The Mitsubishi Destinator has the potential to shake up the compact crossover market, and perhaps a bit of the MPV segment as well. It’s the size of something like a Honda CR-V, and it aims to offer about the same practicality as a Toyota Zenix.
So far, it’s a promising product that Philippine market will surely get down the line. However, there is one vital question that needs to be asked: where’s the hybrid version?
It’s a good question given that more consumers are (finally) becoming more aware or electrification. A report from Indonesian automotive website Otodriver managed to get something out of Mitsubishi regarding the matter.
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Per the publication, Mitsubishi isn’t ruling out the possibility of giving its newest model an electrified powertrain. Translated from Bahasa, Atsushi Kurita, president director of Mitsubishi Motors Krama Yudha Indonesia, said “The 4B40 turbo engine is a new technology and could potentially be developed into a hybrid. But our initial focus is on strengthening the domestic market before expanding into electrification.”
Kurita’s statement is understandable given that the Destinator’s 4B40 engine doesn’t have a hybrid configuration. If it did, it’s safe to say that Mitsubishi would’ve offered an electrified version from the moment it was launched. As it is, the Destinator’s 1.5-liter turbo makes 161hp and 250Nm that’s then hooked up to a CVT.
Can the Mitsubishi Destinator just use the hybrid system used in the XForce and Xpander? It’s easier said than done, and the one used in those subcompact model might not cut the mustard for the bigger crossover. That powertrain arrangement combines a 1.6-liter Atkinson-cycle engine to a single electric motor and a 1.1kWh battery. Total system output is rated at 114hp and 255Nm, which doesn’t sound too punchy for the Destinator’s size.
Mitsubishi has a bit of an uphill battle when it comes to building a hybrid Destinator. It essentially has to build one from scratch, and the company has relatively limited resources. It won’t be easy, but if the turbopetrol can give Mitsubishi the revenue it needs, then that might just be the push the company needs to push through with it.
