There’s no question that Mitsubishi’s two most important vehicles are the Outlander and ASX, the latter of which is known as the Outlander Sport in North America. The former just got a redesign and now shares its underpinnings with the Nissan Rogue, which uses the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s CMF-C/D architecture. Now, we finally get a glimpse of the next-generation Mitsubishi ASX and Outlander Sport thanks to a couple of sketches from the company’s German division along with juicy powertrain details.
The two teaser photos of the new Mitsubishi ASX don’t give you much to see. One was already shown earlier this year when the alliance announced its electrification offensive. That shot shows a curvier crossover with a large Mitsubishi logo dead center and a new take on the brand’s shield grille. A second teaser shot has been added with this recent announcement, showing the new ASX badge and Mitsubishi spelled out across the tailgate. Considering that this is a subcompact SUV, expect the new model to slot below the larger Outlander and Eclipse Cross, serving as the entry point to the brand’s lineup.
At least for Europe, there will be five engine options including two hybrids, which are what we’re interested in. Both use a 1.6-liter four-cylinder coupled to two electric motors, a 1.3-kWh battery, and a multi-mode transmission, which is likely a planetary gear set. If that sounds familiar to you that’s because this is the same system in the Juke Hybrid revealed earlier this year and the upcoming Mitsubishi Colt hatchback. The plug-in hybrid variant swaps in a larger 10.5-kWh battery, which should allow the ASX to travel in all-electric mode for a good bit. Combined output ratings are 145 hp for the standard hybrid and 160 hp for the plug-in hybrid. Mitsubishi didn’t say if the electrified ASX models will get AWD but we wouldn’t be surprised if they did. Instead of a mechanical AWD system, it’ll be an e-AWD unit because one electric drive motor will be mounted on the rear axle.
The ASX/Outlander Sport PHEV will be the third plug-in hybrid model in Mitsubishi’s lineup following the Outlander and Eclipse Cross. A new generation of the former joins the U.S. lineup later this year with more powerful electric motors, a 20-kWh battery, and an updated 2.4-liter four-cylinder. At least in other markets, Mitsubishi claims the 2023 Outlander PHEV can travel more than 50 miles in all-electric mode and has a total range of around 600 miles courtesy of a larger fuel tank. The Eclipse Cross PHEV uses an older version of this powertrain with a smaller 13.8-kWh battery, and less powerful electric motors resulting in a combined output of 221 hp.
Of the 102,037 units sold by Mitsubishi in the United States for 2021, the Outlander and ASX/Outlander Sport contributed more than half of that volume with 34,216 of that number consisting of the latter. This highlights the Outlander Sports in the U.S. because it’s contributing to Mitsubishi’s success in the region. Adding an electrified powertrain in the era of sky-high gas prices will only strengthen its appeal, especially if priced right.
The new Mitsubishi ASX is scheduled to make its world debut in September. It will be the second vehicle in Mitsubishi’s lineup to move to an alliance platform, and like its big brother, it’ll be on the CMF-C/D architecture. Expect the ASX to make its way to the U.S. wearing the Outlander Sport nameplate for the 2024 model year.
