2017 Mitsubishi ASX receives update at New York

Mitsubishi is set to give its ASX small SUV yet another small update that will arrive locally near the end of the year, with the ageing crossover entering its eighth year on sale and continuing to perform strongly on the sales charts.

Set to be revealed at the New York motor show next week, the ASX will receive updates such as a redesigned front fascia, LED daytime running lights and a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Despite its age, the ASX is the Japanese brand's second best-selling vehicle behind the Triton, registering 18,126 sales in 2016 behind the Triton's 21,897.

This year it is still on pace to be the brand's second best-selling model, racking up 3599 sales in the first three months of the year, compared to 5815 for the Triton.

It is also a big seller in the hotly contested small SUV segment, finishing second last year behind the Mazda CX-3, which trumped the ASX by only 208 sales, however, the CX-3 has opened up a sales lead of nearly 1000 units to start 2017.

Changes to the New York-bound model include a tweaked front fascia that features a black mesh grille and the inclusion of LED daytime running lights that were removed in last year's refresh.

Inside the cabin is a 7.0-inch touchscreen that is now compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The updates to the ASX more closely represented a model year update as opposed to a bigger mid-life refresh.

The New York-bound ASX will also come with an optional Touring Package that includes a panoramic roof as well as a suite of safety features including forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning, automatic high beam, rear-view camera and noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) improvements.

It is unknown if the package will be offered in Australia, however, Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) director of sales Tony Principe hinted that the ASX would be receiving upgrades to driver safety aides, to match the upcoming Eclipse Cross.

Mr Principe also said that the updates to the ASX more closely represented a model year update as opposed to a bigger mid-life refresh.

"It's a bit of tinkering with some of the features and styling. We're obviously trying to bring in a lot of the safety stuff. Basically we want to keep them competitive. That's the key," he said.

The ASX is a popular vehicle with rental fleets, where it registers strong sales numbers, but Mr Principe said that the interest from private buyers was still strong.

"They (rental car companies) say our resale values are fantastic, and it's a very popular car with all of the rental car companies," he said. 

"They're going to keep ringing us, wanting to take more, and we're constantly pushing back. Unfortunately, there's a limited production coming out of MMC and we're trying to balance our relationship with the rental car companies."

Does Mitsubishi need to roll out an all-new version of the ASX, or are regular updates enough to maintain its popularity? Tell us what you think in the comments below.