Mitsubishi Motors Australia has announced the retirement of its ASX small SUV after 15 years on sale, with its successor set to follow in 2025.
New ADR requirements mandating more advanced autonomous emergency braking come into effect for all vehicles from March 1st, 2025.
This new rule will also see the more style-focused Eclipse Cross small SUV and the Pajero Sport discontinued from sale. Read our separate article for more details.
Mitsubishi says it has pre-ordered stock in advance – presumably enough to plug the gap between the current and following generation – with a broad landing date of ‘2025’ the only information provided by the Japanese car maker.
The next-generation ASX is essentially a rebadged second-generation Renault Captur shared under the current Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. This model has been on sale in Europe under the ASX nameplate since 2023.
Pictured: the new ASX
Pictured: the facelifted Renault Captur
The second-gen Captur, on sale since 2019, was given a midlife facelift in April 2024, with Mitsubishi following suit with its own version later that month with a version that was more visually distinguishable than the near-identical pre-facelift version.
Hybrid powertrains, modern interiors and more
The new ASX rides on the CMF-B platform that should usher in significantly improved driving dynamics, which were criticised repeatedly by Chasing Cars in review for being well below the class average.
In Europe, the ASX is available with either a mild-hybrid or traditional hybrid option.
The former pairs a 1.3L engine with a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, with the former the more likely option to land in Australia.
Mitsubishi is also highly likely to offer the 1.6L hybrid option, which works alongside two electric motors fed from a 1.2kWh battery. Average fuel consumption is rated at 6.0L/100km for the mild hybrid and 4.6L/100km for the hybrid.
Similarly, the interior will see a seismic shift in modern design with features such as a 10.4-inch vertical touchscreen, 10.25-inch digital driver’s display and a nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
However, it should be noted that the Captur-based ASX is a significantly smaller vehicle at around 4.2m long compared to the ASX at closer to 4.4m, landing it in the ‘light SUV’ designation rather than the ‘small SUV’ category.
How much will the new Renault Captur cost in Australia?
This question has likely defined and indeed delayed the decision on what model would succeed the current ASX for some years. It was for this reason that the cost-effective Xforce small SUV introduced to developing regions such as Thailand was considered but ultimately rejected as it would not comply with Australia’s safety standards.
Renault has previously confirmed it will offer the facelifted Captur locally after offering the pre-facelifted version in 2024. At the time it was priced from $33,000 to $39,500 before on-road costs, and this will likely see a small bump due to the latest update.
The Xforce was considered but ultimately rejected
Either way, it sits far above the current starting price of just $24,490 before on-roads.
The Captur is a slow selling vehicle, shifting just 169 units to ASX’s 12,330 in 2024. But Mitsubishi will be hoping with greater economies of scale from shifting more units, and the combined efforts of offering the same model in Renault guise locally, prices could be brought down to more attractive levels for its current buyers.
Either way, it will be a while yet before we see any official price and specs for this model so stay tuned to Chasing Cars for the latest updates.
