Mitsubishi's baby ASX joins growing market

Our shift to smaller vehicles now includes soft-roaders.

The Mitsubishi ASX which went on sale this week is the third tiny-tot wagon to bridge the gap between small cars and compact four-wheel-drives.

It joins the Suzuki SX4 and Nissan Dualis, both of which have been recently facelifted and are enjoying strong buyer interest.

Mitsubishi openly admits the ASX, which shares its underpinnings with the Lancer small car and Outlander softroader, is an off-road vehicle for city slickers.

"While many car buyers want economy, they don't want to give up the practicality and feeling of safety of being in a four-wheel-drive-type vehicle," says Mitsubishi Australia spokeswoman Lenore Fletcher.

"With one in five of all new vehicles sold in Australia being a four-wheel-drive or soft-roader of some description, there are a lot of people who've become accustomed to the high driving position and the ability to see further ahead in the traffic."

Despite its bold appearance, the ASX is slightly shorter than a Lancer sedan, making it easier to park in tight spaces.

"A lot of people really want a city-sized vehicle," says Fletcher. "We think we'll get a lot of young families who might be considering a Lancer or an Outlander, who find that the ASX is just the right size for them."

Given the vehicle's family-car focus, safety is a priority, with all three model grades coming with seven airbags (front, side, curtain and driver's knee) and stability control.

However, rear parking sensors are optional on the cheapest version. The middle grade comes with sensors while the top grade comes with a rear camera.

The ASX is available with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, with the option of a five-speed manual or six-step CVT automatic transmission.

Unlike the Suzuki SX4 and Nissan Dualis, the ASX is also available with a diesel engine -- a 1.8-litre turbodiesel -- but it comes with a six-speed manual transmission only. Mitsubishi says an automatic will follow in 18 months.

"This diesel engine is the first diesel engine Mitsubishi has developed in-house for a passenger car and Europe is predominantly an 80 per cent diesel manual market. We understand an automatic is being developed, but it is some time away," says Fletcher.

The ASX will be the fifth 4WD in Mitsubishi's line-up of nine different vehicle types.

"We are proud of our four-wheel-drive and small-car expertise and we've combined both in the one vehicle," says Fletcher.

The arrival of the ASX is likely to boost Mitsubishi sales even further. The Japanese brand is up by 20 per cent in the first six months of this year compared with the same month the previous year.

Its tally of 32,372 sales from January to June 2010 is the best first-half on record for the company -- even better than when it was manufacturing locally.

Prices do not include dealer charges and registration fees.

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