► ASX gets a new nose and new kit
► Mirage undergoes more serious surgery
► Both revised models on sale in 2016
Mitsubishi has given its ASX crossover a spruce-up for 2016 to sharpen its defense against an ever-growing horde of C-segment SUV rivals.
It has also given the Mirage supermini an overhaul for 2016, with both cars making their European debuts at the Geneva motor show.
Mitsubishi ASX facelift: what’s new?
Geneva is the second motor show outing for the revised ASX, which had its original global reveal at the Los Angeles show towards the end of 2015. It’ll go on sale in the UK at the end of summer 2016.
Click here to read CAR’s review of the pre-facelift Mitsubishi ASX
The nose gets Mitsubishi’s latest ‘dynamic shield’ design treatment, with body-coloured tabs extending inwards from the headlights to mimic impact protection, bordering a broader, blacked-out grille treatment. See Mitsubishi’s eX concept elsewhere on the Geneva show stand for a more dramatic expression of the same treatment…
A new 112bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine joins the range, with stop/start and the option of 2wd or 4wd. Mitsubishi’s UK MD Lance Bradley says that sales of the current-gen ASX are split evenly between 2wd and 4wd variants – something of a contrast to the ASX’s market segment overall, where 90% of sales are accounted for by 2wd models.
New equipment includes new 18in alloy wheels, a shark fin antenna, glossier steering wheel trim and redesigned rear seat cushioning, designed to be more supportive.
Prices will stay close to those of the previous ASX, which currently start from below £15,500.
The current ASX model will continue until 2019, by which point it will have been superseded by two new compact Mitsubishi SUVs, one slightly smaller and one slightly larger. It’s yet to be decided whether any of the new models will continue to wear the ASX nameplate.
And the renewed Mitsubishi Mirage?
The three-cylinder city car, originally launched in 2013, has undergone a more radical overhaul than the ASX.
Styling-wise, there’s a whole new front end, with fresh lights, grille and bumpers and a new power-bulged bonnet, and more bumper tweakery at the rear along with new LED tail-lights and a longer roof spoiler.
Things have changed below the surface too, with revised suspension settings including a stiffer front end and altered spring and damper rates for less body roll and better stability, along with a retune for the electric power steering system.
The interior gets a new steering wheel, instrument cluster and HVAC system as well as smarter fittings and upholstery.
A dash-mounted multimedia screen includes sat-nav, smartphone-linking tech including Apple CarPlay and DAB radio, and the boot-well has been redesigned to incorporate a more generous underfloor storage area.
Originally revealed at the Brussels motor show in January 2016, the updated Mirage launches across Europe in the coming weeks.
Click here to read CAR’s review of the 2013 Mitsubishi Mirage
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