It’s confirmed. The first-ever Mitsubishi XForce is coming to the Philippines and is expected to be launched locally by June 2024. While not exactly the biggest surprise, it’s great that Mitsubishi Motors Philippines (MMPC) is expanding its model range.
While it’s exciting news for local Mitsubishi fans and small crossover shoppers, the company has yet to mention any details about its specifications. After all, MMPC doesn’t want to show all its cards all at once to its competitors.
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Still, that’s not stopping us from putting up a wishlist for the Philippine-spec Mitsubishi XForce. Here are five things we’d like to see in the local model.
1. Sub 1.1-M base price
Admittedly, this might be a tough ask. See, in Indonesia, the base variant retails for 379,900,000 rupiah while the Vietnamese model starts at 620,000,000 dong. In Philippine pesos, that’s somewhere in the region of P1.4-million, a little too far from our dream base price. However, MMPC officials did say it will be ‘affordable’, so we’re hanging on to that.
2. A solid base variant
Gone are the days where base models were stripped out. Nowadays, even entry-level variants should come well-equipped because of modern customer demands. Touchscreens, smartphone connectivity, and active safety systems have become a must with consumers wanting some of those features at the very least.
Judging by the lowest trim level in Vietnam, the GLX, there’s a good chance that will happen. Even the least expensive model there gets LED headlights, a fully digital instrument cluster with a widescreen infotainment display, stability control, and even Type A and Type C charging ports.
3. Those ‘Heat Guard’ leather seats
Mitsubishi is well aware of its popularity in Southeast Asia. It’s why it’s no surprise it has some features specific for the region’s conditions. One of them is the ‘Heat Guard’ leather seats. First introduced in the Montero Sport/Pajero Sport in Thailand, it’s made its way locally to the Xpander Cross. We think it would be a great addition to the PH-spec XForce.
4. Active Yaw Control
As some would say, safety starts with a good handling car. Mitsubishi’s Active Yaw Control system helps a car turn in sharper by applying light brake pressure to the inside wheel while cornering. It should come in handy in an emergency situation when sharper and more agile reflexes from the car are needed. Reserved for the top-spec model in Indonesia, it’s available even in the base model in Vietnam. Here’s to hoping it’s standard across the range in the Philippines.
5. Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS)
Safety has evolved from protecting occupants in a crash to preventing an accident from happening in the first place. Advanced Driver Assist Systems, once reserved in high-end luxury cars, have made their way to more mainstream models.
In the case of Mitsubishi, it’s called Mitsubishi Motors Safety Sensing and includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, and more. We’re not expecting it to be fitted to base or mid-spec models, but it’s a feature we want in the top variant as seen in foreign market models.
