Best Motorbuys: January 10, 2020

By Ross Kiddie
Mitsubishi ASX VRX
You sure know you’re hurting when you’ve
got a painful back.
Mine has been bugging me for a few weeks
now, and it’s brought to my attention how
difficult it is getting in and out of some
cars, yet highlights how easy it is to do the
same in a sport utility vehicle.
I’ve just driven two Mitsubishi SUVs, one
after the other, an Outlander and ASX. I felt
comfortable in both and the seat height
made for easy entry and egress.
On top of that, the ride the modern SUV
provides doesn’t tax the body, there is
plenty of suspension movement, and
there is an element of suppleness within
the spring and damper rates that easily
cushions the hits from road ripples,
bumps and ruts.
This evaluation focuses on the ASX, a
Lancer-based mid-size SUV that has been
with Mitsubishi since 2011. Meaning active
smart crossover, the ASX has undergone a
raft of changes throughout its lifecycle and
I’m pleased to report that the upgrades and
refinements over the years easily make it a
tempting proposition in today’s market.
For 2020 the ASX had a fairly hefty
makeover; well, in that context it has had
a strong refresh up front, the frontal area
now has a bold, edgy design which sure
captures attention, it is a departure from
the soft, curvy lines of its predecessor.
The test car was painted a nice new colour
– sunshine orange – which also aroused
favourable comment. The upgrade doesn’t
finish there either, there are cosmetic
changes inside, notably the inclusion of a
larger screen which makes navigating the
vehicle’s functions just that much easier.
In terms of mechanical changes, the ASX
has changed direction slightly. No longer
is there a four-wheel-drive model, all
variants are front-drive only and all are
powered by a petrol engine – gone is the
diesel option. Mitsubishi also state that
for buyers who want an SUV with fourwheel-drive,
its Eclipse Cross captures
that part of the market.
The ASX range starts at $29,990, and
ends at $41,090 for the 2.4-litre VRX as
evaluated. It’s important to note that there
are two entry-level models and both are
2-litre powered.
However, the 2360cc unit develops 123kW
and 222Nm, and is paired to a six-step
continuously variable automatic. These
power and torque outputs are traditional,
they arrive tall in the rev band at 6000rpm
and 4100rpm respectively; nevertheless,
when you have the benefit of CVT there is
a constant point of gearing which instantly
meets throttle request.
The ASX feels lively and will cut out a
standstill to 100km/h time in 9.2sec, it’s
also quite smart on a highway overtake,
5.5sec to make 120km/h from 80km/h is
about the norm for a vehicle such as this.
It also cruises quietly at highway speed
and affords a smooth ride. Benefitting
from the original four-wheel-drive chassis
engineering, the ASX is sprung on a fully
independent front strut/rear multiple
link system. While the rear end doesn’t
carry driveshafts any more, the set-up
is compliant and as I’ve alluded to it
is dampened only moderately so that
the occupants benefit from a smooth,
controlled ride.
I pointed the test car at a couple of tricky
corners along my test route, it turns nicely
and feeds positive information to the
steering wheel as to how the tyres react
under pressure.
Even without four-wheel-drive there is still
the feel that grip levels are elevated, while
balance is fully retained. I like the way the
ASX drives, it’s no sports car but it does
Page 36
Price: Mitsubishi ASX VRX, $40,090
Dimensions: Length, 4365mm;
width, 1810mm; height, 1640mm
Configuration: Four-cylinder, frontwheel-drive,
2360cc, 123kW, 222Nm,
continuously variable automatic.
Performance: 0-100km/h, 9.2sec
Fuel usage: 7.9l/100km
have performance and handling ability
which is far in excess of its purpose.
In terms of fuel use, Mitsubishi has done
well to lean out the engine. As I remarked
previously, it has been around for some
time, but it is a fuel miser and carries a
7.9-litre per 100km (36mpg) combined
cycle claim.
The fuel usage readout was constantly
listing at around 8.4l/100km (33mpg)
during my time with the test car, and I can
report a 5l/100km (56mpg) instantaneous
figure sitting at a steady 100km/h. At that
speed the engine is working over at a lazy
1750rpm in the tallest part of the gearing.
In VRX specification, the ASX gets a
healthy level of specification including full
leather trim with heated front seats and
keyless entry and ignition. There are also
many additions for safety and infotainment.
I was a little disappointed when I took
the ASX back, I knew that was my last
evaluation car for the decade, and I’m
convinced it helped in the recovery of my
back muscles. Now it’s back to battling
the low seat position in the Kiddie-family
Toyota, I’m hoping my back will last out
until the scheduled drive I have in the new
year for the upgraded Outlander Sport.
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