After going through a difficult period, when it even considered withdrawing from the European market, the three-diamond brand seems determined to move forward. Its range only comprising two models (Space Star and Eclipse Cross) on the Old Continent, the urgency was, of course, to expand it. To do things quickly and well, a very popular solution in Japan has emerged: rebadging an existing model. It sufficed for this to draw the most relevant offer from the large catalog offered by the Renault-Nissan Alliance, of which Mitsubishi is a part. Best-seller in the buoyant urban SUV segment, the Renault Captur is the lucky one. Lacking the time (and money) to teach him Japanese, Mitsubishi only had to affix its logo to the grille and steering wheel. And presto, here is the new ASX!
The rest is just a matter of marketing. The choice being made to position the ASX slightly above the Captur, this results in more complete standard equipment. From the first of the four trim levels (Invite, Business, Intense and Instyle), you benefit from 17-inch wheels, instead of 16, a central screen with a very responsive multimedia system compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay , front and rear parking sensors, as well as a reversing camera and numerous driving aids. As a bonus, a five-year warranty, when the Renault is content with two. Logically a little higher than that of the Captur, the price starts at €24,990 with the Invite 1.0 / 91 hp version and peaks at €42,990 with the 159 hp Instyle plug-in hybrid (PHEV). A 140 hp "mild hybrid" (MHEV) engine is also available, starting at €27,890.
For this test, however, we focus on the engine that should be the most popular, namely the "full hybrid" (HEV), available from € 31,490. It is based on a 94 hp 1.6 liter four-cylinder petrol engine supported by a 49 hp electric motor and a 20 hp starter-alternator. The cumulative power thus comes out at 143 hp, combined with a generous torque of 280 Nm. Combined with an automatic transmission, this engine is particularly pleasant in town where its small 1.3 kWh battery even allows you to drive in full mode. electricity over short distances. We also appreciate its consumption which, during our test on the varied roads of the Basque Country, came out at 5.5 l/100 km on average.
The chassis does not undergo any modification, we find and we also appreciate the efficient and safe road behavior of the Captur. The passenger compartment, for its part, benefits from a neat presentation and the beautiful modularity offered by the sliding rear bench seat and the folding backrests in two asymmetrical parts. Manufactured in Spain alongside the Captur, the ASX is distributed in France through 130 points of sale.
