ONE thing that gets us excited about Mitsubishis is their rally racing roots.
Clearly the Japanese automaker knows this too and made it a focal factor during the short media drive of its upcoming Xforce compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) around the Klang Valley.
The roughly three hour drive took us on a round trip that started and ended at The Grounds in Petaling Jaya.
In between we made our way to and back across the Damansara–Shah Alam Elevated Expressway (DASH) before coming to two major drive exercises near Plaza Arkadia in Desapark City.
It was at the latter where we pushed the locally assembled (CKD) Xforce’s potential by participating in both dry and wet handling activities before heading back to The Grounds.
It was a brief excursion but no less insightful.
Both route and programme allowed us to taste the inner workings of the compact SUV.
The icing on the cake was having Mitsubishi Motors Corp’s lead product engineer of the Xforce accompany us throughout.
Masahiro Tamura is a legend in his own right having being part of the team involved in the likes of the Lancer EVO VII, VIII, IX and X.
Applying his technical experience and knowledge, Tamura intended to make the Xforce capable and engaging.
This is achieved by making numerous improvements over their popular Xpander multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) and applying them here.
The result is one fun ride that multiplies in value depending on how much appreciation you have for the SUV’s performance on a technical level.
While the two share the same 1.5-litre engine with a 105PS and 141Nm of torque output, the Xforce is instead fitted with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) where else the Xpander in Malaysia comes with a four-speed automatic transmission (4AT).
The switch-up delivers an even more responsive acceleration which Mitsubishi says is akin to engaging that of an eight-speed automatic transmission (8AT).
This also contributes to higher fuel efficiency and both quieter and seamless shifting especially at lower gear acceleration.
As someone who has driven both models I’ll have to concur that the Xforce offers a vastly smoother drive experience and compensates for the need of a more powerful engine.
Performance on road angle elevation is also improved compared to the Xpander with a 25% improvement in driving force when going uphill and 10% better downhill restraint acceleration.
The body itself has also been strengthen for enhanced torsional rigidity.
Its upper body utilises a wider structural adhesive (7,180mm compared to the Xpander’s 2,616mm) while additional parts have been added to the rear quarter of the vehicle – the later is to appropriately distribute input from the rear suspension and strengthen the rigidity of the tailgate’s opening.
Additional parts have also been included across the underbody and mounting positions of the rear suspension.
The ridge line of the panel installed between the mounting positions of the front suspension is also straightened.
Anyone who has driven the Xpander will notice a jump in handling and stability performance with the Xforce.
Its iF Design Award 2024 winning looks isn’t simply for show either with the SUV’s roof spoiler, extended D-pillar side garnish, edged rear combination lamp, front tyre airdam, engine undercover and spare tyre well contributes to its best-in-class aerodynamics.
Suspension has also undergone over 4,000km of vehicle testing in both urban and rural areas across the Asean region.
Not only was it fine-tuned to accommodate larger tyres, wheels and a wider body, but to contribute to the vehicle’s best-in-class comfort.
As the wheelbase on the Xforce is shorter, modifications were necessary to improve straight-line stability and handling.
The caster trail on the front MacPherson suspension was then expanded while the overall gear ratio was quickened to achieve this effect.
Rear torsion beam suspension bush is then improved while the shock absorber’s cylinder size was increased to similarly improve handling stability and ride comfort.
If you were wondering, the Xforce has a 2,650mm wheelbase, and has a height of 1,660mm, is 1,810mm wide, and 4,390mm long.
Speaking of tyres, the Xforce has a ground clearance of 190mm when fitted with 17-inch wheels and 193mm with the Ultimate’s 18-inch wheels.
Without the undercover, clearance reaches 219mm and 222mm, respectively which is another best-in-class attribute.
To really get into the grip of things, it has four drive modes to take full advantage of the Xforce’s robust build through a variety of traction options: Normal, Gravel, Mud and a new Wet mode.
With a generous 5.2-metre turning radius and Active Yaw Control (AYC), the Xforce surprisingly has a lot of agility and is always in control under most driving conditions despite its front-wheel drivetrain (FWD) setup.
The details add up to an extremely fun compact SUV that is sorely missing in the price segment.
At least that’s the takeaway we got during this short window of period we had with the model.
Safety is not loss in the sea of fun with the model coming in standard with four airbags, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, lane change assist, front and rear parking sensors and an around view monitor.
Opt for the Ultimate variant and you’ll get six airbags instead, with the addition of a tyre pressure monitoring system and the complete Mitsubishi Motors Safety Sensing features such as forward collision mitigation with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lead car departure notification and auto high beam.
The latter is where the Xforce earns its five-star Asean NCAP safety rating.
The Ultimate is tentatively priced at RM120,000 (on-the-road, without insurance) while the standard Urban comes at RM110,000.
Price is inclusive of a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage.
Slated to be launched in April, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia offered an exclusive early bird package for the first 1,000 customers.
As bookings had exceeded 1,000 in the first week, the company extended the package to the next 1,000 buyers.
You’re looking at RM5,000 cash rebates, and three times free labour as with a 5-year maintenance cost at RM3,978.
Those who place their booking before the official launch will stand a chance to win another Xforce of the Ultimate variety in a “Buy 1 Free 1” contest.
Existing Mitsubishi owners and their immediate family members who purchase an Xforce are also entitled to the brand’s loyalty programme which is an additional cash rebate of RM1,000.
