Mitsubishi ASX - like a good student
Mitsubishi ASX has been on the market for 5 years and still attracts a large number of customers. Looking at the statistics of past years, it is safe to say that there are more and more people who want to buy this car. What's the secret?
The car is a great thing. At some point in history, your vehicle has become something that, on the one hand, can show the preferences and character of the driver, and on the other hand, say nothing at all about it. Isolate yourself from the world with a layer of sheet metal, hide your identity behind glass and let yourself be one of the many. After all, who said that everyone should brag to others? After all, many people go to a car dealership for a car that will meet only their expectations. Not all around. For such people, a new car should be safe and reliable, with a good warranty package, good equipment and at a good price. So much. Will Mitsubishi ASX be able to satisfy such customers?
How is the fighter?
Mitsubishi ASX was designed according to the Jet Fighter aesthetic, which refers to the Japanese F-2 fighter aircraft based on the American F-16. This is how two worlds united under the sign of three rhombuses - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, engaged in the military industry, and the well-known Mitsubishi Motors. Looking at the ASX, we are unlikely to see direct analogies between a combat aircraft and a road car. However, if we look at the characteristic shape of the front truss, we should see something that vaguely resembles an air intake suspended under the fuselage of a jet aircraft.
Aggressive but simple lines are old enough, but they hold up well over time. Compared to competitors, you can reproach the ASX with a slight “squareness”, which is emphasized by the almost flat rear part - with a slightly sloping glass. Straight lines and angles may indicate conservatism in the ranks of designers, but also suggest more space inside. So, let's open the door and sit in a chair.
The price determines the quality
Price dictates quality, quality dictates price. The procedure for preparing products differs in different market segments. In luxury cars, we are dealing with caring for materials and finishes in the first place - and if it raises the price by a very large amount - it is difficult. More prestige. The lower segments cannot afford this, because over time they will no longer belong to their price range. Therefore, compromises are being sought, which should be the best ratio of quality to the expected price threshold.
Why am I writing about this? Well, because Mitsubishi ASX belongs to the group of small SUVs, and this just means that they are also the cheapest cars of this type. Unfortunately, this affects the quality of the finish. Most of the elements are made of hard plastic, the derivative of which creaks at the joints. Fortunately, this only happens when we push them hard. While folding is generally good, there are places where there are significant savings. One of them is a shiny border around the clock. It can be moved a little, and if you pull harder, you can even break it. Let's not do this.
The dashboard is simple. Ascetic even. But maybe someone will like it. The screen of the multimedia center with navigation is surrounded by imitation carbon fiber, while below we find the standard handles of the single-zone air conditioner. The list of compartments includes those in the door, in front of the passenger and in the central tunnel - a shelf directly under the side, next to it is an opening for small items and two cup holders. Here's a curiosity. The handbrake lever is located closer to the passenger than to the driver. If he was scared, he could always use it. This did not inspire optimism in me.
Test Mitsubishi ASX this is the hardware version of Invite Navi. This version includes Alpine's branded system as standard, thanks to which we can save about 4. PLN on it. Navigation works fine, but a third-party system was not made specifically for this model. Thanks to this, we can find a fairly advanced menu for adjusting the sound being played, including creating a scene for different types of cars. We select the type of car (SUV, passenger car, station wagon, coupe, roadster, etc.), then answer the questions - are there speakers in the back, if so, where, is there a subwoofer, what material is the seat made of, etc. . Pleasant convenience, but preferably not predetermining. Just set ASX exactly to our configuration and then maybe play around with the graphic equalizer.
I would forget. Looking through the settings screens, I forgot that the car is mainly used for movement. The driver's seat is elevated, and even at the lowest seat height we are quite high. The steering wheel, in turn, is adjustable in one plane. I have only reservations about the distance between the gear lever and the A/C knobs. I hit them with my hand several times, while quickly switching to the third. There may not be a lot of knee room in the back seat, but the padded backrests ensure no one complains. Passengers do not wince, even when the three of us sit. The large central tunnel is annoying, but the width is really good.
The trunk holds 419 liters, and while the protruding wheel arches can get in the way, there are two recesses right next to it for small items. Under the floor we organize tools, a fire extinguisher, a triangle, and we will still have a rather deep niche for things that are worth having with you - washer fluid, a tow rope or an additional set of keys.
