Mitsubishi will unveil a new budget crossover at the Indonesian Motor Show that’s tailor-made for Mzansi. The newcomer has eye-catching styling and plenty of ground clearance, plus its dimensions are comparable with those of the Toyota Urban Cruiser!

Mitsubishi’s as-yet-unnamednewcomer, which will be produced at the Japanese manufacturer’s Krama Yudha plant in Indonesia, is earmarked for ASEAN markets, but its packaging, drivetrain and footprint are not unlike those of the recently introduced Urban Cruiser and its cousin, the Suzuki Grand Vitara. All things considered, that would position the production version of the model perfectly for our market.

See also: We compare the Toyota Urban Cruiser & Suzuki Grand Vitara side by side.

Considering how sales of budget-market-oriented small crossovers have ballooned in South Africa, Mitsubishi’s upcoming model will be the ideal complement to the Xpander small 7-seater MPV (people-mover) in our market, where it will slot below (or perhaps replace) the long-serving ASX compact SUV.

“We are sure that current and new Mitsubishi customers are waiting with huge excitement on our all-new compact SUV, which will further build on Mitsubishi Motors South Africa’s (MMSA) lifestyle attraction – stay tuned for the world premiere”, said Jeffrey Allison, MMSA’s general manager of marketing.

“In this all-new model,” Seiji Watanabe, the general manager of Mitsubishi Motors’ design division said recently, “we have pursued a design that is more stylish, energetic, and distinctive than ever.”

While Mitsubishi has only released a couple of images of the concept model, it’s apparent that its design is quite adventurous by budget crossover standards (although the production model will be toned down).

From the front, the newcomer’s recessed trapezoidal grille is laced with 3-dimensional rectangular accents, while a pair of bumper garnishes protrude on either side of the numberplate holder. The LED daytime running lights combine an L-shape with slitted accents to emit light in an iconic T-shape.

Mitsubishi Motors SA recently updated its Xpander range. Check out our New Car Special on the model.

Other design details include a “floating roof” (courtesy of blacked-out pillars ­– partially at the rear), distinctive swathe- and shoulder lines, elaborately flared wheel arches, generous black lower-body cladding and, “by adopting the same T-shaped design for the LED tail lights as the front, the (vehicle’s) rear attains a wide and stable look.”

What’s more, Mitsubishi says the model offers “222 mmof ground clearance” when fitted with 18-inch rims and high-profile tyres “(that) enhance handling on rough roads.”

According to the Tokyo-based manufacturer, the budget crossover is 4 390 mm long, 1 810 mm wide and stands 1 660 mm tall, which compares closely with the dimensions of the Urban Cruiser: 4 365 mm, 1 975 mm (including side mirrors) and 1635 mm, respectively.

Mitsubishi’s new budget crossover could rival the much-in-demand Urban Cruiser in our market.

For the record, the Toyota Urban Cruiser 1.5 XR auto, which is fitted with 17-inch alloys shod with 215/60 tyres, has a claimed ground clearance of 210 mm.

The models’ drivetrains share familiarities too. As with the Toyota, the Mitsubishi is front-wheel drive and propelled by a 1.5-litre petrol engine mated with a continuously variable automatic transmission. We’d assume that the naturally aspirated engine will be the same as the Xpander’s 77 kW/141 Nm powerplant.

The model will be officially unveiled on August 10. Look out for future updates to this story.

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Toyota Urban Cruiser Vs Suzuki Grand Vitara: Which is the better buy?

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