We’ve heard the rumors, and now here is some truth: The Mitsubishi Destinator has secured official homologation papers from the Land Transportation Office. The documents were dated September 18, 2025—right around the time we heard the rumors that the Destinator is already in the Philippines.
The papers suggest that the crossover may receive a similar debut to the XForce with two variants, but as we’ve previously covered, the Destinator is shaping up to be much more than a seven-seater XForce.
That is, in large part, due to the 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that powers the all-new Destinator. From its global debut in July, we know that it produces a capable 161hp and 250Nm of torque. The papers also confirm that a CVT will be mated to the Destinator’s powertrain.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
BYD PH opens reservation books for the upcoming eMax 9 DM-i
Dream come true: The legendary Mazda 787B, live at Fuji Speedway
Active Yaw Control and a suite of advanced driver-assistance systems are to be standard on the Destinator, but if this release is anything like the XForce, then the lower GLS variant may pack a more basic package. We can then expect a more refined interior and a few more USB charging ports on the top-spec’d Destinator GT.
Interestingly, the homologation papers tell us that an unladen Destinator GT weighs 40kg more than the GLS. We’ll definitely look into what that extra weight translates to when its official release rolls around. And judging by the teaser Mitsubishi Motors Philippines shared in August, it shouldn’t be too long from now.
