Mitsubishi XFC Concept debuted in Vietnam today. What could it eventually become?
Mitsubishi Motors today showed the XFC Concept at the 2022 Vietnam Motor Show. The XFC Concept previews an upcoming compact SUV designed for the ASEAN market.
Countries in ASEAN like ours are prone to heavy rainfall, and so Mitsubishi has introduced a new ‘Wet’ mode for such conditions on the XFC Concept. Other drive modes include Normal, Gravel and Mud.
In terms of design, the XFC Concept looks roughly ASX-sized and could serve as a direct replacement to the ageing crossover, which has been around since 2010 and is replaced in some markets with a rebadged Renault Captur. This vehicle seats 5 and features some genuinely interesting styling both inside and out.
Starting with the exterior, you have the return of the Dynamic Shield front, this time with a very interesting twist. The car is dotted with honeycomb patterns as a motif. These are found on the front grille, which appears to be mostly closed off. This might not make it to production unless the XFC is an electric vehicle with different cooling requirements from standard ICE-powered cars. The XFC Concept also features digital rear view mirrors, which may also be axed on the production model.
The daytime running lights and taillamp signature are also very interesting. The front and rear fascias have mirrored features. Tailpipe finishers in the rear appear as daytime running lights in the front.
Finally, there’s a tapered moonroof that gets narrower towards the rear of the vehicle. This moonroof transitions seamlessly into a high-mounted third brake light.
The interior is probably Mitsubishi Motors’ finest work in recent years. Seats covers are finished in yellow and gray while most of the dashboard is finished in light gray. A Benz-style twin digital display is featured as the centrepiece of the cockpit with a flat-bottomed steering wheel also being placed front and centre. An alien-looking gear selector lever sits on the centre console.
We’re quite excited to see what this ends up becoming when Mitsubishi launched a production version. The company has been tasked with leading the Alliance’s efforts in South East Asia, so it is possible we’ll see Nissan and Renault rebadge the production model for their own use too.
