Chery boss confirms iCar brand for Australia
Chery's iCar brand has been confirmed for launch in Australia, where it will join the Chinese carmaker's namesake brand, as well as Jaecoo and Omoda.
The news was confirmed by Chery International president Zhang Guibling at the recent Shanghai motor show, where the new Chery-owned EV brand presented its three-model lineup comprising the 03, 03T and V23 compact electric SUVs.
While iCar was launched exclusively as an EV brand in China in April 2023, Chery's export boss indicated that Australia will also receive extended-range electric vehicle (EREV – dubbed by iCar as REV) powertrains, which he acknowledged were more suitable for the longer distance travelled by Australians.
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'iCar launched in China as an EV [brand]. But very quickly we will introduce REVs. The REV will address range anxiety, so I'm sure Australian customers will appreciate it,' said Mr Guibling.
'We are trying to make a difference. iCar is a completely different brand for Chery, and in the future we want to provide a different experience to different customers.'
No local launch timing or model rollout plan was provided for the iCar brand in Australia, but Mr Guibling confirmed EREV development was already underway. iCar V23 Credit: CarExpert
However, iCar will remain a brand name for China's domestic market only; for export markets including Australia, Chery's boxy adventure vehicle brand will assume the name iCaur due to a trademark dispute.
It's unclear whether Australians will be offered all three iCar EVs currently sold in China, all of which borrow their bluff design cues from hardcore off-road icons like the Jeep Wrangler, Land Rover Defender, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Suzuki Jimny.
The iCar 03 was first to launch in 2023, in both single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive forms, offering a CLTC range of up to 501km from CATL battery capacities of up to 69.7kWh, and featuring a 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 9.2-inch digital instrument cluster and solar panels on the roof to increase range. iCar V23 Credit: CarExpert
It has since been rebadged for various markets including Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, with names such as the Jaecoo 6 and Chery J6.
The more rugged, higher-performance iCar 03T followed in 2024, bringing upgraded mechanicals, more overt off-road styling including wider wheel-arches, vertical LED lighting and extra off-road equipment.
The V23 is the newest, smallest and most distinctive member of the iCar family. The compact four-seat electric SUV gains a 15.4-inch touchscreen with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 processor, advanced driver assist systems, and both DC fast-charging and vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality. iCar 03T Credit: CarExpert
Priced from just RMB 99,800 ($A21,425) in China, the retro-styled V23 attracted more than 31,000 pre-orders within hours of its launch in China.
The entry-level version – with a 100kW and 180Nm electric motor, 47.3kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and approximately 301km of driving range on the lenient CLTC cycle – is also available with a slightly larger 59.9kWh battery, capable of delivering about 401km of driving range.
Flagship V23s – powered by a dual-motor powertrain with 155kW and 292Nm, an 81.8kWh NMC battery and 501km of claimed driving range – are priced from RMB139,800 (~A$31,000). iCar 03T Credit: CarExpert
Despite the relatively low outputs, iCar claims single-motor V23s can accelerate from 0-50km/h in 4.8 seconds, while dual-motor versions take 3.5 seconds. 0-100km/h sprint times haven't been disclosed.
Measuring 4220mm long, 1915mm wide and 1845mm tall on a 2730mm wheelbase, the V23 is larger across every dimension than the Suzuki Jimny XL, and has an approach angle of 43 degrees, a departure angle of 41 degrees and, in all-wheel drive guise, ground clearance of 212mm.
Single-motor versions are fitted with 19-inch wheels as standard, while dual-motor versions get 21-inch alloys. Under the skin there's five-link rear suspension, while buyers can also option off-road suitable tyres. iCar 03T Credit: CarExpert
In the rear, the two second-row seats can be folded flat, providing up to 774 litres of space.
CarExpert understands Chery Australia has been pushing for iCar's local launch for some time, following its relaunch as a factory distributor in 2023, when it released the Omoda 5 small SUV.
