Mitsubishi ASX-sized hybrid SUV revealed, Australia to miss out
03/23/2025 07:00 PM
The Mitsubishi Xforce small SUV has gained a petrol-electric hybrid variant in South-East Asia, with the model still off-limits for Australia due to the need for costly safety upgrades.
The 2025 Mitsubishi Xforce HEV small SUV has debuted in Thailand to join the petrol-only variants revealed two years ago – but the Toyota Corolla Cross alternative remains off the table for Australia.
The Mitsubishi Xforce HEV shares its hybrid drivetrain with the Xpander HEV people mover – but with further improvements specific to the SUV – featuring a 1.6-litre non-turbo petrol engine matched with an electric motor, high-voltage battery, and a “newly developed” two-speed transaxle.
It allows for the electric motor to be disconnected from the drive shaft at high speeds to reduce energy loss, along with improvements to road noise and acceleration to deliver a “seamless EV-like driving experience”.
Like most petrol-electric hybrid vehicles, it is fitted with a regenerative braking system to recuperate energy when coming to a stop, with combined fuel consumption rated at 4.1L/100km under the NEDC lab-test standard.
Mitsubishi has added two hybrid-specific modes – EV Priority and Charge – along with five existing drive modes (Normal, Tarmac, Gravel, Mud and Wet) to tailor the brakes, petrol engine, electric motor and steering of the front-wheel-drive SUV for “safe driving on various road surfaces”.
Features shared with petrol Xforce models include a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, 18-inch alloy wheels, LED exterior lights, a Yamaha audio system, and a wireless phone charger.
MORE: 2024 Mitsubishi Xforce – The ASX replacement Australia isn't getting, for now
The Xforce includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-change assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, leading vehicle departure alert and automatic high beam, along with six airbags, a rear-view camera, and front and rear parking sensors.
Australia has been ruled out for the Xforce as it would require costly safety upgrades to receive top marks in ANCAP crash-testing since the model is built for markets with less stringent safety standards, such as South-East Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
Mitsubishi estimates the Xforce in its current form would be capable of three stars in ANCAP testing under the current and most-stringent 2023 to 2025 testing standard, which would rule it out for many government and business fleets, along with private customers who favour top safety marks.
The brand will instead offer the European-market ASX in Australia later this year, which is based on the Renault Captur, scored four stars under identical Euro NCAP crash-test standards last year, and is smaller in every dimension than the current ASX and Xforce.
MORE: Mitsubishi Australia forced to shelve more than half its models
Mitsubishi Australia is leading calls for government fleets to loosen requirements for vehicles to have a five-star ANCAP safety score, instead asking for a “minimum four-star rating for vehicles assessed under the current [2023 to 2025] protocol”.
The Renault-based model will replace the current Mitsubishi-built ASX, which dates back to 2010 and does not meet the Australian Design Rule (ADR) 98/00 requiring car-to-car autonomous emergency braking (AEB) technology for vehicles of the current ASX’s type from March 1, 2025.
Its Spanish-made replacement is likely to offer the choice of petrol and hybrid power in Australia – but it is expected to be at least $6000 dearer than the current model with a smaller three-variant line-up, down from the six available on today’s ASX.
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