Naturally aspirated Japanese
It may seem like the era of naturally aspirated engines is over, but thankfully, many manufacturers are still true to the old school. And good. If we want to use the car for several years, a less worn unit will be able to travel more, it is more durable, easier to maintain and therefore requires less maintenance.
And what is the unit? AT Mitsubishi ASX this is a 1.6-liter MIVEC developing 117 hp. at 6000 rpm and 154 Nm at 4000 rpm. The MIVEC design is an engine with electronically controlled valve timing - the VVT concept. Mitsubishi has been using it extensively in its vehicles since 1992 and is constantly improving this technology. The clear benefit here is the increase in power and torque compared to fixed valve timing solutions, but the package also includes lower fuel consumption and reduced carbon emissions.
ASX With a proven engine, this is not the fastest car in Zakobyanka, but it does not hesitate either. When it's not under load, it's ready to accelerate, although it lacks flex in the lower rev range. You will have to work a little with the five-speed gearbox. Dynamic riding on the track required about 7,5-8 l / 100 km, but when the pace slowed down, the bike was content with 6 l / 100 km. In the city, surprisingly, these values did not rise so sharply. From 8,1 l/100 km to 9,5 l/100 km.
However, I am not a supporter of Mitsubishi's driving performance. The multi-link rear suspension promises a lot, but on winding roads you somehow don't feel it. The ASX understeers and rolls a lot in corners, albeit in exchange for a very nice set of bumps. Perhaps this is the specifics of a test tube equipped with 16-inch wheels. They deserve to be the curb, but not the king of the road. With a 65mm profile, it's pretty hard to bend the rim or catch a rock. They can be great in the field, but to find out, we'll need a diesel version. Only in it we will get all-wheel drive. The farthest I ventured was on a gravel, forest road, from which in some places there were tempting crossings across a nearby stream. I chose not to risk it.
Traveling by car always comes with some risk, but modern cars offer a range of safety solutions. In ASX, the standard for such solutions is high. During an accident, 7 airbags take care of us: two front and two side airbags for the driver and passenger, two curtain airbags and a knee airbag for the driver. The protection of passengers and drivers is confirmed by 5 stars obtained in the Euro NCAP tests, but we admit that today a lot of cars win them. It is enough to carefully prepare the car so that it can cope with these tests. US IIHS crash tests are much more difficult to pass. There, the structure must withstand tipping, frontal, side and rear impacts. Moreover, a collision at a speed of 65 km / h with a tree or a pole is simulated by a collision at an angle that covers 25% or 40% of the vehicle width. The Mitsubishi ASX has been awarded the Top Safety Pick+ in this area, which means it provides more protection than currently provided by the IIHS standards.
Cheaper than you expected
As I pointed out at the beginning, Mitsubishi ASX it is not used to stand out from the crowd. Its purpose is completely different. Make sure the driver feels good in it, so he doesn't have to worry about flashy rims, and so he can be sure he's riding safely. This, in turn, is confirmed by IIHS tests.
Mitsubishi also seduces with an excellent guarantee with which you can freely explore all of Europe for 5 years. The mileage limit is 100 km, but does not apply to the first two years of use. Regardless of this limitation, during these 000 years you will be taken care of by an assistance package that includes free assistance in the event of a mechanical or electrical breakdown, an accident, fuel problems, lost, blocked or broken keys, a puncture or tire damage. , theft or its attempts and acts of vandalism. All this is available 5/24 throughout Europe.
The ASX price list for the 2015 model year starts at PLN 61, while the tested Invite Navi version costs PLN 900. However, currently we can count on a discount of 82 990 zlotys, which means that you will leave the salon for 10 72 zlotys – already with built-in navigation for 990 4 zlotys. Of course, we are talking about variants with a 1.6 petrol engine. You can also consider buying the 150 hp 1.8 diesel, which in the Invite version costs 92 990 zlotys, but in this case for an additional cost of 6 zlotys. PLN, we can try to get the × drive.
Mitsubishi ASX is such a good student, a bit of a bore. She doesn't dress as fashionably as the others, but that doesn't mean she comes from a poor family. It's just not his attitude, he is focused on what is more important to him, and prefers to spend money on hobbies. Nobody knows him that well, but he gets teased sometimes. Just because he is different. However, whoever got to know him better, he discovered in him a cool, cheerful guy with a broad outlook under the ceiling. That's how the described car reminds me. The exterior is mostly a few years old, but it's still a competent and wonderful car from the lower price range.
