After the modernized Mitsubishi L200, we have another representative of the brand, which has seen a certain rejuvenation and thus continued the handwriting that brought the brand the arrival of the Eclipse Cross model. Mitsubishi presented us with the new, modernized ASX.
There is no need to doubt the importance of the ASX model, because it is a car that has been sold since 2010. The ASX is a very successful model in terms of its sales, not only abroad, but also at home. Its user will certainly appreciate its versatility, its interesting pricing policy, driving characteristics or interior space.
We currently received the ASX in the highest trim level Intense with two-liter petrol, all-wheel drive and stepless CVT transmission for the editorial test.
Modernization of the external appearance
The new ASX comes with the biggest change, especially in the treatment of its front part. Similar to the L200 model, it follows on from the already announced Eclipse Cross. The front part now offers significantly elongated wedge-shaped and horizontally oriented LED headlights with elements for daytime running lights.
The lights themselves are then followed by distinctive chrome elements in the shape of the letter "C", in which direction and fog lights are located. These changes then go hand in hand with the newly shaped bumper and front mask.
The side and rear parts of the car have not undergone such a radical change and remain faithful to the previous generation. However, it is worth noting the rear lamps, which have been revived in the form of a different structure. They have a new light signature in the shape of the letter "T", which gives the stern a certain width and optical stability.
The modernization of the exterior appearance of the ASX model has certainly benefited, the car now has a much livelier and more contemporary impression. Unfortunately, it only applies to the front part, and the ASX sometimes seems slightly unbalanced to me when I look at it from certain angles.
Interior
The interior itself does not bring such significant changes as the front part, and it maintains a proven concept for years. It offers good workmanship, great spaciousness or a pleasant view from the car thanks to the higher position behind the wheel.
A pleasant exception is the presence of an 8" on-board infotainment touchscreen. It is elegantly integrated into the dashboard together with the air conditioning vents. Its graphics are clear, simple and the control is quite intuitive. Unfortunately, the system does not offer integrated navigation, which is only available after pairing the system with a phone via Apple Car Play or Android Auto.
The tested version was also equipped with a multifunction steering wheel, which controls the audio system, telephone and cruise control. The instruments in the compartment in front of the driver are classic analog, between the speedometer and the tachometer there is also an on-board computer display, which has not entirely contemporary graphics.
There is still plenty of seating in the car, even for five adult passengers, and the interior space is quite wide. I found the backrest of the rear seats to be relatively steep. The luggage compartment will then offer 488 liters of luggage space. In addition, the vehicle was equipped with an additional increase in the luggage compartment, which consists in the fact that you lose the storage space under the original floor of the trunk, and all the things that were stored there are stored in a bag that is hung on the side of the luggage compartment.
Gasoline drive unit and stepless automatic transmission under the hood
The tested car was powered by a two-liter SMART MIVEC gasoline unit with an output of 110 kW and 195 Nm of torque. It also worked with a stepless CVT automatic, which took care of driving both axles. The two-liter comes as a replacement for the original sixteen-cylinder, which offered 86 kW of power and 154 Nm of torque. The performance increase is therefore quite significant on paper.
The atmospheric two-liter and the CVT automatic on the driving performance side work very neutrally. It won't please the driver significantly, but it certainly won't offend either. The performance of the tested engine is quiet and refined, the CVT automatic is not as annoying as it usually is with transmissions of this type. This gearbox can quite successfully eliminate the "rubber rope" effect.
As it is an atmosphere, it is necessary to work more with the gas and adequate engine revolutions, to achieve a more dynamic driving style. A manual transmission should be a more ideal choice for this situation. But the five-speed manual is not offered with all-wheel drive, so everything is a matter of your priorities. The CVT automatic transmission will offer at least a manual shift mode (changing the gear ratio), so there are 6 gear stages available, which you can choose with the paddles under the steering wheel.
4WD drive, its mode is selected by a button located within the center panel in front of the automatic transmission selector. The modes are 2WD, 4WD AUTO and 4WD LOCK.
2WD mode offers an economical drive corresponding to a front-wheel-drive car. The 4WD AUTO mode automatically ensures optimal transmission of torque to all 4 wheels according to the current driving conditions. The 4WD LOCK mode is then intended for driving on surfaces where there is a risk of the car slipping.
The car's steering itself is again neutral, while the chassis is rather stiffer. In the current winter conditions, my consumption was just under 8 liters.
Conclusion
The modernized ASX is currently offered in the Inform basic equipment, with a two-liter gasoline engine, five-speed manual transmission and front-axle drive only, for a special price of 415,000 including VAT. You can get the tested highest specification with automatic and all-wheel drive from 599,850 including VAT.
Mitsubishi ASX, the current modernized generation, thanks to the preservation of the original dimensions, continues to offer a richly dimensioned interior space, which also has a very decent finish. Its modernization is therefore most evident in the redesign of the front part, which responds to the current design direction of the brand, and which clearly revitalized the car.
The Mitsubishi ASX therefore remains a good choice for those who appreciate a certain agility, a large interior space and, last but not least, an interesting purchase price.
