Mitsubishi lowers entry to best-selling ASX

BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 5th Sep 2018

MITSUBISHI Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) has introduced a new entry-level variant of its best-selling ASX small SUV range in order to attract buyers of the Lancer small sedan that will be discontinued by year’s end.

Dubbed the ES, the new model grade reduces the point of entry to the range to $23,490 plus on-roads for the ES manual, down from $25,000.

The range has also been consolidated to five variants, with diesel all-wheel-drive versions and the previous entry-level LS manual deleted from the line-up.

All versions now employ front-wheel drive and the 110kW/192Nm 2.0-litre petrol engine, with the most expensive version now $30,990 for the newly named Exceed, down from $37,500 for the turbo-diesel XLS.

Speaking to GoAuto at the launch of the new ES variant, MMAL president and CEO John Signoriello said the reason for introducing the new ES was to lure potential Lancer buyers.

“When you look at ASX, with Lancer basically ceasing production in December, we’ve got 12 months by the time we run out of stock that we create this entry-level Lancer alternative,” he said.

“At $23,490 for the manual, it makes it a pretty lucrative type vehicle in that segment.”

The introduction of the ES has also seen some minor price changes to the rest of the range, with the LS dropping by $10 to $26,990 for the continuously variable transmission (CVT) version, while the petrol XLS – now dubbed Exceed – has been reduced by $1010.

Standard equipment on the ES includes 18-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lights, reversing camera, electric tailgate, 7.0-inch colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio, two Isofix child seat restraints, two USB ports, a rear cargo cover, ABS, active safety control, electronic brakeforce distribution and traction control.

ES CVT buyers looking for more safety features can option the Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) pack for $1500, which adds forward collision mitigation (FCM), lane departure warning (LDW), blind spot monitor (BSM), lane change assist (LCA), rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), rear parking sensors, dusk-sensing headlights, rain-sensing wipers, electrochromatic rearview mirror, indicators on the side mirrors and front foglights.

The LS builds on the specification of the ES, and adds FCM, LDW, rear parking sensors, two-tone alloys, auto high beam, fabric/leather-look seat trim, smart key with one-touch start, leather-look door trim, electrochromatic rearview mirror, rain-sensing wipers and dusk-sensing headlights.

The top-spec Exceed gains BSM, LCA, RCTA, panoramic glass roof, leather seat trim, heated front seats, driver’s power seat, six-speaker audio and chrome exhaust tip.

To the end of August, the ASX has been the best-selling model in the highly competitive small-SUV segment with 12,596 units sold, a 2.7 per cent increase over the same period last year.

It leads the likes of the Mazda CX-3 (11,435), Nissan Qashqai (9421), Subaru XV (9279), and Honda HR-V (8275).

2018 Mitsubishi ASX pricing*