logo
2025 Mitsubishi ASX ES Street review

2025 Mitsubishi ASX ES Street review

The Advertiser07-06-2025

Mitsubishi ASX Pros
Mitsubishi ASX Cons
The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX.
Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was published.We have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details.
A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed.
The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019.
Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone.
Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option.
I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however.
The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings.
Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment.
Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here.
Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range.
Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well.
The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression.
Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start.
Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car.
Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny.
Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now.
Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car.
The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy.
The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run.
Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment.
The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress…
The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high.
Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees.
The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top.
Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front.
The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom.
Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it.
If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats.
Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats.
Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option.
We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute.
Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems.
You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals.
There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES.
There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems.
And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway.
The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark.
The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear.
That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades.
Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too.
Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss.
As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either.
The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler.
Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass.
That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts…
The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one?
The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup.
2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights:
ES adds:
ASX ES Street adds:
ASX LS adds (over ES):
ASX MR adds (over ES):
ASX GSR adds (over LS):
ASX Exceed adds:
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated.
This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively.
Standard safety equipment includes:
ES adds:
LS adds:
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership.
If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km.
Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now."
We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since.
The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed.
It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic.
The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap.
Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX.
While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX.
If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package.
Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.auMitsubishi ASX Pros
Mitsubishi ASX Cons
The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX.
Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was published.We have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details.
A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed.
The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019.
Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone.
Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option.
I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however.
The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings.
Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment.
Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here.
Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range.
Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well.
The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression.
Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start.
Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car.
Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny.
Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now.
Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car.
The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy.
The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run.
Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment.
The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress…
The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high.
Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees.
The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top.
Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front.
The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom.
Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it.
If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats.
Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats.
Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option.
We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute.
Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems.
You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals.
There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES.
There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems.
And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway.
The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark.
The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear.
That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades.
Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too.
Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss.
As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either.
The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler.
Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass.
That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts…
The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one?
The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup.
2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights:
ES adds:
ASX ES Street adds:
ASX LS adds (over ES):
ASX MR adds (over ES):
ASX GSR adds (over LS):
ASX Exceed adds:
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated.
This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively.
Standard safety equipment includes:
ES adds:
LS adds:
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership.
If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km.
Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now."
We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since.
The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed.
It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic.
The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap.
Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX.
While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX.
If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package.
Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.auMitsubishi ASX Pros
Mitsubishi ASX Cons
The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX.
Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was published.We have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details.
A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed.
The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019.
Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone.
Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option.
I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however.
The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings.
Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment.
Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here.
Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range.
Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well.
The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression.
Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start.
Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car.
Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny.
Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now.
Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car.
The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy.
The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run.
Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment.
The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress…
The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high.
Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees.
The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top.
Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front.
The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom.
Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it.
If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats.
Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats.
Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option.
We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute.
Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems.
You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals.
There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES.
There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems.
And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway.
The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark.
The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear.
That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades.
Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too.
Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss.
As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either.
The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler.
Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass.
That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts…
The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one?
The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup.
2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights:
ES adds:
ASX ES Street adds:
ASX LS adds (over ES):
ASX MR adds (over ES):
ASX GSR adds (over LS):
ASX Exceed adds:
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated.
This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively.
Standard safety equipment includes:
ES adds:
LS adds:
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership.
If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km.
Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now."
We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since.
The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed.
It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic.
The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap.
Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX.
While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX.
If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package.
Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.auMitsubishi ASX Pros
Mitsubishi ASX Cons
The end is nigh for the long-lived Mitsubishi ASX.
Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Mitsubishi ASX, as there have been no major changes since it was published.We have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read the latest price and specs article here for all the details.
A new Mitsubishi ASX, in the form of a restyled Renault Captur, is finally coming to Australia this year. Government approval documents show the new-generation ASX will be offered in LS, Aspire and Exceed trim levels, although pricing hasn't been confirmed.
The current-generation model was launched back in 2010, back when Julia Gillard was our prime minister, and it has had four facelifts since then – the most recent being in 2019.
Yes, this is one old car, easily the oldest in its segment. And since its 2010 launch, versions with turbo-diesel power, all-wheel drive, and even Peugeot and Citroen badging have come and gone.
Though it no longer tops the sales charts in its segment, it remains an extremely popular option.
I last drove an ASX four years ago, and it hasn't changed since then except for the usual reshuffling of the model lineup. A lot has changed in the small SUV segment since then, however.
The MG ZS has become Australia's best-selling small SUV, and the GWM Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery Omoda 5 have come along to give local buyers additional modern but affordable Chinese offerings.
Most of these Chinese SUVs offer similarly tempting prices to the ASX, but much longer lists of standard safety equipment.
Mitsubishi introduced a Street package for the ASX ES last year, and we've put this to the test here.
Given it costs $2500 more than the ES for cosmetic upgrades – detailed further below – and no extra performance, it isn't our pick of the range.
Best to stick with the standard ES, which would have earned a better value for money score, or get the LS which costs the same as an ASX with the ES Street package but packs more safety and convenience features.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
For something this old, the interior actually has held up pretty well.
The doors feel a little light and tinny, which while making it easier for kids to enter the car doesn't set the best first impression.
Then you sit down and see an instrument cluster and an overall dashboard layout that haven't changed since 2010, and things are off to a wobbly start.
Speaking of wobbles, that centre console bin lid is exceptionally wobbly, while the climate control knobs look like they once held custard tarts and the headliner looks like mouse fur. It initially all seems a bit cheap and old – the latter of which makes sense, given this is a 14-year-old car.
Look a bit closer, however, and the ASX (mostly) holds up to scrutiny.
Those tacky fan speed and temperature knobs are still infinitely preferable to touchscreen-based climate controls. Gloss black trim is used sparingly, and only in places you're unlikely to touch. And those analogue instruments are still attractive, even if the chrome cylinders they sit in are a bit 2000s now.
Oh, sure, the screen in between the analogue gauges is rubbish. There's no digital speedometer, while the trip computer is ridiculously unintuitive and is controlled via a single button. Even a tamagotchi has more buttons, and don't get us started on how the fuel economy readout flips back and forth between modes whenever you restart the car.
The infotainment system is also rudimentary, with particularly dated graphics. But there's (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you'll probably never look at the rest of it, while the screen size is still acceptable in 2024 – if you're asking for more than eight inches, you're being greedy.
The reversing camera resolution is adequate, too. The touchscreen's placement within the centre stack – instead of jutting out of the dashboard like a tombstone – betrays the ASX's age, but it's still easy to see on the run.
Also betraying the ASX's age is the lack of a wireless phone charger or even a spot big enough to keep your phone. There's a tray at the base of the centre console, but it won't fit many of today's large smartphones. You can put it in the centre console bin, while there's also a decently sized glove compartment.
