too confronting, take heart from the Outlander PHEV Concept-S show car that debuted in Paris earlier this month. Would Mitsubishi introduce a facelift for the Outlander that looks that good, without adopting the same sort of style for the new Pajero? We think not.
Given the company's commitment to plug-in hybridisation – in the form of the Outlander PHEV – a plug-in for the Pajero range in Australia seems probable, although Mitsubishi in Australia is not ready to confirm or deny that.
As to whether the small ASX will be kitted out with lithium-ion battery and the added cost of the XR-PHEV drivetrain for the Aussie market, that's much harder to judge. On cost alone, the simple answer would be 'no', but Mitsubishi has been long committed to reducing the cost to the consumer of new technology over time
– and the ASX is still two years away.
– and the ASX is still two years away.
Pictured: Mitsubishi PX-MiEV plug-in hybrid show car that previewed current Outlander
Tags
Mitsubishi
ASX
Pajero
Car News
Hatchback
SUV
4x4 Offroad Cars
Family Cars
First Car
Written byKen Gratton
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
Related articles
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Love every move.
Buy it. Sell it.Love it.
®Contact
Advertise with us
Local marketplaces
International marketplaces
Scan to download the carsales app
Want more info? Here’s our app landing page
App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo
are trademarks of Google LLC.