The Mitsubishi XForce may be late to the crossover party, but it was worth the wait

The Philippine market truly has gone crossover-crazy, and that segment of the market has been booming. It’s no surprise that carmakers left and right have been trying hard to grab a piece of that pie.

What’s been a bit of a shocker, though, is Mitsubishi Motors Philippines’ (MMPC) crossover lineup—or the lack thereof. The Japanese carmaker has sat comfortably in the second spot in sales for years, far behind industry leader Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) but well ahead of the next runners-up. If anything, that’s the more surprising bit, because the brand has kept this second spot with the Mirage, Xpander, and L300 leading the charge.

But its crossover offerings? It isn’t even slim pickings—apart from the Outlander PHEV, there’s nothing else to choose from. While other regions get the likes of the ASX and the Eclipse Cross, we’re stuck with a slightly expensive hybrid that isn’t exactly for the masses.

Not until today, that is, because the all-new XForce is finally here.

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The XForce is the first entirely new model from Mitsubishi in our market since the Xpander. The last new addition to MMPC’s lineup was the Outlander PHEV, yet even that was a relatively old nameplate. There’s the Triton, of course, but that’s the overhaul of the Strada. The XForce has no direct predecessor, and it enters a segment Mitsubishi has yet to really tap into.

It looks new, alright. It seems as if Mitsubishi has a real knack for fresh designs whenever it comes up with a new model. I still remember when the Xpander came out—it didn’t look like anything we’d seen before. The same goes for this one.

The XForce is adorned by T-shaped headlights up front, something it takes from its MPV sibling. This crossover, though, looks much cleaner than any of its stablemates. The next-generation Dynamic Shield design has a good balance between aggressive and tame, with a front fascia that’s easy on the eyes and a rear end that’s not boring but not too loud at the same time. Props to Mitsubishi for nailing the look on those wheels, too.

The interior is as fresh as the exterior. It’s arguably one of the nicest cabins Mitsubishi has designed in a hot minute. The piece de resistance here is the fabric trim on the dash—nice to the touch, and even nicer to look at—and it blends well with the accentuating bronze plastics. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if these end up being reasons buyers would rather opt for the top-spec trim, as these are exclusive to the top-of-the-line XForces.

The XForce borrows a few bits from the Mitsubishi parts bin, as you’ll recognize some of the steering wheel and A/C controls look very similar to that of the Triton. And that’s perfectly fine, because having all these tactile (and friendly-to-use) buttons is rare in an age where carmakers would prefer stuffing every control possible into the touchscreen displays.

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

But make no mistake—the XForce still has that ‘digital’ part covered. There’s a small panel for the climate control right below the dash, and mounted up top is a pair of screens that are extra-large in the top-spec trim. The instrument cluster shows all the information you’ll ever need behind the wheel, while the head unit has a crisp display and is ergonomically positioned for the driver. Said head unit gets wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity to go along with a six-speaker Yamaha setup. That audio system’s easily one of the best you’ll get in the segment.

At the back, passengers won’t feel like afterthoughts inside the XForce. There’s plenty of legroom and headroom. There are also niceties like dedicated A/C vents, USB-C and USB-A charging ports, and small pockets for smartphones and wallets right behind the front seats. In true Mitsubishi fashion, the XForce also gets 40-20-40 folding rear seats with the middle seat doubling as the armrest with cup holders. This feature also allows passengers at the back to access the rather spacious trunk easier, in case there’s something that needs to be pulled out from the back when in transit.

The ride is fairly comfortable inside the XForce. While I believe smaller wheels with chunkier tires could’ve helped improve the ride even further, it’s still decent even when in the less…paved parts of the city. On the highway, it cruises quietly and smoothly, so long drives will be a cinch.

It’s slightly comfier up front than it is out back, so it actually makes for a very pleasant time behind the wheel. It’s easy to find the right driving position, with tilt and telescopic adjustment at your disposal. The driver’s seat doesn’t get power controls, but it’s adjustable six ways.

It’s also fun to man the tiller, as the XForce is a bit lively on the road. The Xpander-derived 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and its 103hp and 141Nm of torque don’t seem like much, but that setup’s more than enough for most of the driving you’ll be doing in this crossover.

“Hindi ba mabibitin yan pa-Baguio?” Firstly, expect that most modern cars will be able to make it up the City of Pines without any problems whatsoever. Second, any car with an economical engine like this one will most likely find steep uphills cumbersome when the vehicle’s filled to the brim with both passengers and luggage. You have to manage your expectations with this one.

Besides, how often are you going to drive a climb like Baguio City, anyway? I’m willing to bet that the target market for the XForce will likely just drive around the metro for the most part. And in this setting, the crossover shines. The CVT is perfect for the city, and it should do wonders for fuel efficiency. If cruising on an open highway with a car full of passengers and a trunk full of cargo yields about 18-20km/L, I expect the car will hold its own when there’s just one or two people onboard, expressway driving or otherwise. The vehicle can also be had with a full range of safety features which includes a forward-collision mitigation system, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control—the usual creature comforts that make everyday use a lot easier.

Perhaps one of the more interesting parts of the XForce is its ability to tackle light trails. It’s a front-wheel-driven vehicle with a CVT for a gearbox, so it’s not exactly a crossover you’d think to bring off the beaten path. But mind you, it’s capable of kicking up dirt every now and then.

The XForce comes with a Drive Mode selector, and you can choose among normal, wet, gravel, and mud. To put it simply, these drive modes utilize Mitsubishi’s patented Active Yaw Control to improve controllability and handling in different road conditions, and it enables the vehicle to be driven through tricky terrain that you wouldn’t normally bring, say, an Xpander Cross to. Nothing too hardcore, though—it still isn’t a legitimate 4x4 off-roader at the end of the day.

What it is is a stylish, comfortable, and tech-loaded crossover through and through, and it’s exactly what MMPC needed. If anything, it couldn’t have come at a better time. The brand has an aging lineup that’s been in dire need of something truly fresh in years. The XForce is not only that, but it’s also the model Mitsubishi has been waiting for to fill a huge gap in its roster.

It just ticks all the right boxes, and it looks up to the task of challenging the proven subcompact crossovers in the market. I’m not gonna go out on a limb here and say MMPC might have a shot at overtaking TMP anytime soon because that’s too farfetched, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the XForce will help cut that lead even by just a little.