A lengthy 12 years after the original ASX debuted, Mitsubishi has revealed a new-generation model. But it certainly looks familiar, doesn’t it?

The first-generation Mitsubishi ASX hit its domestic market way back in 2010, before arriving in South Africa the following year. Now, 12 years after the original debuted, the Japanese firm has whipped the wraps off a new ASX.

But it’s not altogether new and it certainly doesn’t look like a Mitsubishi. That’s because it’s actually a rebadged version of the second-generation Renault Captur, a subcompact crossover revealed back in 2019 (though we’re still waiting for it here in South Africa).

Yes, the new ASX is a product of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance (under the so-called “leader-follower” strategy) and rides on the group’s CMF-B platform. Mitsubishi says the new ASX is “supplied by Renault and developed specifically for the European market”. So, it’s not yet clear whether this badge-engineered version will come to South Africa (the local range was updated as recently as January 2022) or indeed other markets outside of the Old Continent.

Still, we do know the vehicle will be manufactured alongside the Captur at Renault’s Valladolid factory in Spain and will reach “select” European markets from March 2023. While there’s no mistaking it for anything other than a rebadged Captur, the ASX does at least gain a hint of Mitsubishi’s “Dynamic Shield” design concept up front, complete with a model-specific grille and the familiar three-diamond logo, as well as a black finish for the lower facia.

A Renault Captur with a Mitsubishi badge? Yes, that’d be the new ASX.

Predictably, the new ASX’s powertrain options in Europe will mirror those of the Captur, which means it will be available in plug-in hybrid form (comprising a 1.6-litre petrol engine, two electric motors and a 10.5 kWh battery), full-hybrid guise (with a 1.6-litre petrol engine, two electric motors and a 1.3 kWh battery) and mild-hybrid form (using a turbocharged 1.3-litre petrol engine mated with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed double-clutch transmission). There will also be an entry-level model employing a turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol engine driving the front axle through a 6-speed manual gearbox.

Inside, as expected, plenty is shared with the Captur. There’s a touchscreen system in the centre of the instrument panel, while Renault’s various driver assistance systems will be offered in Europe.

Interestingly, the original ASX that is still available in South Africa – a 5-strong range currently priced from R379 990 to R459 995 – formed the basis for the Citroën C4 Aircross and Peugeot 4008, though both of the French versions went out of production back in 2017.