Mitsubishi tweaks ASX line-up

MITSUBISHI has culled models, added gear, cut fuel use and sharpened the prices of its city-friendly ASX SUV as a part of a range-wide shake-up.

The entry price for the ASX has fallen by $1000 to kick off from $24,990 plus on-road costs for the base two-wheel drive with a 2.0-litre petrol and five-speed manual gearbox.

Replacing the manual gearbox with a continuously variable automatic transmission is now $1250 cheaper, and prices the ASX from $26,990.

The Japanese car-maker has boosted the specification levels of the base model by adding reversing sensors, a reversing camera displayed on a 6.1-inch screen, and 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, as well as improving rear-seat comfort with a new-shaped cushion.

Standard equipment already on the base model includes keyless entry, power windows, a leather-wrap steering wheel and gearshift, chrome interior door handles and Mitsubishi's Link audio system with Bluetooth phone and audio.

Further up the range, an all-wheel-drive version of the recently launched 2.2-litre diesel with a six-speed automatic transmission maintains its $31,990 price-tag in base model guise, as does the more generously specified, diesel-engined Aspire at $36,490.

Mitsubishi has dropped the front-wheel-drive Aspire with a manual gearbox from its local line-up. The all-wheel-drive 2.0-litre petrol Aspire with a CVT is down by $1500, and now starts at $33,490.

After introducing the new 2.2-litre diesel engine back in July, Mitsubishi has since culled its Aspire AWD variant powered by the old 1.8-litre oil burner.

Top-spec Aspire models come standard with a panoramic roof with LED lighting strip, roof rails, front fog lamps, leather seat trim, power driver's seat and front front seatsMitsubishi has tweaked the 110kW/197Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, adding a new air flow sensor for improved emission figures. In FWD manual guise, the petrol engine sips 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle, a 0.1L/100km improvement.

Matched with the CVT, it consumes 7.7L/100km, a 0.2-litre reduction, while the AWD CVT variant sips 7.9L/100, down by 0.2L/100km.

As reported in July, the new 110kW/360Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel consumes 5.8L/100km.

Mitsubishi says it has also made improvements to the ride, handling and noise reduction for a quieter cabin.

Last month the Adelaide-based importer updated its ageing Lancer line-up, adding extra standard features on some variants while maintaining its existing pricing structure.

The ASX went on sale in Australia in mid 2010, filling a gap in Mitsubishi's model line-up against established competitors including the Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail and the Subaru Forester.

Sales for the tiny crossover are down by 11 per cent for the first seven months of this year compared with 2012, with 3808 units sold so far.

Hyundai's ever-popular ix35 continues to dominate the light SUV segment, with sales of 11,021 units to the end of July, followed by Nissan’s Dualis on 8454 sales and the Subaru XV with 6241 units sold.

2013 Mitsubishi ASX pricing*

2.0L petrol 2WD	$24,990 (-$1000)
2.0L petrol 2WD (CVT)	$26,990 (-$1250)
2.2L diesel 4WD (six-speed auto)	$31,990
Aspire
2.0L petrol 2WD (CVT)	$31,490
2.0L petrol 4WD (CVT)	$33,490 (-$1500)
2.2L diesel 4WD (six-speed auto)	$36,490

*Excludes on-road costs.