Relative to the larger-volume players in the Malaysian market such as Proton and Perodua, Mitsubishi has had a quieter year in 2023 by comparison. That said, there are a selection of models regionally that are set to arrive in Malaysia from the Japanese brand.
Leading the list is the third-generation Triton pick-up truck, which made its global debut in July last year. Currently, the all-new Triton has been indicated to arrive in Malaysia in the first half of this year, with the exact date still to be confirmed.
Having made its debut in Thailand, the third-generation Triton marks the model’s return to the Japanese market for the first time in 12 years, and the double-cab configuration that is most relevant to Malaysia has grown considerably in size, now measuring 5,360 mm long (+55 mm), 1,930 mm wide (+115 mm) and 1,815 mm tall (+35 mm), with a wheelbase of 3,130 mm.
The higher-specification variants of the Triton can be expected to be joined by a more utilitarian 2WD workhorse, known in the outgoing generation as the Triton Quest, which was priced just under RM80k at the launch of the facelift version. Elsewhere, the third-generation Triton is also offered in Club Cab and Single Cab forms.
New blood for the brand comes in the form of the Xforce, a B-segment SUV that made its global debut at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) 2023 last August.
Going into a segment comprised of entrants such as the Honda HR-V and the Toyota Corolla Cross, the Xforce measures 4,390 mm long, 1,810 mm wide and 1,660 mm tall with a 2,650 mm wheelbase, thus slotting in between the HR-V and Corolla Cross in terms of exterior dimensions.
Sharing its platform with the Xpander facelift, the Xforce also shares the MPV’s powertrain that is the 105 PS/141 Nm 4A91 1.5 litre petrol unit mated to a continuously variable transmission. Also shared is its suspension layout of MacPherson struts in front and a torsion beam at the rear, with the Xforce gaining Mitsubishi’s patented Active Yaw Control that distributes drive between each front wheel.
The Xforce will be built in Mitsubishi Motors’ Indonesian plant in Bekasi, West Java, and its scheduled arrival in Asean markets mean the B-segment SUV should be earmarked for Malaysia as well.
The other mainstay in the Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia line-up, the Xpander has been given its facelift, first making its debut in Indonesia in November 2021, then in Thailand in March 2022.
Key changes to the mechanical specification of the Xpander include the shift to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which replaces the four-speed torque converter automatic transmission in the pre-facelift which is the version currently on sale in Malaysia.
The facelift pairs the CVT with the 105 PS/141 Nm 4A91 1.5 litre petrol inline-four cylinder engine that gets an external exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system to bolster fuel efficiency. Meanwhile, bodywork updates see front and rear overhangs grow by 75 mm and 45 mm respectively, while ground clearance has been raised to a maximum of 225 mm, the latter figure claimed to be best-in-class.
Rounding up the batch of models that may arrive in Malaysia from the brand is the Outlander PHEV, which had been sighted on local roads last June.
Having made its debut in October 2021, the Outlander PHEV packs a pair of e-motors, one producing 116 PS and 255 Nm in front and another with 136 PS and 195 Nm at the rear, fed by a 20 kWh lithium-ion battery that yields up to 87 km of range (WLTP).
The combustion engine, a 2.4 litre 4B12 naturally aspirated inline four-cylinder MIVEC engine produces 133 PS and 195 Nm, serving primarily as a generator for the EV powertrain but can also directly drive the vehicle at higher speeds.
Despite the Outlander PHEV’s presence on Malaysian roads, there’s less of a guarantee that it will go on sale in this market as the unit sighted was unconcealed, which is unlikely of a model that is due to be launched. What do you think of these models – which of these are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments.
GALLERY: Third-generation Mitsubishi Triton
Mitsubishi Xforce
GALLERY: 2022 Mitsubishi Xpander facelift
GALLERY: 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
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