The gated shifter and manual handbrake are another couple of signs you're in an old car, though the former is at least different from the one the ASX launched with back in 2010. Progress…
The cloth upholstery is attractive with its tessellating cubes pattern, and the front seats are comfortable though I couldn't get an ideal seating position – I always felt like I was perched too high.
Material quality in the ASX is pretty good overall. Where many rivals don't bother, Mitsubishi put squishy leatherette trim on the sides of the centre console to make it easier on your knees.
The tops of the front doors are finished in soft-touch plastic and while the piece of soft-touch trim across the front of the dashboard looks a bit stuck-on, the graining matches the hard plastic found on the dash top.
Step into the back and you'll find plenty of legroom. At 180cm tall, I could comfortably sit behind my seating position. Headroom isn't quite as impressive, and I only had a little bit of clearance. Taller passengers won't be happy, with the roof appearing lower in the back than up front.
The rear-seat occupant may grumble. Their seat is ever so slightly higher, while there's a little bit of a driveline hump to eat into their legroom.
Really, everyone back here will have something to grumble about as there are no air vents, nor are there any USB outlets. You get a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a map pocket on one seatback, bottle holders in the doors, and that's it.
If you have small children, you'll find ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard seats, and top-tether points for all three seats.
Open the tailgate and you'll find a competitive 393 litres of luggage space, expanding to 1193 litres if you drop the 60:40 split/fold rear seats.
Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
Two naturally aspirated petrol engines are available in the ASX depending on variant; the Street features the less powerful option.
We would typically see the ASX hover around 9L/100km on the daily commute.
Many rivals have moved to smaller, turbocharged engines, and indeed the related Eclipse Cross packs a turbo 1.5-litre. Its claimed combined cycle fuel economy in front-wheel drive guise, however, is virtually the same at 7.3L/100km.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
We've driven newer Korean SUVs with speed limit assist systems that won't shut up, as well as Chinese SUVs with intrusive lane-keep assist and driver attention monitoring systems.
You may therefore find the Mitsubishi ASX, being as old as it is, a refreshingly simple alternative to those tech-laden rivals.
There's autonomous emergency braking but no blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert – at least not on the ES.
There is a lane-departure warning system that alerts you if you cross a lane marking, but doesn't actually nudge you back into place. You therefore don't feel the steering wheel squirming like with many cars with lane-keep assist systems.
And yet despite this, the steering is the most awkward part of the ASX driving experience. There mightn't be a nanny intervening to pull you back into your lane, but the steering feels like it's unsettled anyway.
The ASX's steering feels like you're working knots out of it, with an oddly inconsistent weighting. It doesn't feel fluid at all and can still feel heavy at low speeds – for example, when you're negotiating a carpark.
The engine is rather gruff. The ticks you'll often hear from an idling engine are more like loud snaps in the ASX, which seems to run rough. Prod the accelerator and you're welcomed with a drone, with the CVT making it sound like you're stuck in one very tall first gear.
That CVT does make the most out of the ASX's outputs though, giving the Mitsubishi a relatively zippy feel off the line. The 2.0-litre can nevertheless still feel a little bit laboured at times, however, including when you're driving on steeper grades.
Tyre roar is also present even on smoother surfaced roads at double-digit speeds, and becomes more pronounced on coarser-chip roads and at highway speeds. There's a bit of wind noise around the mirrors, too.
Ride comfort is decent, with the ASX managing some of Brisbane's poorer roads without much fuss.
As for handling, don't go expecting this to be as engaging as, say, a Suzuki Vitara. You feel the high centre of gravity and while it won't fall over in a corner, it won't spark much joy either.
The ASX and Eclipse Cross are the last vehicles still standing in Australia on the GS platform, co-developed by Mitsubishi and what was then DaimlerChrysler.
Other vehicles to use this platform included the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Caliber, and first-generation Jeep Compass.
That's hardly a who's who of talent, but then again Mitsubishi did use this platform for the Lancer Evolution. Swings and roundabouts…
The lack of features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist is a bit retrograde, but the greatest omission of all is a digital speedometer. Seriously, Mitsubishi, would it have been so hard to fit one?
The ES – sans the ES Street package – strikes us as the best value of the ASX lineup.
2025 Mitsubishi ASX GS equipment highlights:
ES adds:
ASX ES Street adds:
ASX LS adds (over ES):
ASX MR adds (over ES):
ASX GSR adds (over LS):
ASX Exceed adds:
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
When the Mitsubishi ASX was tested by ANCAP in 2014 it received a rating of five stars, though this has now lapsed meaning the car is now unrated.
This rating from 2014 was based on a frontal offset score of 14.13 out of 16 and a side impact score of 16 out of 16. Whiplash and pedestrian protection were rated Good and Acceptable, respectively.
Standard safety equipment includes:
ES adds:
LS adds:
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
Mitsubishi offers 10 years of capped-price servicing, as well as a lengthy 10-year, 200,000km warranty. However, to take advantage of that you'll need to service your ASX at a Mitsubishi dealership.
If you don't continue servicing your ASX through Mitsubishi, the warranty drops to five years and 100,000km.
Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first.
To see how the Mitsubishi ASX lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
We often hear enthusiasts say, "Oh, if only you could still buy a new [BLANK]! If they had kept building it, I'd buy one now."
We think many enthusiasts who say this are referring to cars like the E39 5 Series or any V8 Commodore sedan, and not the Mitsubishi ASX, a car that wasn't exactly a class-leader in 2010 and has well and truly fallen off the pace since.
The Mitsubishi ASX is so very old, and it has scarcely changed during its very long tenure on the market. It makes more sense to buy a near-new one because you won't be missing out on anything. Nothing has changed.
It does say something about the arguable lack of advancement in this segment, though, that the Mitsubishi ASX doesn't feel like a complete relic.
The styling has held up surprisingly well – what car usually looks better four facelifts later? – and the interior layout and material quality remain quite agreeable, while the warranty is long and the price is cheap.
Rivals have packed in more safety equipment, but it hasn't always been ideally calibrated. And many of its Japanese and Korean rivals wear a much higher price tag than the ASX.
While Chinese cars are rising up the sales charts, we know there are plenty of buyers out there who don't want to take the chance. Ultimately, though, cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and GWM Haval Jolion are the most direct competition for the ASX on size and price. So you'll need to decide whether you'll take the chance, or stick with the proven but dated ASX.
If you're keen on an ASX, our advice is to stick to an ES and don't add any accessories like this ES Street package.
Interested in buying a Mitsubishi ASX? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers hereMORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