It was followed by the Tiggo 7 Pro mid-size SUV, and last year the larger Tiggo 8 Pro and the Tiggo 4 Pro light SUV, which has become its top-seller and helped drive a 114 per cent sales increase in 2024. iCar 03T Credit: CarExpert
Chery sales were up a further 216 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, and should continue to increase with the launch of more new models including plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8, plus a plugless hybrid version of the Tiggo 4 with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine.
There's also a premium, three-row Tiggo 9 Hybrid on the way and expected to arrive in the fourth quarter of 2025 – possibly in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations.
The latter would offer more performance from the same 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine backed by an electric motor and a larger 18.3kWh battery.
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Mitsubishi ASX Pros Mitsubishi ASX Cons The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX. Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details. A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed. The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019. Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone. Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option. I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however. The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings. Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment. Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here. Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range. Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well. The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression. Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start. Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car. Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny. Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now. Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car. The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy. The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run. Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment. The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress… The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high. Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees. The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top. Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front. The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom. Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it. If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats. Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats. Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option. We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute. Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems. You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals. There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES. There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems. And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway. The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark. The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear. That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades. Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too. Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss. As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either. The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler. Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass. That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts… The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one? The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup. 2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights: ES adds: ASX ES Street adds: ASX LS adds (over ES): ASX MR adds (over ES): ASX GSR adds (over LS): ASX Exceed adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated. This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively. Standard safety equipment includes: ES adds: LS adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership. If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km. Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now." We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since. The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed. It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic. The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap. Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX. While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX. If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package. Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX Content originally sourced from: ASX Pros Mitsubishi ASX Cons The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX. Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details. A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed. The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019. Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone. Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option. I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however. The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings. Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment. Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here. Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range. Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well. The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression. Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start. Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car. Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny. Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now. Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car. The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy. The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run. Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment. The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress… The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high. Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees. The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top. Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front. The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom. Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it. If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats. Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats. Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option. We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute. Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems. You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals. There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES. There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems. And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway. The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark. The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear. That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades. Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too. Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss. As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either. The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler. Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass. That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts… The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one? The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup. 2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights: ES adds: ASX ES Street adds: ASX LS adds (over ES): ASX MR adds (over ES): ASX GSR adds (over LS): ASX Exceed adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated. This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively. Standard safety equipment includes: ES adds: LS adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership. If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km. Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now." We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since. The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed. It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic. The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap. Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX. While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX. If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package. Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX Content originally sourced from: ASX Pros Mitsubishi ASX Cons The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX. Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details. A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed. The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019. Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone. Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option. I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however. The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings. Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment. Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here. Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range. Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well. The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression. Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start. Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car. Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny. Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now. Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car. The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy. The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run. Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment. The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress… The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high. Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees. The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top. Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front. The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom. Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it. If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats. Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats. Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option. We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute. Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems. You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals. There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES. There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems. And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway. The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark. The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear. That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades. Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too. Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss. As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either. The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler. Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass. That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts… The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one? The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup. 2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights: ES adds: ASX ES Street adds: ASX LS adds (over ES): ASX MR adds (over ES): ASX GSR adds (over LS): ASX Exceed adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated. This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively. Standard safety equipment includes: ES adds: LS adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership. If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km. Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now." We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since. The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed. It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic. The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap. Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX. While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX. If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package. Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX Content originally sourced from: ASX Pros Mitsubishi ASX Cons The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX. Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details. A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed. The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019. Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone. Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option. I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however. The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings. Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment. Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here. Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range. Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well. The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression. Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start. Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car. Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny. Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now. Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car. The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy. The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run. Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment. The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress… The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high. Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees. The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top. Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front. The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom. Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it. If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats. Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats. Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option. We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute. Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems. You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals. There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES. There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems. And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway. The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark. The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear. That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades. Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too. Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss. As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either. The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler. Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass. That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts… The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one? The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup. 2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights: ES adds: ASX ES Street adds: ASX LS adds (over ES): ASX MR adds (over ES): ASX GSR adds (over LS): ASX Exceed adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated. This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively. Standard safety equipment includes: ES adds: LS adds: To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership. If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km. Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first. To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool. We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now." We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since. The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed. It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic. The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap. Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX. While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX. If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package. Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX Content originally sourced from:
