2018 Mitsubishi ASX vs 2019

What's the difference?

It might be an ageing product, but if you're willing to treat the ASX gently then its practicality perks and five-year warranty could still make it smart buying. The top-of-the-range cars are expensive, though, so if it's simple load lugging you're after, consider shopping at the cheaper end of the ASX family.

It might be as old as the hills but the ASX keeps going. It's tempting to say it's on life support, but it still does the job, and with the new ADAS package, there's still life in the old dog. It's also cheaper than before, although why you'd want to spend money on the Exceed when you have everything that's worthwhile in the ES ADAS or LS is beyond me. As for the pick of the range, I'd go for the LS - it has the nicer interior trim and better seats.

The ASX will be with us for a while yet - as the newest member of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, whatever was on the way has been delayed. So for now, the ASX is the roomiest, cheapest and among the best-equipped in its class. It's just a shame it has to be so boring.

Well, it looks big. And I suspect that’s the key selling point here. While most in the small SUV segment shoot for a compact and stylish exterior design, the ASX looks big, bulky and a touch old-school, especially parked next to a Mazda CX-3 or Hyundai Kona.

Viewed front on, Mitsubishi's 'Dynamic Shield' front end looks big and bold, while side-on, the high belt line and bulging wheel arches lend it a tough and rugged look.

Inside, you’ll find a simple and clean layout dominated by a touchscreen in the centre of the dash. Splashes of silver and gloss black lift the general ambience, but some of the materials used feel old-fashioned, especially the rippled rubber-plastic that lines the dash. The switchgear in the cabin - especially the heated seats switch - feel pulled from another era, too.

The early cars were a study in minimalism and looked so bare they could have come straight out of an early Grand Theft Auto game, such was the lack of detailing. These later models feature lashings of chrome and a far less timid approach, on the nose at least. The profile has been the same for the better part of a decade, with just the occasional addition like new wheels or wing mirrors.

The 18-inch wheels give the car a good solid stance and the paint looks pretty good these days. But that's pretty much it. The ASX is a box on wheels with doors that clang when you shut them.

Inside has once again had a going-over. The last proper update to the cabin made it a much better place to be. The part-suede interior of the LS is the one to go for, the Exceed's leather merely adds to the overall cheap-feel. The ASX is entirely unpretentious - no soft plastics, no attempt to cover gaps or blanks (the fifth cupholder is now covered by a dodgy-looking cap) and the switchgear is a mix-and-match arrangement to get the job done. Nothing wrong with that, but it might leave an aesthete twitchy.

Ah, now this could be the secret to the ASX’s success. At 4365mm long, 1810mm wide and 1640mm high, the ASX towers above its nearest competitor on the sales chart, Mazda’s CX-3, in every significant measurement (the Mazda is 4275mm long, 1765mm wide and 1550mm high), and that means there’s a lot more space in the Mitsubishi for people and cargo.

It feels big in the cabin, with two cupholders separating the front seats. A storage shelf sits beneath the air-con switches, and there are two USB points and a power source in the dash, along with a second power source in a very deep storage bin the divides the driver and passenger.

In the back, there’s plenty of room for passengers (another perk of its size), but there’s no USB points or power sources, and no air vents, but there’s a pull-down divider home to two cupholders and there’s two ISOFIX attachment points, one in each window seat in the back.

Seats up, expect 393 litres of luggage space, but that number grows to 1143 litres with the second row folded flat.

Straight up, I'll answer a common question - how many seats? The ASX is as near as you'll get to a five-seater in this segment. Interior photos show generous interior dimensions, its boxy exterior design delivering a good size cabin.

Front seat passengers score a pair of cupholders and a decent-sized central bin with a lid on top doubling as an armrest. Rear seat passengers miss out on many things - there's just one seatback pocket but there are two cupholders in the armrest.

Boot space starts with 393 litres, which is near the top of the class. If it's maximum luggage capacity you're after, drop the 60/40 split-fold rear seat and you'll have 1193 litres.

Despite looking like it's on stilts, the ground clearance is 205mm, which is significantly higher than the segment's low-rider, the Mazda CX-3. As you might expect, if you're this low-slung - and without 4 wheel drive, off-road ability is compromised.

The 4.4m long ASX's turning circle is a small-ish 10.6 metres.

The MY19 upgrade - one of many over the ASX's long and fruitful life - has brought some changes to the price list and a rejig of the available models. There's a new entry-level model, the ES, the mid-point LS and a range-topping Exceed. All pricing is RRP and how much you pay is between you and your dealer. The drive-way price is helpfully listed on the Mitsubishi website, however. Our model comparison features the full price range.

A big change for MY19 is the end of the all-wheel drive (AWD) for the ASX, with just front-wheel drive on offer. So no more AWD option, meaning if you're after an off-road review, you're out of luck.

The new entry-level ES means it's now $1510 cheaper than before for the cheapest ASX.

The ASX now starts at $23,490 for an ES with a manual gearbox and $25,490 for the CVT automatic transmission. The value proposition is pretty reasonable - you get 18-inch alloys, four-speaker stereo, climate control, reversing camera, halogen headlights, leather gear shifter and steering wheel, power folding rear vision mirrors, cruise control, power windows all round, cloth trim and a space saver spare tyre.

The ES ADAS is $26,990 and is essentially the ES with a safety pack, which you can read about in the safety section.

Moving on to the second of the three models, the LS starts at $27,990 and is auto-only - so no manual transmission. To the ES spec you can add keyless entry and start, the 'ADAS' safety package, rear parking sensors, fog lights, auto high beam, auto headlights and wipers and partial leather seats with fake suede inserts (which are rather good, actually).