2025 Kia Picanto Sport review
2025 Kia Picanto Sport review

7NEWS

timea day ago

  • 7NEWS

2025 Kia Picanto Sport review

The Kia Picanto is the cheapest new car you can buy in Australia right now. Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Kia Picanto, as there have been no major changes to pricing or specification since its publication. We have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read our latest price and specs article here for all the details. The pint-size micro-car briefly lost the title to the previous-generation MG 3, but the new MG 3 is pricier, handing the mantle of Australia's cheapest new model back to the Kia – though a new base model from the Chinese manufacturer shrinks the gap. As the entry point into the Korean brand's lineup, the Picanto packs in heaps of new and desirable features despite its low asking price, going heavy on the type of active safety tech the MG lacks. The Picanto retains both manual and automatic transmission options, as well as a two-variant range structure to offer more choice than most models at this end of the market. Here we're trialing the cheapest one – is it the pick? How much does the Kia Picanto cost? Here we have the most affordable Picanto on sale – the Kia Picanto Sport – which starts from $18,390 before on-road costs with a five-speed manual transmission, as tested. To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool What is the Kia Picanto like on the inside? Changes in the cabin are a little less dramatic than the exterior, but there are quite a few upgrades here. The fundamentals are the same but there are small changes like a new LCD instrument cluster that is more neatly integrated into the binnacle than the old analogue dials, and the seat fabric has been updated. Smaller details include the inclusion of USB-C charge ports, as well as additional buttons on the steering wheel and to the right of the driver's knee for applicable safety systems that have been added with this update. Oh, and the steering wheel is now trimmed in 'premium' leatherette as standard, as is the gear shifter. There's definitely a more upmarket vibe to various points of touch and interaction, as well as the more fulsome tech suite that also helps justify price rises over previous iterations of the Picanto. It's all still quite basic and austere, but it's functional and attractive enough given the price point. The freestanding 8.0-inch touchscreen offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which actually works properly now compared to older iterations, and the manual air-con is surprisingly powerful as I found out on a hot summer day. Storage is good thanks to a dual-tier shelf under the dashboard, augmented by 12V, USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as adjustable cupholders and an open tray in the centre console. Everything is also ergonomically placed and positioned, with the centre stack angled slightly towards the driver and everything well within arm's reach – just don't go looking for soft plastics, because there are none. The back seat continues to surprise, given you can actually fit real people there despite the Picanto's tiny dimensions. I managed to fit two of my friends in the rear with minimal complaints. The Picanto's tall and boxy proportions mean even someone my height (6'1″) can snugly fit – a longer road trip might be pushing it with regular use though. Being a budget city-car, there aren't a whole lot of back seat amenities here. You get the requisite ISOFIX child seat anchors on the outboard seats as well as top-tethers across all three, but there are no air vents or folding centre armrest. In fairness, that's to be expected of a vehicle in this segment, but worth calling out if you're planning to use the second row somewhat often. Behind those rear seats there's 255 litres of cargo capacity, which can be expanded to 1010 litres with the rear seats folded. That's more than a Mazda 2 Hatch (250L), which is impressive given the Picanto's smaller size. There's a pretty big step up from the boot floor to the seat backs, though. All versions of the Kia Picanto feature a temporary space-saver spare wheel. To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool What's under the bonnet? The entire Picanto range is fitted with a 1.25-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool How does the Kia Picanto drive? The bulk of Picanto buyers opt for the dearer four-speed auto, so it's great that Kia Australia has kept the five-speed manual on sale. Why? Well, for starters manuals are becoming harder and harder to find these days and, for a lot of younger motorists buying their first car, this could be a great way to get into an affordable new car and also practice 'driving stick'. It also gives you more control and an added ratio for the pretty basic and meek 1.25-litre petrol engine. With just 62kW of power and 122Nm of torque on tap, this little Kia is no pocket rocket – especially when peak torque doesn't come online until 4000rpm. However, this mini-car only weighs 976kg, so you can get it moving if you need to push it. I haven't driven an atmo manual for a while, so like me you might find you have to row through the gears a lot to keep the Picanto on the boil. It's more involving and helps you really get in touch with what the car's doing, but it can also be quite tiresome in stop-start city traffic. The Picanto has a very light clutch and an almost wobbly shift action, which early on might be a little jarring, but you soon learn to embrace the charm that comes with driving this little unit around town. It revs out willingly and is fairly responsive, but I'd ignore the shift indicator in the cluster because it encourages you to change gears at around 2000rpm, which is never going to work in hilly conditions. Keep in mind you don't get peak torque until 4000rpm and peak power until 6000rpm. While the new 'basic' digital instrumentation looks neat in the driver's binnacle, I feel this is a step backwards for the manual as it's difficult at times to gauge how many revs you have on board on take-off and how quickly the tacho is rising on the clock radio-style display. Further, the vague clutch and shift actions can mean it's very easy to over-rev the Picanto on takeoff and between gearshifts. Having hill start assist definitely helps when setting off on an incline. It handles well too. That chunky leatherette-trimmed steering wheel and accurate steering calibration make this quite a fun little thing to punt around city streets. It rides pretty well to boot, erring on the firmer side but doing a good job of balancing comfort and dynamics. The Sport's little 14-inch alloys and 175/65 tyres add a bit more cushioning than the GT-Line's 195/45 R16s as well. The Picanto is also surprisingly settled on the freeway for such a little car, helped by Kia Australia's local tuning of the suspension and steering, perhaps as well as the fact the Picanto is sold in markets like Europe. While it takes a heavy foot to get anywhere quickly, you don't feel like you're in some dangerous little buzzbox that'll get blown away by passing buses and trucks. It's surprisingly sure-footed and confident at 100 clicks. Further, the five-speed manual's long final ratio means it's not spinning away at well above 3000rpm like it is in the four-speed auto. It just feels like it has longer legs in those scenarios. The Picanto has a slew of modern assistance features that should not only help you on the road but also give parents peace of mind when their youngster set out to drive in this big scary world. AEB, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic assist as well as lane keep assist all actively intervene to avoid collisions or drifting out of one's lane. You also have Lane Following Assist, which will actively keep you centred in your lane, and it does so in an unthreatening way. There's also auto high-beam for the standard projector-type halogen headlights. Unfortunately, LED units are reserved for the GT-Line flagship. I can forgive this in the Picanto, but perhaps not models higher up in Kia's range. Note that Kia doesn't offer the Picanto with a more sophisticated AEB system incorporating pedestrian and cyclist detection – nor adaptive cruise control – despite it being available in the Korean domestic market. Probably nitpicking for this particular variant. To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool What do you get? The Kia Picanto is available in two trim levels – on test here is the base Sport. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport equipment highlights: 14-inch alloy wheels Space-saver spare Automatic halogen headlights Automatic high-beam Halogen daytime running lights Power-folding exterior mirrors 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system Wireless Apple CarPlay Wireless and wired Android Auto 4-speaker sound system Air-conditioning Cloth upholstery 6-way manual driver's seat with height adjustment (NEW) Height-adjustable headrests 60:40 split/fold rear seats Leatherette-wrapped steering wheel and shifter 1 x front USB-A outlet 1 x front USB-C outlet Picanto GT-Line adds: 16-inch alloy wheels Reflector LED headlights LED daytime running lights LED front light bar LED rear combination light Gloss black grille, badging Chrome beltline trim Heated exterior mirrors 'Premium' upholstery Soft-touch centre armrest Height-adjustable front seats Alloy pedals 'D-Cut' steering wheel Gloss black interior trim 1 x USB-C port (behind centre console) To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool Is the Kia Picanto safe? The Kia Picanto no longer has an ANCAP safety rating, as its four-star rating from 2017 expired at the beginning of last year. Standard safety equipment includes: Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) Blind-spot assist Driver attention warning Forward collision warning High Beam Assist Lane Follow Assist Lane keep assist Leading vehicle departure alert Rear cross-traffic assist Rear occupant alert Reversing camera Rear parking sensors Safe exit warning To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool How much does the Kia Picanto cost to run? The Picanto is backed by Kia's seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Like the Korean brand's wider lineup, Kia offers seven years of roadside assistance and capped-price servicing for Picanto buyers, and maintenance is required every 12 months or 15,000km. To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool CarExpert's Take on the Kia Picanto Australians love to buy the biggest and most expensive versions of most models, but for those more pragmatic buyers that take the 'right size, right size' approach, the base Picanto has a lot to offer. For just over $20,000 drive-away you have all the bases covered in terms of driver assistance and infotainment technologies, as well as a pretty economical and uncomplicated drivetrain that's cheap to run. Based on my real-world experience, you should be able to achieve over 550km between fills of the tiny 35-litre tank, which with 91-octane unleaded will make this one of the cheapest and most efficient ways to get around. Props to Kia for decking out the Picanto with active safety features like blind-spot and rear cross-traffic assists, as well as active lane centring. While some may argue 'you shouldn't have your license if you need these things', it's a great safety net that the young, old and everyone in between will appreciate if they ever need it. You really don't need to spend up for the GT-Line either, unless you must have the more premium aesthetics and LED lighting, because the fundamentals of this new Picanto Sport are more than solid enough for the coin. Besides, if you're in the market for properly budget motoring, there's little else to choose from these days unless you buy used. Interested in buying a Kia Picanto? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers here MORE: Everything Kia Picanto Pros Great value for money Comprehensive safety suite Save The Manual Cons Smaller and not as pretty as MG 3 Expired ANCAP rating Servicing isn't exactly cheap Top Line Specs Power: 62kW Fuel Type: Unleaded Petrol Economy: 5.4L/100km CO2 Emissions: 125g/km ANCAP Safety Rating: Untested

2025 Kia Picanto Sport review
2025 Kia Picanto Sport review

Perth Now

timea day ago

  • Perth Now

2025 Kia Picanto Sport review

The Kia Picanto is the cheapest new car you can buy in Australia right now. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert Note: This article is based on our most recent review of the Kia Picanto, as there have been no major changes to pricing or specification since its publication. We have updated key details such as pricing and specifications with the most up to date information available. Read our latest price and specs article here for all the details. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert The pint-size micro-car briefly lost the title to the previous-generation MG 3, but the new MG 3 is pricier, handing the mantle of Australia's cheapest new model back to the Kia – though a new base model from the Chinese manufacturer shrinks the gap. As the entry point into the Korean brand's lineup, the Picanto packs in heaps of new and desirable features despite its low asking price, going heavy on the type of active safety tech the MG lacks. The Picanto retains both manual and automatic transmission options, as well as a two-variant range structure to offer more choice than most models at this end of the market. Here we're trialing the cheapest one – is it the pick? Here we have the most affordable Picanto on sale – the Kia Picanto Sport – which starts from $18,390 before on-road costs with a five-speed manual transmission, as tested. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool Changes in the cabin are a little less dramatic than the exterior, but there are quite a few upgrades here. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert The fundamentals are the same but there are small changes like a new LCD instrument cluster that is more neatly integrated into the binnacle than the old analogue dials, and the seat fabric has been updated. Smaller details include the inclusion of USB-C charge ports, as well as additional buttons on the steering wheel and to the right of the driver's knee for applicable safety systems that have been added with this update. Oh, and the steering wheel is now trimmed in 'premium' leatherette as standard, as is the gear shifter. There's definitely a more upmarket vibe to various points of touch and interaction, as well as the more fulsome tech suite that also helps justify price rises over previous iterations of the Picanto. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert It's all still quite basic and austere, but it's functional and attractive enough given the price point. The freestanding 8.0-inch touchscreen offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which actually works properly now compared to older iterations, and the manual air-con is surprisingly powerful as I found out on a hot summer day. Storage is good thanks to a dual-tier shelf under the dashboard, augmented by 12V, USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as adjustable cupholders and an open tray in the centre console. Everything is also ergonomically placed and positioned, with the centre stack angled slightly towards the driver and everything well within arm's reach – just don't go looking for soft plastics, because there are none. GT-Line Credit: CarExpert The back seat continues to surprise, given you can actually fit real people there despite the Picanto's tiny dimensions. I managed to fit two of my friends in the rear with minimal complaints. The Picanto's tall and boxy proportions mean even someone my height (6'1″) can snugly fit – a longer road trip might be pushing it with regular use though. Being a budget city-car, there aren't a whole lot of back seat amenities here. You get the requisite ISOFIX child seat anchors on the outboard seats as well as top-tethers across all three, but there are no air vents or folding centre armrest. In fairness, that's to be expected of a vehicle in this segment, but worth calling out if you're planning to use the second row somewhat often. