Mitsubishi ASX replaces Mirage as $10K pricier entry model in Australian lineup

John Law

Contributor

With the Mirage consigned to the history books, the ASX small SUV will become the entry model in Mitsubishi’s Australian range, bumping price of entry up $10K

Mitsubishi Australia will not introduce a direct replacement for the axed Mirage city car. Instead, the ASX small SUV will remain the entry-level offering from the Japanese brand.

With no more Mirages imported from December 2021 as a result of ADR 85/00 side impact regulations, final dealer stock of the light car has been exhausted in Australia.

Mitsubishi Mirage 2022-1 — With Mirage gone, the ASX is Mitsubishi’s price leader

The loss of the Mirage price leader sees entry to the Mitsubishi brand jump by $10,000, from $14,990 before on-road costs for a Mirage ES manual to $24,990 for an ASX wearing the same badge.

Despite a Renault Captur-based ASX rumoured for reveal this September in Europe, Mitsubishi Motor Australia Limited (MMAL) CEO Shaun Westcott, said “[current] ASX is selling extremely well. It has good legs, it still resonates in our market.”

Could a new ASX come to Australia?

Mr Westcott all but ruled out a new ASX for the Australian market any time soon. “Our customers are still really excited about current gen ASX, and we do look at bringing the right product to the right market at the right time,” he explained.

Mitsubishi ASX 2022-3 — Mitsubishi’s Australian CEO said we won’t be getting an all-new ASX any time soon

With independent safety testing body ANCAP’s changing protocols, the current small SUV – a rival for the Nissan Qashqai and Honda HR-V – will lose its five star rating in December 2023. As the ASX achieved its maximum safety score in a 2014 test, ANCAP wisely now deems this too long ago to remain relevant.

When asked whether Mitsubishi Australia would address the ASX’s ANCAP rating, senior manager of product strategy Owen Thomson, said: “we’ve made our position known to [Mitsubishi], but there are always constraints within business we have to work around as well.”

The loss of its safety credentials could well affect ASX’s strong fleet sales, but Mr Thomson suggested significant re-engineering would be necessary for the ASX to regain its five star rating in future protocols.

Currently, the base ASX ES manual is equipped with front AEB, a reversing camera, a driver’s knee airbag and stability control. Enough to earn it five stars in 2016, but not in ANCAP’s latest testing that requires greater occupant-occupant protection, junction AEB and lane-keep assist programs, with future protocols only set to become stricter.

The automatic ASX ES ADAS ($28,990 before on-road costs) would get closer with blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist fitted as standard.

ASX variants up to the LS utilise a 110kW/197Nm 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder and only the base ES is available with a five-speed manual. A CVT automatic is fitted to all other grades, with the GSR and Exceed scoring a gruntier 123kW/222Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder.