The new Mitsubishi ASX is the twin of the Renault Captur which will arrive in March 2023, with a 160 hp PHEV engine included

The new  Mitsubishi ASX  is a  Renault Captur  with the logos of the Japanese brand. Literally. Moreover, it will even be manufactured in Valladolid with the Captur.

But behind this new change of chrome we are in front of the arrival of the Japanese brand on a new segment, a range different from that of the Captur, as well as a strategy of reconstruction of the brand.

Mitsubishi is in a delicate position in Europe. So much so that initially the leaders of the brand had decided  not to sell any more cars  on our continent.

After its integration into the Renault-Nissan Alliance, it was decided that the signature of the three diamonds would finally remain. And for that it would have the presence of two exclusive models for Europe  manufactured on a Renault basis . This new Mitsubishi ASX is the first of these two models.

Thus, the new Mitsubishi ASX shares the  CMF-B platform  with the Renault Captur and the  Nissan Juke , two models with very different designs and character. However, instead of having its own design, it was decided to simply change the logo of a Renault Captur to that of Mitsubishi.

It's a new episode of "  badge engineering  ", or "logo engineering", certainly, but for the moment Mitsubishi cannot afford a greater investment than this. And it is that Mitsubishi has come a long way, having announced in 2020 that it  would freeze all its  launch plans in Europe.

A few months later, change of plans. Mitsubishi stayed and the Eclipse Cross PHEV allowed it to continue on the Old Continent. From now on, the brand wants to renew itself from scratch and in a very rational way.

A Mitsubishi ASX smaller than the previous one

Thus, Mitsubishi has chosen the segment B SUV market, the most buoyant in Europe. The new ASX has the same dimensions as the Renault Captur, ie 4.23 m long, 1.80 m wide, 1.57 m high and 2.64 m wheelbase. This makes it much shorter than its predecessor, which was 4.37m long and therefore in the upper segment.

Dimensions Mitsubishi ASX

Aesthetically, the ASX is distinguished from the Captur by its Mitsubishi logo and a chrome grille, while at the rear, Mitsubishi reads across the width of the tailgate. The absence of a logo, however, makes the reversing camera visible on the tailgate.

On board, more of the same. Only the Mitsubishi logo on the steering wheel tries to convince us that we are not driving a Renault Captur.

Everything is identical, from the materials to the design, including the three types of dashboard available depending on the trim levels: analogue with a small 4.2-inch screen, 7-inch digital panel or even a digital dashboard of 10.25 inches. The same goes for the  touch screen , 7 inches horizontal or 10 inches vertical, depending on the finishes.

The ASX also benefits from a relatively complete range of equipment from the entry level, including cruise control, reversing sensors, rear view camera, lane departure warning, Apple wireless connectivity  CarPlay  and  Android Auto  and the sliding rear seat. Higher trims have wireless mobile charging and a BOSE car audio system with new speakers.

Hybrid and PHEV engines traced on the Captur

The mechanical offer, logically, is similar to that of the Renault Captur, including E-Tech hybrid engines, such as that of the  Captur PHEV . The engine range of the new ASX in Spain is as follows:

• 1.0 liter turbo petrol 90 bhp with 6-speed manual gearbox
• 1.3 liter micro-hybrid turbo 140 hp and 6-speed manual gearbox
• 1.3 liter turbo micro-hybrid 160 hp and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission
• 1.6 liter hybrid 145 hp with automatic transmission
• 160 hp 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid PHEV with automatic transmission and  10.5 kWh battery .

Pricing for the new Mitsubishi ASX  has yet to be revealed. In any case, Mitsubishi does not anticipate that they will be cheaper than those of the Captur, in return it will offer more standard equipment compared to the Captur.

Additionally, the ASX will have a five-year warranty (whereas Renault only offers the minimum three-year warranty). The first deliveries of the Mitsubishi ASX are scheduled for  March 2023 . A few months later, a new Mitsubishi Colt will arrive on the basis of the current Renault Clio.