By Otsile Kadiege

Mitsubishi South Africa has introduce the all-new Xpander MPV which the company says has been designed to cater to the active lifestyles of modern families and comes standard with an impressive list of comfort and safety features. Looking at the starting price, we think the kasi transport market will also view it favourably.

Sporty and rugged exterior

Mitsubishi used the Dynamic Shield Design philosophy for its new Xpander. Exterior highlights for the Japanese MPV include crystal clear headlights, daytime running lights, wide flared fenders and L-illuminated LED taillights that extend onto the tailgate add to the overall sporty look.

The Xpander is fitted with 15-inch on the manual model and 16-inch of the automatic derivative, and has a ground clearance of 205 mm.

Flexible and practical interior

The interior of the Xpander has seating which can be configured to suit a variety of needs, ranging from carrying passengers and luggage to transporting lifestyle-focused items. The second- and third-row seats are split 60:40, while the seats of the third row can be folded completely flat and stowed to create additional space in the cargo area. The latter also features a floor box with lid for safe storage of smaller items.

The new Mitsubishi Xpander also features a touch display with high-resolution reverse camera, bluetooth voice control, multifunction steering wheel, full automatic air-conditioning with a manual rear overhead cooler, electric windows all round, USB port in the front, 120 Watt power sockets to supply every row of seating and clever storage compartments under the seats to ensure that personal items are out of the way but within easy reach.

Power and performance

Powering the Xpander is 1.5-litre DOHC 16-valve aluminium block engine delivering 77 kW at 6 000 r/min and 141 Nm of peak torque at 4 000 r/min. The powerplant features Mitsubishi’s Intelligent Innovative Valve Timing Lift Electronic Control (MIVEC) system and ECI multipoint fuel injection.

The Xpander has a 45 litres tank capacity and claimed fuel consumption in a combined cycle is 6.9 litres/100 km for the manual model and 7.0 litres/100 km for the automatic derivative.

Safety

The all-new Xpander features a range of innovative safety features as standard. These include airbags for the driver and front passenger, seatbelt pre-tensioners with force limiters, an anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD), as well as an impact-absorbing structure at the front-end of the vehicle. Additional safety for young occupants is provided through ISOFIX child seat anchors. It also benefits from an advanced all-direction collision reinforced impact safety evolution (RISE) body construction with side impact bars.

Pricing and warranty

The Mitsubishi Xpander is priced from R299,995 for the Xpander 1.5L M/T and R319,995 for the Xpander 1.5L A/T. The Japanese automaker’s local arm is confident the Xpander will continue its success in South Africa after being “a hit” and winning multiple awards in countries like Thailand.

It comes standard with Mitsubishi’s 3 year/100,000 km manufacturer’s warranty and a 2 year/30,000 km service plan. The price also includes 5 year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance.