Mitsubishi Australia has no plans to offer the newly-revealed, Renault-based ASX that has been designed specifically for left-hand drive European markets.
But the company says there’s still life in the oft-updated, Japan-made model that dates back to 2010, and has plans to introduce a new entry grade as part of a MY23 update.
At this stage there isn’t any official word surrounding when this entry-level ASX trim will be introduced, what it will be called, what features it’ll lose, nor what price it will start from.
It’s also unclear what other changes will be made to the wider ASX range as part of said MY23 update.
ASX ES
A Mitsubishi Australia spokesperson said it will provide more information about the update at a later time.
With the Mitsubishi Mirage micro hatchback axed due to the recently-imposed ADR 85/00 side-impact safety regulations, this upcoming entry-level ASX will become the entry point for the Mitsubishi range.
The current price-leader in the small SUV segment is the top-selling MG ZS Excite auto, which starts from $22,990 drive-away. By contrast, the current cheapest ASX variant is the $26,490 drive-away ES manual (using a Victorian postcode).
ASX Exceed
The ASX ES receives features such as LED headlights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a electro-chromatic (auto-dimming) rear-view mirror. It wouldn’t be surprising if this upcoming entry-level ASX ditched these features to make it more budget-friendly.
It’s unclear how much life the ASX has left in Australia as it launched in its current form in 2010, as noted above, making it one of the oldest vehicles on the market. It received facelifts in 2012, 2016 and 2020, and has had spec changes at other times.
Mitsubishi has confirmed the current model will be available into 2023, but it’s unclear what its future looks like beyond this.
ASX GSR
One pathway Mitsubishi could head down is introducing a cheaper version of its existing Eclipse Cross small SUV to replace the ASX, should it wind-up production.
Despite its age, the Mitsubishi ASX is still a hot seller in Australia, currently holding a 10 per cent segment share year-to-date according to August VFACTS sales data. It offsets its age with sharp pricing and a roomy interior.
To the end of August 2022, Mitsubishi has sold 7797 ASXs here. That puts it in fourth place behind the MG ZS (13,072 sales), Mazda CX-30 (11,036 sales), and the Hyundai Kona (8335 sales).
