Older vehicles also have qualities. And the Mitsubishi ASX is a good example of the combination of age and good qualities: 70 to 80 percent of the cars tested by TÜV pass the main inspection without any defects.

Mitsubishi recently had one of the longest-serving models in its range. The ASX was available between mid-2010 and late 2021. The Japanese has easily survived the sister models Citroën C4 Aircross (2012 to 2015) and Peugeot 4008 (2012 to 2017), which are largely identical in construction and manufactured by Mitsubishi. The second generation is now in the starting blocks, it will come in spring 2023. This is a good opportunity to test the durability of the ASX for its suitability as a used car.

body and interior

When it debuted, the ASX was something special: a compact SUV with pronounced wheel arches and short overhangs was still the big exception. At the beginning of his career, the Japanese stretched to a length of 4.30 meters, three lifts later (2012, 2016 and 2019) it was 7 centimeters more at the end. Its appearance has also changed over the long production period. From the jet fighter design typical of the brand at the time to a rather everyday face (2012) with small retouches over the years to a concisely drawn radiator grille (2019), the current design language is reflected in the front view.

The space is decent, the processing as well. However, prospective buyers should not expect an overly chic interior. Here it was more robust than noble. The trunk holds around 400 liters; If you fold down the rear seat backrests, the value increases to 1200 liters.

engines and propulsion

At its debut, there was a 1.6-liter petrol engine with 86 kW/117 hp, which was only available with front-wheel drive. Alternatively, there was a more powerful 1.8-liter diesel with 110 kW/150 hp with front or all-wheel drive to choose from. In 2013, another compression-ignition engine was added to the engine range, a 2.2-liter also with 150 hp. This drove up as standard with all-wheel drive, an automatic was optionally available. In the other versions, except for the entry-level petrol engine, manual six-speed gearboxes were used. The diesels have been history since the end of 2018, since the end of 2019 only a two-liter petrol engine with 150 hp has been responsible for the propulsion. This could optionally be combined with all-wheel drive. A five-speed manual transmission took over the power transmission, alternatively a continuously variable CVT transmission was to have.

equipment and security

The equipment definitions and their number have changed over the years, so you have to take a close look at which comfort features are on board. At its market launch, the ASX was still rather incompletely equipped. The air conditioning, for example, was initially only part of the standard equipment from the second equipment line. Chic details such as alloy wheels were also reserved for the higher comfort levels. When it comes to safety, the compact has improved over the years. If there were no assistants at the beginning of his career, they became available towards the end of his career. In 2011, the ASX passed the EuroNCAP crash test with a 5-star result.

quality

Mitsubishi’s endurance runner masters the main inspections (HU) at the TÜV better than the average of the tested vehicles and this across all age groups. 80 percent of the nine-year-old subjects manage the HU without defects, in the age group 10 to 11 years it is almost three quarters (73.6 percent). Those interested in used cars should take a closer look at the steering joints and the function of the foot and parking brakes in older models. The TÜV inspectors occasionally complained about oil loss and rust on the exhaust.

Conclusion: You can’t do much wrong with the Mitsubishi ASX. It scores with its solid performance at the TÜV, which makes the not-too-trendy appearance of the compact SUV easy to get over. At least 5500 euros are called for models from the early days, with all-wheel drive you have to invest a good 1000 euros more.