Mitsubishi ASX Diesel 2013 Review

There’s a slew of new small(er) SUVs heading our way in short order: Juke, Captur, Peugeot 2008, EcoSport. Mokka, Trax… to name a few. It’s easy to envisage the Mitsubishi ASX falling victim to this horde. After all, it’s not that much bigger in size and most of its models are higher priced than what that the above lot are expected to sell for.

Which makes the arrival of this new ASX model with a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, six-speed auto and all-wheel drive traction very timely indeed.

Previously, the ASX’s only turbo-diesel had been a 1.8-litre six-speed manual AWD that accounted for only a few percentage points of sales. The vast majority of the 500 odd ASX buyers per month head for the petrol-auto front-wheel drive offerings.

But this new drivetrain combination will certainly perk up interest in the diesel option. Coming straight from the new medium sized seven-seat Outlander, the intercooled, direct injection engine offers 110kW at 3600rpm and a muscular 360Nm between 1500-2750rpm. Average fuel economy is 5.8L/100km with CO2 leaking out at 158g CO2/km.

The entry price is $31,990 for the base model, while the more luxurious Aspire pumps that up to $36,490. Those extra dollars deliver you 17 rather than 16-inch alloy wheels, sat-nav, a panoramic glass sunroof, a powered drive’s seat, heated front seats and leather trim.

But to be honest it’s a struggle to see the extra value. There’s no real lift in the plasticky and tinny interior presentation and the bigger wheels give the ride a slightly sharper edge on rough roads.

The base model diesel auto has less pretension, a lower price, exactly the same drivetrain and enough equipment to keep most satisfied. Five star ANCAP rating, seven airbags (including a driver’s knee bag), stability and traction control, anti-lock braking with electronic brakeforce distribution, smart brake, hill start control and a reversing camera with guides and sensors are all included.

Comfort features include climate control air-conditioning, cruise control, remote keyless locking, power windows and 60/40 spit fold rear seats which expands the loading area from 416 litres to 1158 litres (base) or 1109 litres (Aspire). Bluetooth, a USB input and iPod control and steering wheel audio controls are standard.

So the entry-level version is the one that really makes sense to us, especially as its pricing helps it significantly undercut the likes of the Skoda Yeti and Volkswagen Tiguan. The sticker also keeps it within $2000 of the Nissan Dualis diesel, which is a 1.6-litre manual that drives only its front wheels.

Step into the ASX and its raised seat height (compared to the average hatchback) translates to easier exit and entry and better vision. It’s also immediately impressive the job Mitsubishi has done eking out space from a relatively compact 2670mm wheelbase and 4295mm overall length.

One 180cm adult can sit quite comfortably behind the other, with plentiful knee, toe and head room on offer in the back seat. For kids it would be beaut, with big (low ‘silled’) windows out of which to watch the world pass.

Isofix mountings for child seats are standard too. On the negative side there’s not that many storage opportunities.

Up-front there’s a reach and rake adjustable steering wheel, adequately sized seats, clear instruments dials, a set of simple air-con dials and touch screen controls for the audio system. Storage is a bit more generous than in the rear – there are even door pockets.

And so to the oily bits. Predictably, the engine starts with a rattle from cold, but soon settles into a reasonably smooth idle. Certainly it’s better than the 1.8 and there’s only a tingle through the pedals and steering wheel to let you know what’s under the bonnet, Outside, the noise is more obvious and even by diesel standards industrial rather than inspiring.

Get rolling and the engine (which is closer to 2.3 than 2.2 litres) quickly shows that its output, allied with a relatively lithe 1530kg kerb weight, provides decent performance. There’s going to be plenty of cars struggling to keep up with the ASX between the traffic lights rather than vice-versa.

The engine and INVECS II transmission engage quite sweetly, with little evidence of lag and no sign of flare between the gears. It is possible to detect the occasional torque converter lock-up at low speed, but that’s hardly a deal breaker.

The engine certainly changes the expectation of performance compared to the petrol and manual diesel ASX models. Hills and overtaking are not the challenge they once were. In fact, the strength of the engine actually reduces the front wheels to wheelspin in tighter corners. That’s a trait rectified by pressing the button to transfer from front-wheel drive to AWD Auto, which shuttles drive rearward when slip is detected. There is also a 50:50 Lock mode for gravel and such.

So we’d recommend travelling in AWD Auto when negotiating the twistier stuff where there is lot of sharp throttle inputs, but dropping back to the default front-drive mode when the going is straighter. That will aid fuel economy. Our average through a 140km taster in the Adelaide Hills, with AWD Auto often operating, came in at 8.2L/100km. Which is pretty decent considering the conditions.

Anyone who has ventured into the Adelaide Hills knows what serpentine and rough roads you can find there. They tended to expose the ASX’s brittle road, wobbly body control and significant tyre noise when the surface got coarser.

Mitsubishi has made suspension and steering retuning efforts of late and that has helped with the smoothing out of bumps and the eradication of kick back on bumpy corners. Even so, you couldn’t call chassis behaviour better than competent. But hey, that also means no surprises and that is going to be good enough for most people most of the time.

There is no doubt this new engine and transmission are more than competent, adding talent and ability to the ASX at a time when the SUV market is set – if possible – to become even more active and cut-throat. This model sits at a cross-roads in terms of price, size and performance. Deservedly, it should gain some interest and some sales as well.

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