Mitsubishi Xpander Plus Malaysian Drive Review: For The Practical Family Man

December 25, 2024

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I drive the Mitsubishi Xpander again and it is still the most practical family MPV I tried

So I have once again been given the chance to drive the Mitsubishi Xpander 7-seater family MPV. WHile the last time was a controlled convoy drive, this time, Mitsubishi loaned it to me for Christmas (Merry Christmas to anyone celebrating, by the way) and given more time and freedom to use it with my family, I see the appeal.

For Practicality

Okay, full disclosure, I was never into MPVs and SUVs, I prefer a good coupe or sedan as I am still rather young and prefer the zoom zoom that coupes simply do better than any other body type. However, when driving around with my family and all our luggage and Christmas presents, I have to admit the Mitsubishi Xpander is leagues ahead of any coupe or sedan.

Moreover, let me paint you a picture. You’re now 35, your glory days are well behind you now, the wife is bugging you to trade in that old Celica you finally got because your next kid is on the way and your elderly mother decides to move in with you too as she is no longer as capable as she once was.

Well, with the maid to look after mum and the kids too, the 5-seater sedan in the driveway just won’t cut it anymore. So now, with your modest salary, you start to look for something in the sub RM100k range but your options are limited, after all, for that price, most cars tend to be sedans and hatchbacks.

Luckily for you Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (Mitsubishi) has thought about the struggles of the common man and decided, well, we can fix that. Enter the Mitsubishi Xpander, a spacious, practical and sporty looking 7-seater family MPV which beyond all other metrics offers more peace of mind and practicality than anything else in its price range.

Other Options

Now that the Honda BR-V and Nissan Grand Livina (both of which are smaller on the inside than the Mitsubishi Xpander) are no longer sold brand new (and the missus prefers a brand new car for the new kiddo), it appears that the only logical answer if you are after practicality is the Xpander.

On top of that, we do have the Nissan Serena, which is bigger and more well equipped, it is still a whole RM60,000 to RM70,000 more than the Mitsubishi Xpander. Now if you, like most people who buy the Xpander, your first thought when the Serena’s price comes up would be “walao weyh, can buy Xpander AND Myvi for that kind of money la!”

The best part? You’d be right? So then what would be the point of the Serena then? Now, this isn’t to say the Nissan Serena is not a good car, far from it. It is a fantastic car and if you can afford it, you should go for it, but for the average Malaysian, RM160,000 for one single car is a bit out of reach so the Xpander is a good alternative.

Popular And Practical

What’s more, up until the current generation of the Mitsubishi Xpander, there has always been a single variant for the MPV, but now Mitsubishi offers 2 distinct variants. Both are not that far apart in terms of price, and they do not differ much either. The main difference would be the top spec Plus variant has leather seats while the base spec has fabric seats.

In fact, the previous generation of the Mitsubishi Xpander sold almost 100,000 units until the current generation came about. So how many will the current generation sell? Only time will tell, but we can be certain it will definitely be an impressive number and this is for good reason. So going back to my earlier example about the wife and kids and stuff.

Okay, so you and your better half head on over to your nearest Mitsubishi showroom and while she is a bit skeptical because the Xpander comes with a rather sporty rear spoiler, she’s smitten the moment you start driving. She sinks into the seats and enjoys the creature comforts of the cool air con and central infotainment unit with wired Android Auto and AppleCarPlay.

Additionally, the third row of seats in the Mitsubishi Xpander, while slightly less spacious than the second row seats, still can recline and are more than spacious enough even for a full grown man such as myself to comfortably drive for even 2 to 3 hours. Honestly, for the price, the Xpander makes such a good case for itself that no other MPV can really thwart it.

Not to mention, the fact that the car itself is built very simply and emphasises spaciousness and simplicity above all else. The driver display consists of 2 analog dials and a small central screen while the central infotainment unit is also very straightforward. This means ultimate peace of mind as everything is simple and easy to fix or replace, and more importantly, CHEAP.

So let’s review, it is simple, spacious, practical, has a low running cost, has low maintenance, is not bad to look at, is comfortable and the 1.5- litre engine, while slightly lethargic for enthusiasts, is more than powerful enough to haul the entire family and then some without screaming too much or struggling.

The Drive

Okay, time to wrap this up. I have already written a drive review talking about the technical specs of the Mitsubishi Xpander, so check that out here if you want to know more. For now, suffice it to say that the Xpander is more than powerful enough and handles quite well for a big thing.

It is also very comfortable and handles the poor Malaysian roads much better than anyone would ever first assume. In short, I was never a fan of MPVs but in a few years when I am past my prime and may need the space and practicality, I can confidently say that I would gladly trade in that dream coupe for an Xpander.