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The ES and LS comes with a four-speaker sound system while the top of the range Exceed scores six speakers. All of them have the same 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system. What is standard across the range is iPhone and Android integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto respectively. The new screen looks good and the updated software is easy to use, but it's not very well integrated - for instance, Apple CarPlay's clock disappears off the edge of the screen.

There is no sat nav (hmmm) or CD player (far enough, it's 2018), but there is digital radio, Bluetooth connectivity and a baffling screen that displays your GPS co-ordinates.

There are seven colours available - black, 'Lightning Blue', 'Titanium' (grey, obviously), red, 'Sterling Silver' and 'Starlight' all cost an extra $590 while white is a freebie. Not surprisingly, orange and brown are off the menu.

Our ASX XLS  was equipped with a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine good for 110kW at 3500rpm and 360Nm at 1500rpm. It pairs with a six-speed automatic transmission and sends its power to all four wheels.

The ASX's model simplification extends to the drivetrain. Gone is AWD and diesel, leaving just one petrol engine. The engine specs read fairly adequately - the 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder delivers 110kW/197Nm. As with the rest of the segment, engine size and power seems to be legislated to almost these exact specifications.

The 0-100 acceleration performance is best described as leisurely and noisy. The motor, codenamed 4B11, uses a chain rather than timing belt, which should help keep service costs down and improve long-term reliability. The 4B11 is capable of producing a lot more horsepower, but sadly the version of the engine in the Evo X is not available.

On the upside, this simplicity means no turbo problems or diesel problems and in this unstressed spec, engine problems are unlikely to occur with regular servicing.

Power reaches the front wheels through Mitsubishi's ubiquitous continuously variable transmission (CVT). LS buyers can choose a less than bang-up-to-date five-speed manual, but that's probably down to the fact almost nobody buys a manual.

If you're interested in the tank size, oil type and weight, the owners manual lists these things. The CVT seems a hardy if unspectacular unit, so gearbox problems appear unusual in my sweep of the usual internet forums. The CVT's abilities, however, are another thing entirely.

Towing capacity is rated at 750kg unbraked and 1300kg braked.

Just in case you're wondering, there is no LPG (or gas) option.

Mitsubishi claims a fairly frugal 6.0 litres per hundred kilometres on the combined cycle, with emissions pegged at 160g/km of CO2.

The ASX is fitted with a big-for-the-segment 60-litre tank.

Mitsubishi says the ASX's fuel economy figures are 7.6L/100km of 91 RON petrol. Fuel tank capacity is listed at 63 litres. If you can eke out this sticker figure mileage you could squeeze out nearly 800km of range. We found its real-world fuel consumption is closer to 11.5L/100km in a mix of city and highway driving.

At the risk of sounding overly harsh, the ASX excels at mediocrity. But I really don’t mean that in a bad way.

It’s more that, should you never ask too much of it, the ASX is more than happy to navigate everything from suburban streets to freeways, the torque from the diesel engine keeping the Mitsubishi powering along smoothly and happily. It’s not the fastest nor most dynamic vehicle in its segment, but it does everything you would normally ask of it without fuss or bother.

But it’s when you delve deeper into its dynamic prowess that the holes start to appear, and the biggest by far is refinement, or lack thereof.

That diesel engine feels harsh under heavy acceleration, but more worryingly, the steering wheel can tug hard to the right when you plant your foot. That’s not too bad if you’re expecting it, but I suspect it could prove dangerous if it was to catch you off guard.

That said, there’s ample power on offer to shift the ASX away from the lights, and it’s a nice and easy drive in the city and further afield if you're gentle with it. Some might suggest the ride is a touch too firm, but I for one prefer to feel connected to the road rather than distanced from it.

And so the big drawback here is simply age, with the drivetrain feeling out-of-pace with modern rivals. A fact that appears to be hurting sales exactly not at all.

The ASX is the archetypal appliance on wheels. It's one of the least involving cars you will ever drive. The inconsistently-weighted steering completely insulates you from the road. It seems to need an extra quarter turn to do anything and that gets tired pretty quickly.

The CVT auto is rudimentary at best, completely outclassed by that in the Honda HR-V. The pronounced rubber band feel is something that takes some time to get used to and requires a keen eye on the speedo.

The all-around independent suspension promises much but delivers the workmanlike performance of a bored politician who knows they're resigning before the next election. Sharp bumps resonate through the cabin and body control is lacking - turn the wheel left to right and it ties itself up in knots. But once you're up to speed, it's a comfortable rider.

The safety systems seem to work reasonably well, although we did find the reverse cross traffic alert to have longer range sensors than the Starship Enterprise.

Across the range you get seven airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, reversing camera and emergency brake assist.

If you need to load up a baby car seat, there are three top-tether anchor points and two ISOFIX anchors.

In the interests of transparency and for an opportunity to self-deprecate for your amusement, about a year ago I wrote that the ASX was missing advanced safety systems and was unlikely to see them anytime soon.

A few weeks later, Mitsubishi released an update which included forward AEB, something that is standard on its CX-3 rival.

Kudos to Mitsubishi for upping its warranty to five years (unlike Toyota, Mazda and others), meaning the ASX is covered for five years/100,000km. There’s also four years of roadside assistance, and capped-price servicing for three years - the latter limiting maintenance costs to $1130 for the first three services over 36 months.

The ASX now has a five-year/100,000km warranty with one year of roadside assist in the form of membership to your state or territory's motoring organisation (eg RACV, RACT, NRMA). The three-year capped price servicing regime also includes extending that membership another 12 months.

Each service will cost you $240 which isn't especially cheap nor is it overly-pricey. Annoyingly, the car demands to be returned to the dealer at the 1000km mark for a free look-over.

A quick search reveals an absence of common problems, faults or issues. It seems a pretty solid sort of car, with few common complaints from owners. Resale value is heavily dependent on the model, with early cars not doing as well as later updates.