Driving review: Mitsubishi Xpander MPV

Malaysia's car market has been shrinking over the past decade. With the arrival of three-row seater sport utility vehicles, Malaysians have shed the traditional family MPV that was once essential for many Malaysians.

Mitsubishi's last entry into this segment was with the Mitsubishi Delica, which was a direct competitor to the first-generation Nissan Serena, Ford Econovan, Mazda Bongo and Toyota Masterace.

As the years passed, Malaysian buyers turned to high-seater seven-seat models like the Toyota Innova.

In recent years, we have seen a boom in sales of the Perodua Aruz and Honda BR-V. The current Nissan Serena S-Hybrid is the only Wolf in the family MPV segment, that is, until the arrival of the Mitsubishi Xpander in 2017.

The Mitsubishi Xpander made its debut in Indonesia in 2017, where cars with seven seats tend to sell well.

Indonesia's growing middle class of more than 260 million people need vehicles like the Xpander, which has developed a long waiting list to provide vehicles to customers.

By early 2020, the launch of Xpander in Thailand and Vietnam led to an even greater boom in the Indonesian plant.

Malaysians finally got a glimpse of the Xpanders and the first vehicles from the Indonesian factory at Mitsubishi's local showrooms in November 2020, which sold out in just a few days and received more than 2,000 pre-orders.

Mitsubishi Xpander is now assembled locally through Hicom Automotive Manufacturers in Pahang state.

By April 2021, pre-orders for Xpaner reached more than 9,300 units, despite the weak economy still being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Xpander explain

This family-oriented vehicle has a striking futuristic design. The Xpander follows an iteration of Mitsubishi's previous "Dynamic Shield" design concept, which expresses high performance and safety.

Aesthetically, the Xpander comes with a number of impressive kit listings, including LED headlights, crystal block LED position lights and L-illuminated LED taillights.

The new Xpander also has 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels. Customers can also explore the Xpander 205mm high ground clearance adventure site.

Xpander internal

The Xpander has a first-class spacious cabin with a total height of 1,730 mm and a total length of 4,475 mm. With a wheelbase of 2,775 millimeters and a width of 1,750 millimeters, the Xpander offers more legroom for all passengers.

With keyless ignition, the Xpander is the only vehicle of its kind with second - and third-row folding seats, providing ample luggage space and a car-like trunk that can easily load larger or longer items.

The Xpander is also equipped with under-seat multifunctional storage bins, cargo compartment floor, third row side pockets and cup holders. The center console comes equipped with one storage box, multiple storage boxes and a utility box with a double storage box for all the items needed for an ideal weekend getaway.

The MPV also features four roof-mounted vents for better air distribution to the rear of the cabin. For entertainment, the Xpander comes with a 9-inch infotainment system and comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Function and safety

Thanks to its proprietary RISE (Enhanced Impact Safety Evolution) monolithic body structure, its safety performance meets ASEAN standards. These include dual SRS airbags, anti-lock braking systems (ABS), electronic braking force dispensers (EBD), active stability control (ASC), brake assistance systems (BA), ramp start assistance (HSA), rest reminders and brake priority systems (BOS).

To further enhance the value of the vehicle, dealer packaging authorized by Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) was introduced. MMM authorized dealer packages feature All-Around Monitor (ARM), DASH Recorder (DVR) and leather seats.

Xpander drive impression

Middle-class family cars should be kept simple and super reliable, which is why the Xpander is the MPV Malaysians will love in the long run. No gimmick or high-tech business, just point-to-point reliability.

The ride height is slightly raised and easy to get in and out of, which will suit older riders and vertically oriented challengers. Drivers can see wide horizons, which are easy to live on in heavy traffic conditions as well as on open freeways for vehicles.

Under the bonnet is a simple and efficient 1.5-liter 105PS petrol engine that provides good fuel consumption and significant power for the family-friendly vehicle. It's not a car for speed demons or curve carvers. Even so, with all the rear seats folded, you can still fit a pair of bikes into it.

The second row of the cabin has plenty of legroom, which makes being a passenger a real pleasure. Note that the Xpander is wider than all of its current competitors at 1,750mm.

You can get into the third row by flipping the second row seats, but it's a lot of pressure. Still, the Xpander is 4,475 millimeters long and still offers roomy overall cabin space compared to its competitors. There is also a special air conditioning system for rear passengers to provide a consistently cool cabin experience.

Running at full capacity (four adults and two teens), the Xpander managed Kuala Lumpur's Bangsar and Pantai Hills Hills with ease and no fatigue from the 1.5-L engine.

The last word

With many safety features, cockpit comfort and an off-the-shelf reliable engine, the Xpander costs around RM91,369.

Yes, it's slightly higher than its direct rival Honda BR-V, with prices ranging from RM86,726.00 to RM93,693.00, but the Mitsubishi Xpander is definitely worth a look.