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert Behind those rear seats there's 255 litres of cargo capacity, which can be expanded to 1010 litres with the rear seats folded. That's more than a Mazda 2 Hatch (250L), which is impressive given the Picanto's smaller size. There's a pretty big step up from the boot floor to the seat backs, though. All versions of the Kia Picanto feature a temporary space-saver spare wheel. To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool The entire Picanto range is fitted with a 1.25-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool The bulk of Picanto buyers opt for the dearer four-speed auto, so it's great that Kia Australia has kept the five-speed manual on sale. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert Why? Well, for starters manuals are becoming harder and harder to find these days and, for a lot of younger motorists buying their first car, this could be a great way to get into an affordable new car and also practice 'driving stick'. It also gives you more control and an added ratio for the pretty basic and meek 1.25-litre petrol engine. With just 62kW of power and 122Nm of torque on tap, this little Kia is no pocket rocket – especially when peak torque doesn't come online until 4000rpm. However, this mini-car only weighs 976kg, so you can get it moving if you need to push it. I haven't driven an atmo manual for a while, so like me you might find you have to row through the gears a lot to keep the Picanto on the boil. It's more involving and helps you really get in touch with what the car's doing, but it can also be quite tiresome in stop-start city traffic. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert The Picanto has a very light clutch and an almost wobbly shift action, which early on might be a little jarring, but you soon learn to embrace the charm that comes with driving this little unit around town. It revs out willingly and is fairly responsive, but I'd ignore the shift indicator in the cluster because it encourages you to change gears at around 2000rpm, which is never going to work in hilly conditions. Keep in mind you don't get peak torque until 4000rpm and peak power until 6000rpm. While the new 'basic' digital instrumentation looks neat in the driver's binnacle, I feel this is a step backwards for the manual as it's difficult at times to gauge how many revs you have on board on take-off and how quickly the tacho is rising on the clock radio-style display. Further, the vague clutch and shift actions can mean it's very easy to over-rev the Picanto on takeoff and between gearshifts. Having hill start assist definitely helps when setting off on an incline. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert It handles well too. That chunky leatherette-trimmed steering wheel and accurate steering calibration make this quite a fun little thing to punt around city streets. It rides pretty well to boot, erring on the firmer side but doing a good job of balancing comfort and dynamics. The Sport's little 14-inch alloys and 175/65 tyres add a bit more cushioning than the GT-Line's 195/45 R16s as well. The Picanto is also surprisingly settled on the freeway for such a little car, helped by Kia Australia's local tuning of the suspension and steering, perhaps as well as the fact the Picanto is sold in markets like Europe. While it takes a heavy foot to get anywhere quickly, you don't feel like you're in some dangerous little buzzbox that'll get blown away by passing buses and trucks. It's surprisingly sure-footed and confident at 100 clicks. GT-Line Credit: CarExpert Further, the five-speed manual's long final ratio means it's not spinning away at well above 3000rpm like it is in the four-speed auto. It just feels like it has longer legs in those scenarios. The Picanto has a slew of modern assistance features that should not only help you on the road but also give parents peace of mind when their youngster set out to drive in this big scary world. AEB, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic assist as well as lane keep assist all actively intervene to avoid collisions or drifting out of one's lane. You also have Lane Following Assist, which will actively keep you centred in your lane, and it does so in an unthreatening way. GT-Line shown Credit: CarExpert There's also auto high-beam for the standard projector-type halogen headlights. Unfortunately, LED units are reserved for the GT-Line flagship. I can forgive this in the Picanto, but perhaps not models higher up in Kia's range. Note that Kia doesn't offer the Picanto with a more sophisticated AEB system incorporating pedestrian and cyclist detection – nor adaptive cruise control – despite it being available in the Korean domestic market. Probably nitpicking for this particular variant. To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool The Kia Picanto is available in two trim levels – on test here is the base Sport. