Mitsubishi’s best-selling compact SUV will inherit Renault DNA in its next-generation
The next-generation Mitsubishi ASX has been teased overnight as part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s ‘Best of 3 Worlds for a New Future’ 2030 road map and it’s fair to say there will be some major changes in store for Australia’s second-favourite compact SUV.
Firstly, the 2023 ASX was confirmed to be moving cross to a Renault-developed platform and inherit the vast majority of the as yet unnamed model’s DNA – given the size similarities and teased styling characteristics, we expect it to be the Renault Captur.
The second key piece of information was the confirmation of both hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains in addition to the regularly small-capacity internal combustion engines.
If things were looking promising and or sounding appealing, it’s about to be shaken up because Mitsubishi has also confirmed that the new ASX’s primary production would be moving to Renault’s facilities in Europe.
This could complicate things for the Australian market (supply and shipping costs) which notched up 14,764 ASX sales last year, earning Mitsubishi a solid 12 per cent share of the sub-$40,000 small SUV segment before the bigger Eclipse Cross is factored in.
“At this stage the new ASX has been announced only for the European market,” a Mitsubishi Australia spokesperson told carsales.
“We will continue to communicate any local applications in more detail as these are confirmed.”
Mitsubishi’s primary goal by 2030 is to ‘reinforce its presence’ within the European market – hence the ASX’s impending transition to the Renault family in early 2023 and the emergence of another yet to be revealed model due for a late 2023 market introduction.
As for Australia, the brand’s local arm said its current focus was on delivering the new-generation Mitsubishi Outlander and the upcoming launch of the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version.
The Outlander PHEV will be followed in 2023 by the new-generation Mitsubishi Triton, a car the local division said “will resonate strongly in the Australian market”.
“We are also working hard to prioritise delivery of all customer orders range-wide during this global supply shortage,” the spokesperson said.
Keyword: All-new Mitsubishi ASX teased for Europe