Mitsubishi ASX: Absolutely Yes!
MITSUBISHI ASX
ABSOLUTELY YES!
Words: Giorgio Conti
Photography: Ilario Villani
I always thought that choosing to name a car with an alphanumeric acronym instead of a real name is a bit like depriving it of a proper soul. A name that represents an animal, an object, or no matter what else, triggers a mechanism that unknowingly seems to send us inputs, even before we open the door and get on board. The case of the ASX, recently updated by Mitsubishi, is one of these – in Japan, we often have alphanumeric lists that symbolize project names or abbreviations of the name thought in the design phase but reading that on the back of a car does not let us understand really what we are talking about.
The ASX remains a small-sized SUV with front or all-wheel-drive traction at driver’s request, which, above all for the well-known urban use of these vehicles, facilitates fuel economy and overall weight. Equipped with five doors and five comfortable seats, the ASX we’ve tested is the one with the most generous diesel engine, a 2.2-liter with 150-horsepower out of its inline 4-cylinder, which thanks to only 1.615kg of weight allows a discreet pace around town and on secondary roads. The turbocharged diesel is not silent but the general feeling when you’re on board is that of a modern car, comfortable for long journeys and perfectly comfortable for everyday’s life of those who decide to take it home. There is an automatic gearbox, a 6-gears to be precise, that helps to juggle traffic while the infotainment system is not completely equipped with all you could expect looking at today’s standards – plus it is integrated into the center of the dashboard and is framed in a glossy black plastic that does not agree with dust and the reflections of the sun. But keeping in mind the main things, the ASX has great qualities, starting from the good ground clearance, which makes it a proper off-roader when the road becomes awful, passing through the chrome front details that give it a more sophisticated look than some of its rivals. Looking at it in its entirety, being young and delightful, without necessarily striving for a specific type of customer – the ASX can please everyone, especially once driven.
I drove several kilometers at the wheel of the new Mitsubishi ASX and did not find a fault to be mentioned, noting how the Company from Japan has further refined the proposal from its previous model. The visibility is great and the steering preicse, while at the performance level you will not miss the lack of a more powerful engine, as the excellent 360Nm of torque is already available at just 1,500 rpm. I had my good expectations, but the evidence of the facts has been widely repaid. A solid, reliable, brilliant and, above all, effective car – you will not lose yourself in unnecessary details and steadily increasing sales show this is the right path. Yours from about € 22,000 (petrol), prices rise up depending on the version you choose.
MITSUBISHI ASX (2017-)
Layout – front-engined, front/all-wheel-drive
Engine – 4 cylinder 2.268cc – turbodiesel
Transmission – 6-speed automatic gearbox
Power – 150 hp @ 3.500 rpm
360 Nm @ 1.500 rpm
Weight – 1.615 kg
Acceleration – 10,8 sec.
Top Speed – 190 kph
Price – from € 31.690