The Mitsubishi Delica Mini might have a little success in our parallel import market.
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is releasing its new Delica Mini super height-wagon kei-car in Japan on May 25. We know most kei-cars don’t make it outside of Japan, but looking at the relative success of the Honda N-Box in Malaysia, we wonder if this little Mitsubishi will fare well here in the years to come too. After all, there’s a sizable Mitsubishi following in Malaysia and the 3rd generation Delica van is sometimes seen on our roads to this day.
The vehicle features an SUV-like style that conveys powerful driving, functional cabin for outdoor recreation and everyday use, spacious interior for comfort, secure and pleasant road performance, driver assistance technology and active safety technology.
The new Delica Mini has gained popularity among Japanese customers, with over 9,000 units ordered since pre-orders began on January 13. About 60 percent of customers selected 4WD models, and the fully equipped Premium models accounted for over 80 percent of orders.
The exterior and interior design of the new Delica Mini is based on the theme of Daily Adventure. The front design uses a three-dimensional Dynamic Shield and LED position lights, while the front bumper and liftgate garnish have an embossed Delica logo. The glossy black wheel arches and the skid-plate form of the front and rear bumpers emphasize the powerfulness and quality feel of an SUV. The body color lineup consists of 12 colors, six two-tone and six monotone, including Ash Green Metallic suitable for every setting.
The interior is user-friendly and comfortable for outdoor activities and everyday use. The instrument panel has a black base color with a light gray accent that emphasizes the feeling of width, making the interior easy to use. The seats have stain-resistant, breathable, and water-repellant fabric, and the sitting surface and center of the seatbacks have raised embossment for functional and comfortable seats that resist moisture.
The rear seats ensure a sliding range of 320 mm front and back, with foot space that accommodates passengers even with the front seats pushed back their furthest. The rear sliding doors have an opening width of 650 mm and offer boarding efficiency and level floor. The vehicle also has a circulator that fans the rear seats and is equipped with Plasmacluster that purifies the air, deodorizes and removes static electricity.
The Delica Mini’s performance and safety equipment offer secure and comfortable road performance for outdoor activities and everyday life. The 4WD model features large-diameter tires and specially tuned shock absorbers that enhance stability and comfort, while the Grip Control and Hill Descent Control enhance the sense of security.
The vehicle also has MI-PILOT driver assistance technology, active safety technology, and Adaptive LED Headlight to assist nighttime driving. The dealer options for customization include the Active Tone Style that looks attractive in an urban environment and the Wild Adventure Style that sets off by the outdoors.
