The latest ASX is unique enough from its Renault donor to satisfy the Japanese car giant, with no in-house successor in sight.
The new Mitsubishi ASX for Australia – a Renault Captur with a different front bumper and badges – has enough of the Japanese firm’s DNA to feel like a Mitsubishi, the brand claims.
Mitsubishi engineering fellow Kaoru Sawase told Australian media at the Tokyo motor show he is “happy” with the Renault partnership that has spawned a more efficient and advanced, but smaller and more expensive successor to the 15-year-old ASX.
The global boss of Mitsubishi, Takao Kato, admitted to Australian media in 2023 that “people know that is a vehicle from Renault and not a real Mitsubishi”, in regards to an earlier iteration of the car with even fewer visual differences.
It appears Mitsubishi’s tune has changed on the latest iteration of a long-time top seller.
“As for design, we have requested many changes that have been incorporated,” Sawase-san said through a translator.
“But as for the other characteristics and technology, in principle, that hasn't been touched."
Pressed on whether it is ‘Mitsubishi enough’ for his liking, Sawase-san replied “yeah”, before adding through a translator: “I'm happy with Renault.”
The latest version of the Renault-based ASX chosen for introduction in Australia wears a different front bumper to its French donor, unlike the pre-updated 2023 model, which only swapped out the black plastic grille insert used to carry the Renault badge.
Less Mitsubishi-like is the price, which starts from $37,740 plus on-road costs – $13,250 more than the cheapest version of the outgoing ASX, and not far off the entry price of the much larger Outlander SUV.
It is built in Spain, increasing shipping distances – and therefore, cost – while incurring a 5 per cent import tariff applied to European-made, non-electric cars at its price point.
There is more equipment than the old ASX, however – as the line-up opens with the mid-grade LS – as well as a newer platform, more advanced engine, and upgraded technology.
The need to offer the French-origin SUV locally was accelerated by the demise of the Japanese-made, 15-year-old ASX under new advanced safety-technology mandates in early 2025 that it could not meet.
Kato-san told Australian media in 2023 that a genuine ASX successor for Australia, developed by Mitsubishi, was on the wish list, possibly with electrified power.
It was suggested that Mitsubishi could have the long-term future of its small SUV decided by the end of 2023, but it has not eventuated, and there has been little comment by company executives outside of Australia on the matter since.
Should an electrified ASX successor be developed in-house, it would use Mitsubishi-developed hybrid technology, rather than a system borrowed from Alliance partners Renault or Nissan.
“Renault has its own hybrid technology, so does Nissan and Mitsubishi,” said Sawase-san through a translator.
“Each brand assumes different ways of that car being used, or aiming for different characters and [has] different aims and goals.
“So, as for these technologies, each company will pose that technology to head towards the aim and the goal that they want to achieve. That leads to the differentiation of each brand.”
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
