Mitsubishi Express van axed after ‘zero star’ crash test, fallout with Renault 

The reborn Mitsubishi Express van has been dropped in Australia after just three years – having clocked up fewer than 3000 sales – following a ‘zero star’ crash test and a fallout with alliance partner Renault over the need for urgent safety upgrades.

The Mitsubishi Express returned to Australian showrooms as a rebadged Renault Trafic in 2020 after Mitsubishi joined the Nissan-Renault alliance in 2016.

It was the first shared model globally between Mitsubishi and Renault under the new partnership.

The Mitsubishi Express – a Renault Trafic with a new grille and badge – was rushed to market so Mitsubishi could broaden its appeal to local fleet buyers, and to get input into the next-generation model.

When Mitsubishi adopted the Renault Trafic it knew the vehicle would not perform well in ANCAP crash tests – even though it passed the low bar set for government approvals – but the company took a gamble that the independent safety authority might not test the vehicle.

However, about a year after the Mitsubishi Express went on sale, it was slammed for safety after scoring Australia’s first ‘zero star’ score in crash tests.

Fast-forward to today and Mitsubishi Australia has announced the next production run will be the last for the Express as we know it. The company estimates this should be enough to keep the van in showrooms until the end of the year.

Although it says there is a large order bank to fill, in a media statement Mitsubishi Australia said: “After assessing current global business and supply conditions with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, the decision has now been made to cease production of Australian market Mitsubishi Express. (The month of) May will be the final production month for short wheelbase (SWB) variants.”

Mitsubishi Australia says the final batch of Express vans will be short-wheelbase variants, which account for about 40 per cent of the local sales mix.

The only long-wheelbase Mitsubishi Express models available are already in dealer stock.

Mitsubishi blamed the sudden departure of the Mitsubishi Express on supply restrictions and the inability to get access to more long-wheelbase models.

However, Drive understands the Mitsubishi Express was axed due to a fallout between Mitsubishi and Renault about the urgent need for safety upgrades following a zero-star safety rating.

While an updated Renault Trafic with more add-on safety tech is due later this year or early next year, that facelifted model won’t address the structural concerns that led to the shocking crash test score.

Mitsubishi would have had to wait for the next-generation Renault Trafic to get the safety boost it wanted but, Drive understands, the two companies had different priorities in this regard.

Although Renault was the first car giant to earn a five-star safety score of any vehicle two decades ago, history has since shown it is not afraid to cut costs, including on safety features such as rear airbags which were not featured on certain newly-developed Renault passenger cars and SUVs. 

To prevent Renault and others finding work-arounds for five-star safety scores, Euro NCAP and Australasian NCAP had to specifically nominate rear airbags – and rear occupant protection – as a requirement, because a number of car companies had developed vehicles without them.

The latest price list for the Mitsubishi Express is as follows (prices exclude on-road costs such as registration, stamp duty and dealer delivery fees):

Express GLX SWB: $39,040
1.6-litre twin-turbo diesel (103kW/340Nm), 6.2L/100km, six-speed manual

Express GLX SWB: $44,040
2.0-litre turbo-diesel 125kW/380Nm, 7.3L/100km, six-speed twin-clutch auto

Express GLX LWB: $41,040
1.6-litre twin-turbo diesel (103kW/340Nm), 6.2L/100km, six-speed manual

Express GLX LWB: $46,040
2.0-litre turbo-diesel 125kW/380Nm, 7.3L/100km, six-speed twin-clutch auto

Express GLX+ LWB: $46,540
2.0-litre turbo-diesel 125kW/380Nm, 7.3L/100km, six-speed twin-clutch auto