- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
110kW, 197Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 7.7L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
5 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2014)
Mitsubishi ASX used car reviewed
- Compact size for city work.
- Front-wheel-drive variant made sense.
- Good safety in last version.
- Petrol engine could feel a bit gutless.
- CVT transmission felt a bit alien to many.
- Early diesel option was manual only.
It’s been around for what seems like ages and, in fact, seven or eight years is a pretty good innings for any sort of car these days.
But the Mitsubishi ASX’s longevity probably has more to do with development budgets (or lack of them) than it does about the ensuring nature of the actual design.
That said, the ASX has served Mitsubishi pretty well and with no pressing need to replace the compact SUV, a range of freshen-ups has kept the concept bubbling along in the market.
The early versions of the ASX were available with either a petrol or turbo-diesel engine with the option of all or front-wheel-drive and a conventional manual or CVT gearbox on the petrol.
If you wanted the then-sexy turbo-diesel, however, you had to take it with all-wheel-drive only and with a six-speed manual transmission, a fact that hamstrung sales somewhat at a time when a diesel engine with an automatic transmission was the big wish-list item.
But without a suitable automatic gearbox, Mitsubishi had to tough it out until 2012 when such a combination finally arrived with the ASX’s first facelift.
Even then, it wasn’t that simple and to get two pedal operation in a diesel, you had to pony up for the more expensive 2.2-litre variant with a conventional six-speed automatic (not a CVT) while the original 1.8-litre diesel continued on only as a manual.
Things changed again with the 2014 facelift when the 1.8-litre turbo-diesel disappeared from the price-list, leaving the 2.2-litre automatic to continue as an all-wheel-drive and the petrol becoming a front-drive only deal.
A further nip and tuck for 2016 brought the new corporate front end while the drivelines remained the same.
With all that in mind, you really need to know what you’re looking at with an ASX and make sure that you’re not paying facelifted money for a pre-facelift example.
Regardless of all that specification shuffling, the ASX remained a compact little SUV capable of running around the burbs or venturing on to the freeway if required.
It didn’t exactly rewrite the rules of engagement in its market segment, nor did it raise the bar in any major way. But it wasn’t a bad performer for the brand and those who bought them new generally seem a pretty happy bunch. Which is not to say that there aren’t a few things to watch out for.
Actually, the ASX has been involved in a raft of recalls for all sorts of problems, so it would be wise to have any new purchase checked out by a Mitsubishi dealer who will know what recalls affected what cars and whether they’ve been attended to or not.
One relatively fresh problem that has surfaced has come about as the ASX ages and racks up more kilometres, and has to do with the build-up of soot inside the turbo-diesel engine. In extreme cases, it seems that this soot can actually clog the piston rings, reducing their effectiveness and allowing combustion pressure into the crankcase. In turn, this can actually melt the pistons and destroy the engine, so you should never ignore a check-engine light on a diesel ASX.
Still on the diesel engine, the particulate filter also needs to regenerate itself from time to time and, if the car hasn’t been driven over a distance at highway speeds for a while, the ASX can take things into its own hands. As part of that process, the computer instructs the fuel system to inject more fuel into the cylinders to try to get the exhaust up to the temperature required to regenerate the filter.
The problem – and it’s by no means restricted to Mitsubishi – is that some of that excess fuel finds its way past the piston rings and into the sump where it dilutes the engine oil. Eventually, the oil can become so degraded that it’s incapable of lubricating the engine, at which point terminal damage occurs.
Other known problems with the ASX include a panoramic roof panel that can come adrift in the right conditions and a strange piece of body architecture that can, in some cases, allow water to enter the windscreen-wiper motor with predictable results.
There has also been a recall to check the wiring of the power-steering assistance motor and a small batch of cars built in 2013 had a potential machining flaw that could see them leak transmission fluid.
During any inspection of a second-hand ASX, make sure you check the operation of the remote central locking fob. Not only should it unlock all the doors with a single push of the button, it should then also allow the engine to start first time.
In some cases, it seems the ASX’s keyless entry function can stop working, leaving you suddenly unable to lock or unlock the doors without resorting to the old, manual method of putting the key in the lock.
Some owners of the CVT-equipped versions have also complained about a time lag between putting their foot down and the car beginning to accelerate. It affected a batch of cars built in 2015 and, again, there was a recall to deal with it.
Our rating: 3/5
Nuts and bolts
Engine/s: 2.0 petrol 4-cyl/1.8 turbo-diesel/2.2 turbo-diesel
Transmissions: 5-man/6-man/CVT/6-auto
Fuel economy (combined): 7.7 litres per 100km (petrol)/5.7 litres (1.8 diesel)/6.0 litres (2.2 diesel)
Safety rating (courtesy of www.howsafeisyourcar.com.au): 5 stars
Competitors:
- Ford Kuga – Good road manners and relatively civilised in NVH terms. Diesel was a good performer while the petrol was a bit underdone. For some reason, middle-aged women didn’t want to drive a car called a Kuga. 3.5 stars
- Nissan Dualis – Finally replaced by Qashqai and an entirely predictable and non-confronting experience. First diesel version was front-drive and manual only which limited appeal enormously. 3 stars
- Mazda CX-5 – Far and away the first choice for SUV buyers who liked the act of driving. Petrol version was refined but could feel a bit lifeless and needed a big rev. Beaut dynamics in every other way, though. 4 stars
What to pay (courtesy of Glass’s Guide):
Model Year New Now
Petrol 2010 $28,490 $7800
Diesel 2010 $31,990 $9600
Petrol 2011 $28,490 $8800
Diesel 2011 $31,990 $9900
Petrol 2012 $28,490 $9800
Diesel 2012 $32,490 $11,400
Petrol 2013 $28,240 $11,600
Diesel 2013 $31,990 $13,400
Petrol 2014 $26,990 $12,500
Diesel 2014 $31,990 $15,200
Petrol 2015 $26,990 $14,200
Diesel 2015 $31,990 $17,100
Petrol 2016 $26,990 $16,700
Diesel 2016 $31,990 $20,200
Petrol 2017 $27,000 $18,200
Diesel 2017 $32500 $22500