Mitsubishi has unveiled the Xforce – its new small crossover that will be offered in South Africa – at the Indonesian Motor Show. Although it was expected that the newcomer would be aimed at the budget market, its spec is surprisingly luxurious.

Cars.co.za recently reported that the model, which will be produced at the Japanese marque’s Krama Yudha plant in Indonesia and shares its powertrain with the Xpander small MPV, has eye-catching styling, plenty of ground clearance, plus its dimensions are comparable with those of the Toyota Urban Cruiser!

And now that it’s officially revealed, we’re delighted to say the concept’s styling has not been diluted too much… Although it was developed with ASEAN markets in mind, the Xforce, which Takao Kato, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors said was designed to be a“best-suited buddy for an exciting life” (sic), will also be marketed in South Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, including very own Republic.

Considering how sales of small crossovers have ballooned in SA, Mitsubishi’s newcomer looks to be the ideal complement to theXpander in our market, where it will slot below (or perhaps replace) the ASX.

No doubt about it: by small- and budget crossover standards, the Xforce’s design is quite adventurous. The newcomer’s front end is characterised by T-shaped LED headlamp clusters (replete with vertical cascades of daylight running lights), a recessed trapezoidal grille laced with 3-dimensional rectangular accents, as well as a pair of bumper garnishes that protrude on either side of the numberplate holder.

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 and generous black lower-body cladding, while at the rear, the bumper has a pair of protruding bumper garnishes on either side of the numberplate holder (to match those at the front, of course) and T-shaped LED taillamp clusters.

Mitsubishi says the model offers 222 mmof ground clearance (when fitted with 18-inch alloys and 225/50 tyres), a turning circle of 5.2 metres and approach and departure angles of 21- and 30.5 degrees, but make no mistake – the Xforce is a front-wheel drive only. It is said to offer Normal, Gravel, Mud and Wet drive modes, but they’re merely tweaked programs for the model’s electronic stability control.

Inside, the Xforce is distinguished by its neat, multi-tiered fascia design, a multitude of oddment spaces, dual-zone climate control, A- and C-type USB ports at the front, a front armrest (with a cooled centre console box under it), faux leather trim, a 40/20/20-split rear seatback and a reverse-view camera.

The newcomer’s digital interface is expansive (not least for models in this segment of the market), but its level of impressiveness depends on the Mitsubishi’s trim grade. In Indonesia, the more affordable version of the Xforce features a conventional instrument cluster with a 4.2-inch multi-info display, flanked by an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

The top-of-the-range Xforce, however, goes much more upmarket. It features “black, white melange fabric and mocha with soft pad” dashboard and door trims, plus a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), flanked by an 8-inch digital instrument cluster.

Furthermore, the flagship Xforce comes equipped with auto lights, a wireless charging pad, LED ambient lighting and 8-speaker Dynamic Sound Yamaha Premium audio, instead of the stock 6-speaker system.

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

The Japanese models’ drivetrains share familiarities too. As with the Toyota, the Xforce is propelled by a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine (with peak outputs are 77 kW and 141 Nm of torque) mated with a continuously variable automatic transmission.

Safety-wise, the Xforce comes with ABS with EBD and BA, 4 airbags(driver-, front passenger-,side- and, in some markets, curtain airbags). Other systems include electronic stability control (including active yaw control),cruise control, speed-sensing door locks, hill-start assist andblind-spot warning.

Mitsubishi mentions in its press material that (ostensibly top-spec) Xforce versions will be equipped with adaptive cruise control,forward-collision mitigation,auto high beam,lead-car departure notification, lane-change assist and rear cross-traffic alert… all of which may not pertain to our market, however.

“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”, Jeffrey Allison, MMSA’s general manager of marketing, said recently.

Deliveries of the Mitsubishi Xforce will begin in its home market of Indonesia in November, the Japanese manufacturer said, which leads us to believe that the model will debut in South Africa in 2024, probably during the first half of the year. We’ll bring you more local detail as and when they become available.

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