With the next-generation Mitsubishi ASX is winding its way through the government approval process, we now know what will power the restyled Renault Captur.
Details gleaned from a government website reveal the new Renault-built ASX will be available with just one drivetrain option: a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine making 113kW at 5500rpm mated to a seven-speed automated dual-clutch transmission driving the front wheels.
It seems as though the new ASX uses the same drivetrain that was available in the pre-facelift Renault Captur. In the European Captur/ASX range, the same engine is sold with a 12V mild-hybrid system, and is rated at 116kW.
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This means the new ASX will miss out, at least initially, on the wide variety of drivetrains available in Europe. These include a clutch of less powerful petrol models, and a 119kW hybrid.
In Australia, the second-generation ASX will be launched with three trim levels: LS, Aspire, and Exceed. The base LS rides on 17-inch alloy wheels, while the Aspire and Exceed have larger 18-inch rims. Other specifications for the ASX have yet to be revealed or discovered.
In Europe the ASX/Captur is available with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a new 10.4-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment system, which runs Google’s automotive operating system, and supports both wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Thanks to Australian Design Rule 98/00, which mandates specific technical requirements for autonomous emergency braking systems, Mitsubishi was forced axe the first-generation ASX. Launched in 2010, the ASX has garnered strong sales thanks to its value-for-money price.
Its replacement is basically a lightly restyled version of the facelifted second-generation Renault Captur. Visually the differences between the two cars are limited to different grille, bumper treatments, and, of course, badging.
The new ASX will be built by Renault in Valladolid, Spain alongside the Captur. Thanks to its European roots, the new model will lose its pricing trump card. While the outgoing ASX was priced from $24,490 to $35,240 before on-road costs, the pre-facelift Renault Captur retailed for $33,000 to $39,500 before on-roads.
It will be interesting to see how well the new ASX sells, not only in relation to the old model, but also compared to the Captur, which is due to return to the Australian market later this year. The Captur has always been small player on the Australian scene, but the Mitsubishi brand is much better known Down Under and the company has a much more extensive dealer network.
Mitsubishi is undoubtedly hoping it will be more successful than the last rebadged Renault it sold in Australia: the Renault Trafic-based Express, which debuted in 2020, and was axed by 2022.
Aside from the Captur-based ASX, Mitsubishi also sells the Clio-based Colt and Symbioz-based Grandis in Europe.