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert 2025 Kia Picanto Sport equipment highlights: 14-inch alloy wheels Space-saver spare Automatic halogen headlights Automatic high-beam Halogen daytime running lights Power-folding exterior mirrors 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system Wireless Apple CarPlay Wireless and wired Android Auto 4-speaker sound system Air-conditioning Cloth upholstery 6-way manual driver's seat with height adjustment (NEW) Height-adjustable headrests 60:40 split/fold rear seats Leatherette-wrapped steering wheel and shifter 1 x front USB-A outlet 1 x front USB-C outlet 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert Picanto GT-Line adds: 16-inch alloy wheels Reflector LED headlights LED daytime running lights LED front light bar LED rear combination light Gloss black grille, badging Chrome beltline trim Heated exterior mirrors 'Premium' upholstery Soft-touch centre armrest Height-adjustable front seats Alloy pedals 'D-Cut' steering wheel Gloss black interior trim 1 x USB-C port (behind centre console) To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool The Kia Picanto no longer has an ANCAP safety rating, as its four-star rating from 2017 expired at the beginning of last year. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert Standard safety equipment includes: Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) Blind-spot assist Driver attention warning Forward collision warning High Beam Assist Lane Follow Assist Lane keep assist Leading vehicle departure alert Rear cross-traffic assist Rear occupant alert Reversing camera Rear parking sensors Safe exit warning To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool The Picanto is backed by Kia's seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert Like the Korean brand's wider lineup, Kia offers seven years of roadside assistance and capped-price servicing for Picanto buyers, and maintenance is required every 12 months or 15,000km. To see how the Kia Picanto lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool Australians love to buy the biggest and most expensive versions of most models, but for those more pragmatic buyers that take the 'right size, right size' approach, the base Picanto has a lot to offer. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert For just over $20,000 drive-away you have all the bases covered in terms of driver assistance and infotainment technologies, as well as a pretty economical and uncomplicated drivetrain that's cheap to run. Based on my real-world experience, you should be able to achieve over 550km between fills of the tiny 35-litre tank, which with 91-octane unleaded will make this one of the cheapest and most efficient ways to get around. Props to Kia for decking out the Picanto with active safety features like blind-spot and rear cross-traffic assists, as well as active lane centring. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert While some may argue 'you shouldn't have your license if you need these things', it's a great safety net that the young, old and everyone in between will appreciate if they ever need it. You really don't need to spend up for the GT-Line either, unless you must have the more premium aesthetics and LED lighting, because the fundamentals of this new Picanto Sport are more than solid enough for the coin. Besides, if you're in the market for properly budget motoring, there's little else to choose from these days unless you buy used. 2025 Kia Picanto Sport Credit: CarExpert Interested in buying a Kia Picanto? Get in touch with one of CarExpert's trusted dealers here MORE: Everything Kia Picanto Great value for money Comprehensive safety suite Save The Manual Smaller and not as pretty as MG 3 Expired ANCAP rating Servicing isn't exactly cheap Power: 62kW Fuel Type: Unleaded Petrol Economy: 5.4L/100km CO2 Emissions: 125g/km ANCAP Safety Rating: Untested

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store