Mitsubishi recently unveiled an all-new crossover MPV, called the Xpander Cross.
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Mitsubishi South Africa says its debut locally is imminent, finally giving the Toyota Rush a competitor.
According to Mitsubishi, it’s a family-friendly crossover MPV built with solid SUV styling, comfortable and pleasant drivability, as well as a practical and versatile interior design.
From the front it’s quite clear that it’s a Mitsubishi product, as it shares the same Dynamic Shield design as the Triton and Pajero Sport.
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The characteristic SUV-style black wide wheel arches, door garnishes, and larger-profile tires with 17-inch alloy wheels add a sense of protection and emphasize the strong SUV style. It also comes with silver coloured roof rails for extra loading capacity.
At the rear, a piano black tailgate garnish underneath the rear window and a larger skid plate on the lower part of the bumper enhances a tough image.
Mitsubishi claims a best-in-class ground clearance of 225mm.
The Xpander Cross is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Both manual and automatic transmissions are available.
Like its main competitor, the Xpander Cross is a seven seater. Three passengers can sit comfortably on the wide second row seat and the vehicle also adopts a tumbling system for folding the second row seats to make access to the back row easier.
The seatbacks in the second row (60:40 split) and third row (50:50 split) can be folded down with a simple operation to arrange the seats and luggage in various combinations. For really large loads, the second and third row seats can be folded down to create a large flat storage area without bumps or gaps.
For added practicality, the armrest in second row can be folded down to carry both loads and passengers at the same time – unique in the class. Even with seven occupants taking up all of the seats, the Xpander Cross still has enough luggage space to hold a standard stroller. Numerous cubby holes and compartments ensure the family’s belongings are kept safe and secure.
The list of standard features includes:
- Steering wheel with tilt and telescopic adjustment
- Cruise Control
- Programmable exterior lighting to offer features such as Welcome and Coming Home illumination, comfort flasher and headlamp auto-OFF
- High-contrast colour instrument cluster
- Air-conditioning