Well, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines (MMPC) dropped quite the bombshell recently. Its announcement of a seven-seat SUV concept has generated both a lot of buzz and a genuine shock in the automotive community.
With teaser photos come speculations. There are those saying that the concept vehicle that MMPC will be showing could be the next-generation Montero Sport. In a way, it makes sense as the current model is fast approaching the decade mark.
While plausible, we have a different model in mind: We reckon it’ll be the spiritual successor of the much-loved Mitsubishi Adventure. Think we’re nuts? Well, here are a few reasons we think this is the case. Reasons one to three are mine, while four to six are from Top Gear Philippines assistant managing editor Leandre Grecia.
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1) Mitsubishi has been emphasizing the word ‘Adventure’ in its teasers quite a lot.
Could it be that Mitsubishi has been leaving clues in plain sight? If you see the last two teasers, the word Adventure was emphasized twice in a row. The press release also mentioned “awaken the adventurous” side of driving. While it seems shallow, it’s also worth pointing out something mentioned in the press release.
It reads: “This new concept reflects Mitsubishi Motors’ vision of delivering top quality vehicles to the ASEAN region,” hinting that this model may be specific to the region. The release also mentioned the company’s “commitment to developing vehicles that meet the unique demands of the market.”
2) The concept’s styling appears to be more crossover SUV than truck-based SUV.
It’s too early to tell, but something just threw us off in the side-profile teaser photo. It appears the front overhang is a little on the long side, and that’s not something you’d want in an off-road-oriented SUV. That little detail makes us think that this is more of a road-focused crossover instead.
Also, the XForce-inspired styling details lead us to believe that it might be an extended version of the subcompact crossover. Of course, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Just look at the Corolla Cross platform getting stretched to form the Innova Zenix.
3) The ‘Adventure’ is a registered trademark under Mitsubishi.
We were genuinely curious if Mitsubishi currently has any plans to revive the name Adventure. With that, we hopped on to the World Intellectual Property Organization’s database to see if anything could hint at that.
There, we saw that Mitsubishi Motors itself and not MMPC registered ‘Adventure’ as a trademark. In fact, it’s been registered since October 2022. This doesn’t mean that Mitsubishi will use the name again, but given the circumstances now, they might apply that name one way or another.
4) It would be weird if this were the Montero Sport.
The Ford Everest looks like the Ranger. The Toyota Fortuner (at least the pre-facelift version of this generation) looks like the Hilux. It’s not uncommon for one model to look a lot like its stablemate, but that’s usually between platform-sharing vehicles like these.
If the new Montero Sport were to look like another Mitsubishi, it would have to be the Triton. It won’t be the smaller, much more affordable XForce that the Montero Sport shares nothing with except the badge and perhaps Active Yaw Control, among a few other bits and features. From both design and marketing perspectives, it just won’t make sense. It’s the flagship SUV for a reason—having it look like a more budget-friendly crossover will somewhat diminish its style and value.
That’s why the Montero Sport is out the window. And with that, we’re left with nothing but the Adventure. Because we sure as hell won’t be seeing the next-generation Pajero concept debut on our shores. That would be absolutely mind-blowing if that were to happen.
5) Mitsubishi needs a Zenix competitor.
In the years following the exit of the mighty AUVs, Toyota has happily basked in the success of its modern-day Revo in the Innova. Mitsubishi, while still enjoying the continuous sales of the ever-popular Xpander, has nothing to pit against Toyota’s famed MPV.
But this current generation of the Innova, the Zenix, is something Mitsubishi can more directly compete against. If it were to build an extended-wheelbase XForce, Mitsubishi could have something go up against the gasoline-powered Zenix. Note that we were specific with the engine details, because we think that even if we do end up being correct with our guess, Mitsubishi still won’t be able to offer a hybrid powertrain. After all, there’s simply none available for the XForce just yet. Emphasis on yet, because we’re sure it’s coming.
But going back, wouldn’t getting a piece of the Innova/Zenix pie make more sense for Mitsubishi and MMPC?
6) It just makes sense to revive the Adventure nameplate and unveil it here in the Philippines.
Undoubtedly, the Adventure stood the test of time here in the Philippines. And to this day, it’s still being used either for public transportation or as a daily workhorse. One does not need to look too far to see a still-running-in-good-condition Mitsubishi Adventure on the road.
Reviving the nameplate, even if it’s just in the form of an XForce variant, would be paying homage to the Adventure’s rich history. And where else to hold it but in a market where the AUV has continued to endure?
