Last week we shared a spyshot showing a black Mitsubishi XPANDER 7-seater MPV in a local Mitsubishi dealership. This seems to confirm the impending arrival of the vehicle in Malaysia, perhaps in CKD form.
A day after that spyshot was posted, Mitsubishi Motors corporation officially unveiled the crossover variant of the vehicle in Vietnam. The standard XPANDER has already been on sale in Vietnam since October 2018. That’s right, not only did Vietnam get the XPANDER before Malaysia, but they even got the more rugged-looking XPANDER CROSS variant.
Of course, it’s easy to see why Mitsubishi is more enthusiastic and proactive in introducing these models to markets like the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. In those countries, there is a greater need for affordable people-movers. PLUS, there volume of sales that can be achieved is much higher. This is partially down to the lack of local brands and huge excise duties on foreign car brands in those markets.
That in mind, do you think the Mitsubishi XPANDER or XPANDER CROSS has a good chance at making it big against vehicles like the Peroduas Alza & Aruz, Honda BR-V, and Toyotas Rush & Avanza? We know even Proton had to discontinue the Suzuki-made Ertiga just a few years after its introduction.
Let us know in the comments. Here’s the press release with more.
PRESS RELEASE
MITSUBISHI MOTORS CORPORATION (MMC) today introduced the all-new crossover XPANDER CROSS in Vietnam, following the launches in Indonesia in November 2019, as well as in the Philippines and Thailand in March 2020.
The XPANDER CROSS is the top variant of the Mitsubishi XPANDER, which is the best-selling2 small multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) in Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam in fiscal 20193. Since the launch of the XPANDER in Indonesia in 2017, the total sales volume of the XPANDER series has reached approximately 260,000 units in June 2020. The addition of the XPANDER CROSS will further strengthen MMC competitiveness in ASEAN, one of the company’s strategic regions under the new framework of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.
“We are introducing the all-new XPANDER CROSS to provide new values for a wider range of customers in Vietnam who are looking for style, ruggedness and practicality,” said Yoichiro Yatabe, co-chief operating officer of MMC. “Vietnam is an important market that supports MMC’s growth strategy in the ASEAN region. We will continue to contribute to the growth of the Vietnamese economy through our production and sales efforts.”
Combining the DNA of MITSUBISHI MOTORS’ SUV with the unique strengths of MPV, the XPANDER CROSS is built with robust SUV exterior styling, comfortable and pleasant drivability, as well as a practical and versatile interior design.
With its best-in-class ground clearance of 225 millimeters, the crossover enables users to drive through a wide range of terrains with confidence, yet without compromising on roominess and comfort of MPVs. In Vietnam, the sales of the standard Mitsubishi XPANDER started in October 2018, with around 27,000 cumulative units sold as of June 2020. The addition of the XPANDER CROSS to the lineup will offer new experiences for dynamic and energetic customers in Vietnam.
