People don’t understand the point of mood lighting. On a recent overseas flight, sitting in economy class with the sounds of snores permeating through the cabin, I noticed the gentle hues of the business-class mood lighting through the aisle curtain. Which in comparison to the factory-floor type lighting above our heads was certainly a soothing and happier place. Very relaxing.
Mitsubishi’s new ASX compact crossover has cottoned on to this concept, and is the only car I’ve ever driven with mood lighting LEDs surrounding a massive panoramic sunroof. Which means that at night, with the (electrically operable) roof slider peeled completely back, you get the full-on night sky experience matched with a warm orange glow. Yup, very pleasant.
The recently-launched ASX is the Japanese carmaker’s first all-new vehicle in the last two years, and is a compact crossover which completes the brand’s SUV range with large, medium and (now) small sizes.
South Africa – unlike overseas markets – only gets front-wheel drive models. Which is a little unfortunate as the ASX has decent-enough ground clearance and gets into the veld with rivals like Hyundai’s ix35, SsangYong’s new Korando and VW’s Tiguan – all of which offer local customers all-wheel drive models.
Not to mention Mitsubishi’s side-sliding, dust-snorting, all-wheel drive expertise honed in championships like WRC and the Dakar Rally – which could make for a very capable all-wheel-drive ASX from a technology point of view.
The other battle it fights against competitors stems from under the bonnet, with South African buyers only having the choice of a naturally-aspirated 2-litre making 110kW and 197Nm – mated to either a 5-speed manual or Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). On test here is the three-pedalled version.
The name, ASX, stands for Active Sporty Crossover, which I think describes more the look than the nature of the beast. It’s a catchy design, with an especially interesting front end. Look closely and tell me you don’t see an almost-carbon copy of Darth Vader’s mask design in that sharp grille. The lights are also very Samurai, which is cool. There’s definitely a bit of the Outlander range in the penmanship too, and according to Mitsubishi the ASX shares some chassis components with its bigger sibling (and the Lancer sedan too).
The cabin is certainly upper-end and offers quite a premium feel. Like most cars in the segment the ASX offers a elevated and commanding captain’s seat, which in our highly-specced unit was also the only electric seat. The window line in relation to the seating height also made for good all-round visibility.
From a practicality point of view I was grateful that there was a solid sliding cover to shelter you from the sun through the panoramic roof – we’ve had cars with netted covers which make for scalded scalps and additional interior heat. And yes, a massive glass roof does pose a few crime risks too.
Unusual was a big, standalone information button on the driver’s side for the onboard computer. Unlike most cars which require fiddling with stalks this big button made for easy and convenient access to the various menus.
Rear legroom was above average, and seats all round quite comfy – in more a sofa than supportive kind of way. And I don’t normally mention body colours, but our test unit was finished in an unusal turqouise colour which worked nicely and really stood out. Let’s be honest: turqouise is a difficult colour to pull off.
The engine, though quite smooth, didn’t feel like it shared any emotional ancestory with powerplants like the force-fed snorters in the Evo range. I felt the gear ratios were a bit short, with the rev needle hovering at just over the 3 000rpm mark at 120km/h in fifth – a sixth gear would not have been a bad idea. Fuel consumption averaged 9.3l/100km, which is not too bad.
I also occasionally noticed that when changing into the next gear – after coming off the throttle – that the revs would hold higher up for a bit. Which in technical terms would indicate a heavy flywheel, but in real terms tended to be an annoyance. Engine noise seemed above average too, but I doubt buyers would really notice.
On the handling front the ASX felt soft, bordering on wallowy, which may be a problem against some the competitors. The Tiguan and iX35, both of which I’ve driven, seemed in my opinion to have sharper road manners.
The anchors were impressive though, worthy of mention and offering sharp stopping power.
VERDICT
According to Mitsubishi, SUVs account for approximately 10 percent of the South African market, which is expected to increase to 15 percent over the next five years. The compact part of this SUV segment accounts for a tidy 40 percent, making compact SUVs almost half of all SUVs purchased locally. The ASX range, dependent on spec level, is priced between R279 900 and R319 900 – which is there or thereabouts against the front-wheel drive versions of the competitors mentioned.
On the whole the ASX doesn’t raise any warning flags and is actually quite a pleasant little crossover. It also provides a viable alternative to some of the baby SUVs in our price guide.