A brief look at the Mitsubishi ASX 2019

The Mitsubishi ASX first appeared on the crossover scene in early 2010, and its design was inspired by the cX Concept. However, before it came to be called as the ASX, it was initially launched as compact minivan in its previous life – the RVR. As demand for such minivans fell, the Japanese giant transformed the rather ugly RVR into a more contemporary looking crossover that we now know and recognize as the ASX.

The ASX sits in an ever-changing and growing market of crossovers, and as such, competition is quite fierce. Its primary rivals in the region come in the form of the Nissan Kicks, Renault Duster, Ford EcoSport, and Chevrolet Trax.

Exterior

Looking at the 2019 Mitsubishi ASX, it isn’t surprising why it is a popular choice among its target audience – it’s compact, urbane, and quite stylish. The front fascia of the ASX gets a chiseled bumper, faux skid plate, sleek headlights, and a muscular hood. Mitsubishi’s new trademark “Dynamic Shield” front grille design is neat and also finds its way on the ASX. It is fairly large and helps the front appear more sporty and aggressive.

Along the side of the ASX, there’s the usual sprinkling of black plastic cladding, and also present are pronounced wheel arches. The upright posture, raising window line, and roof rails give the side profile some character as well. At the rear, the roof spoiler, wrap-around taillights, and a chunky bumper with a faux diffuser setup lends a sporty look.

The exterior dimensions of the 2019 ASX are relatively compact – overall length is 4.355 meters, width is 1.810 meters, height is 1.625 meters, and wheelbase is 2.670 meters. This 5-seat crossover has a minimum cargo-carrying capacity of 358 liters.

Interior

Considering its compact dimensions, the cabin of the 2019 Mitsubishi ASX can accommodate 5 adults sans much fuss. The seats are decent with sufficient bolstering, and head, shoulder, and legroom for all occupants are pretty standard as well. Just as with some of its rivals, the interior of the ASX isn’t home to the plushest of materials, even though build quality is good.

The interior might not be exciting, but all the trim and fitments seem to be screwed in well. The features list on the ASX include leather seating, electrically-operated driver’s seat, electric sunroof, leather-wrapped multifunction wheel with paddle shifters, automatic headlamps, automatic air-con, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry & go, and a 9-speaker premium sound system.

The Mitsubishi ASX also comes with various safety gears such as front airbags, ABS with EBD, brake assist, stability control, hill start assist, tire pressure monitor, and parking sensors with a rearview camera.

Engine and performance

Under the hood of the 2019 Mitsubishi ASX is a naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that develops 150 horses and 197 Nm of peak torque. It’s offered with a CVT gearbox that comes with a ‘Sports Mode’, should you feel the CVT isn’t responding too well to your inputs.

For added traction and safety, Mitsubishi also sells the 2019 ASX with all-wheel-drive. This version isn’t particularly sporty, taking an agonizing 11.7 seconds to hit the ton, though top speed is a decent 191 km/h. The front-wheel-drive ASX fairs slightly better in terms of acceleration and manages to reach 100 km/h in a brisk 11.3 seconds, while top speed is also higher at 193 km/h. Fuel economy ratings vary, and range between 8.0-8.2L/100 km for the FWD and AWD variants, respectively.

Verdict

Depending on the variant, the 2019 Mitsubishi ASX costs between AED 59,900 and AED 89,900. Meanwhile, cost of insurance ranges between AED 1,348 to AED 2,023.