All-new Mitsubishi ASX based on Renault Captur

After almost 15 years on sale in Australia, the Mitsubishi ASX is finally set to be replaced – due to new Australian Design Rules.

Mitsubishi announced a new ASX will be coming to the Australian market, with the model to be based on the Renault Captur – rather than the futuristic-looking Xforce, which was developed primarily for Southeast Asian markets.

While Mitsubishi has sold the Captur-based ASX in Europe for several years, it’s believed executives from the company’s Australian arm were reluctant to bring the model in given the Renault's local standing – which sold less than a thousand vehicles in 2023.

However, the Renault Captur does comply with the new Australian Design Rules (ADRs), which will soon require all new cars to have car-to-car autonomous emergency braking – something the ougoing ASX lacks.

The changeover is expected to push prices up by as much as $10,000, with the current ASX one of only two small SUVs from a Japanese manufacturer priced at less than $25,000 drive-away – the other being the Suzuki Ignis.

But sourcing the new model from Renault does provide Mitsubishi with the opportunity to offer a plug-in hybrid ASX – offering up to 45 kilometres of electric-only driving range – with the brand becoming known for its plug-in hybrid models.

While unlikely to be offered in Australia, the vehicle is available with a wide range of engines in Europe – including diesel and dual-fuel options with LPG.

Despite its age, the ASX remains a strong seller for Mitsubishi, with the company recording more than 12,300 sales in 2024 – with only the Hyundai Kona, the GWM Haval Jolion, and the Mazda CX-30 managing to outsell the ASX over the year.