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Road Test
stylish, compact and comfortable

We review the Mitsubishi ASX from price to economy and all its features

THE ASX is Mitsubishi’s rival for the Nissan Qashqai in the fast-growing crossover section where compact SUVs and family cars merge.

To make sure you know it’s a Mitsubishi, it gets the instantly recognisable face of the Lancer hatchback with the deep gaping grille — like the mouth of a shark that’s about to have dinner.

So you stand out for the right reason from the front — its best angle. Both the side and rear profile feature neat but more predictable styling. At 14ft it’s shorter than the Lancer hatchback, which shows how compact the ASX is for a crossover.

The back is ideal for kids but tall adults will struggle for knee room there with a tall driver.

The interior is neat and well laid out — typically Mitsubishi.

It feels well screwed together but some of the plastics and materials don’t feel like a car priced from nearly £15,000.

The ASX is aimed at families rather than the Evo driving enthusiast but still delivers a comfortable ride with reassuringly positive handling.

 

 

It’s also agile compared to the firm’s bigger 4x4s — just don’t expect any dynamic sparkle. That said, you get a very efficient new 1.8litre diesel engine with useful performance for a car this size — and an economy that will impress families watching the pennies.

Coupled with a stop/start system linked to regenerative braking — all aimed at preserving fuel — the ASX returns an excellent 51mpg.

And unlike so many other official car figures this is attainable — I managed 52mpg in eco mode.

The ASX also comes up trumps when it comes to CO2, which drops to 145g/km — a far cry from the emissions of Mitsubishi’s cars, never mind 4x4s, of the past.

As a versatile family hatchback, it makes plenty of sense, with useful boot space of 442 litres which expands to 1,193 with the rear seats folded.

And like its rivals, the ASX will come with the option of two or four-wheel drive, depending on your need and budget. For me its makes more sense as a two-wheel drive powered by a refined 1.6litre petrol engine (47mpg) at £14,999.

The 1.8litre diesel starts at £18,725 for the two-wheel drive but starts to look expensive when you go to four-wheel drive, with prices from £20,229 to £22,229.

While the ASX doesn’t bring anything new to the crossover party, at the lower end of the price scale it will appeal to people looking for a safe, reasonably stylish and sensible buy.