Electronic parking brake, new LED headlights design, upgraded suspension front – rear are among the notable changes on the newly launched Mitsubishi Xpander 2022. This promises to be the MPV that dominates the Vietnam market, making Toyota Veloz and Suzuki XL7 continue to “sweat”.
After only 3 years of launching on the market, Mitsubishi Motor Vietnam has sold about 60,000 Xpander units. With each car having a total length of over 4.9m, if these cars are lined up in a straight line, the length will reach over 268 km – which is more than the distance from Hanoi to Vinh, or from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet!
On average, Mitsubishi Xpander achieves 20,000 units sold per year, which means that more than 54 Xpander cars are delivered to customers every day, and every hour, Mitsubishi sales staff will “close a contract” with more than 2.5 customers.
This is an extremely commendable achievement, because not every name in the cheap 7-seater MPV segment can make a difference. The proof is a series of opponents who have had to reluctantly leave the market or be abandoned by consumers and left in a state of “beauty” in the business product range.
On the contrary, Mitsubishi’s problem is how to maintain the strengths of the Xpander and identify the shortcomings to upgrade the new 7-seater MPV model, in order to gain an advantage over competitors and be prepared for new names that may appear, continuing to lead the segment in the coming years. So, what is Mitsubishi’s choice?
Impressive exterior upgrades
The first and most visible change on the Mitsubishi Xpander 2022 is the appearance of the front of the car. The “face” of Xpander is now sharper, more modern, and more luxurious than its predecessor.
The LED headlights are now designed in a T-shape – with 3 light lenses on each side – which not only increases the effectiveness of the lights, ensures safe visibility at night, but also makes the face of the 2022 Xpander more sharp and modern.
Located in the middle is the new grille, still following the eye-catching Dynamic Shield style with 2 thick decorative bars, instead of 3 bars as before. The lower grille has also been redesigned, with a crosshatch fox eye pattern, bringing a sense of luxury to the 7-seater MPV model.
The underside also has a more beautiful and modern front bumper, thanks to the redesigned metallic gray bumper that blends in with the “T-shape” style lights. In addition, the split LED turn signal light strip still incorporates blinker lights, similar to the previous generation.
In the rear of the car, the brake lights have also been updated with a synchronized “T-shape” design with the main lighting system at the front. The rear trunk lid has also been modified with crosshatch lines to create a muscular and sturdy overall look for the Xpander. The lower rear bumper has also been changed to match the front design language. The exhaust pipe is hidden below, adding a touch of elegance to the car.
Modern, luxurious and convenient interior
In the 2022 version, the new Mitsubishi Xpander has completely transformed the interior with a 2-tone color scheme. Neat, tidy, modern, and even a hint of luxury emanates from the cabin of the 2022 Xpander.
The most notable change is the elimination of the mechanical handbrake, making the interior of the car more spacious and tidy. Instead, the Xpander 2022 has been equipped with an electronic parking brake with the Auto Hold function. This is also an upgrade that many Xpander users have been looking forward to.
Above, the three knobs for the air conditioning have been replaced by a digital control panel, with beautiful knobs paired with a modern temperature display screen. In addition, the car is equipped with the “Max cool” mode with the ability to cool quickly, which is very useful in tropical climates like Vietnam.
Next, located in the center of the dashboard is the central entertainment information screen with an upgraded size from 7 inches in the previous generation to 9 inches, integrating smart connections like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. This screen can also display the backup camera, helping to increase rear visibility for driver support.
The steering wheel has been upgraded with a sleeker and more modern design. The function buttons are integrated on the two sides, rather than being spread out like before. Behind the steering wheel, the car is still equipped with 2 mechanical speedometer and tachometer gauges, accompanied by an information display in the middle.
The dashboard has been covered with leather, with raised stitching and decorated with metal trim panels with modern and eye-catching engravings. The areas that users often touch like the door armrests are also covered with real stitched leather, providing a completely different sense of luxury than competitors in the same price range.
The seats have also been upgraded with a new design, with stitched leather covers. According to the manufacturer, the leather material on the seats of the Mitsubishi Xpander 2022 has the ability to reduce heat absorption, providing comfort for users, especially in areas with sunny weather.
Another major advantage is that the Xpander 2022 has a center armrest. Under the lid of the armrest, the manufacturer also thoughtfully arranged an additional compartment to hold tissues. This is an extremely practical detail that many other car models on the market do not consider.
The rear passengers are also fully equipped with various types of power ports, from standard USB, Type-C to even 12V power outlets. The air conditioning vents are still located on the top of the car, but the Japanese manufacturer has also upgraded the design to be similar to the Pajero Sport big brother.
With the ability to fold flat the second row of seats, Mitsubishi Xpander users can completely customize the interior space flexibly according to specific situations and needs. The overall length of the car has also been increased to 4,595 mm – which means an increase of 120mm compared to the previous generation, expanding the space of the car.
According to Mitsubishi’s statistics, there are up to 45 convenient storage compartments arranged around the passengers, such as shoe trays and wet storage compartments under the auxiliary seats, book and phone storage compartments integrated behind the driver’s seat, or many small storage compartments hidden under the rear cargo floor, adding convenience for users.
Compared to its predecessor, Mitsubishi seems to have seriously and carefully researched user feedback, thereby making precise upgrades that users desire for the Xpander 2022. This MPV is becoming more and more useful, convenient, and even luxurious.
Surpassing performance expectations
Mitsubishi Xpander 2022 still uses the MIVEC 1.5L engine with 4 natural aspirated cylinders. Paired with a 4-speed gearbox and front-wheel drive, the car delivers a maximum power of 104 horsepower and 141 Nm – unchanged from the previous generation. This is highly commendable because Mitsubishi has carefully considered, continuing to maintain the engine – transmission system that has proven its durability and efficiency; in order to focus on improving other areas that need refinement.
This is also thanks to the new suspension system: the Mitsubishi Xpander 2022 has been equipped with different larger shock absorbers with internal hydraulic valves replaced, providing better load-bearing capacity, giving a more solid feeling compared to the previous generation.
Thanks to this suspension system, the car has been “raised up”. Compared to its predecessor, the Mitsubishi Xpander 2022 now has a height of up to 1,750mm and a ground clearance of 225mm – which is much higher than many 5-7 seater crossover models that claim to be SUVs on the market today.
The real experience shows that the suspension system on the Xpander 2022 has been significantly improved. When going over speed bumps, the rebound oscillations are quickly and smoothly dampened. At the same time, the driver’s view from inside the car has also been significantly improved, providing a more comprehensive view – similar to high ground clearance SUV models.
Quick summary, a big praise must be given when Mitsubishi Xpander 2022 possesses truly practical, useful, and satisfying upgrades for customers; instead of getting lost in a race for options with a series of flashy specifications on paper, which may not necessarily be necessary to customers.
With such changes, the price of the Mitsubishi Xpander remains unchanged: 648 million VND for the Xpander AT Premium, 688 million VND for the Xpander Cross and Xpander AT which has a starting price of only 588 million VND and it is important to note that there is no evidence of price gouging. It is predicted that this will certainly continue to be the model that achieves breakthrough sales in the coming time, making many competitors in the cheap 7-seater MPV segment “sweat”.
Phan Anh (Tuoitrethudo)
