On the 10th of August 2023, we were honoured to join the Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) crew to the 30th GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS). The most exciting part of the trip was the unveiling of the all-new Xforce, a compact five-passenger SUV, made with ASEAN customers in mind.
During the launch, Takao Kato, president and chief executive officer of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), said that while the Xforce was designed to meet all the requirements for first-class driving performance, the brand has also put emphasis on bringing excitement to everyday driving for their users.
“This compact SUV was developed to answer the needs of drivers in the ASEAN region and has gone through repeated tuning in the region’s road environment. We hope the all-new Xforce will become a best-suited buddy for any adventure that drivers wish to embark on, giving them an extra force to go one step further and experience something new,” he said.
INTRODUCING THE ALL-NEW XFORCE
A five-passenger compact SUV, the Xforce was built based on the idea to become the “best-suited buddy for an exciting life.” With this concept in mind, the designers elevated every inch of the car to ensure a smoother driving experience in any condition, increased comfort, and even more fun.
It boasts comfort and practicality, which includes a spacious cabin and versatile storage spaces, compact body size, and road handling that allows for a safe, secure ride in a variety of weather or road conditions.
Most importantly, the Xforce has been optimised for ASEAN roads, with a number of tests put in place to guarantee this quality.
SILKY & SOLID
Elegant yet robust, stylish yet powerful—the authentic SUV design of the Xforce that’s based on the concept of Silky and Solid has resulted in a car that boasts a commanding presence on the road. The upper part of the car embodies silkiness with a floating roof and sleek surface that starts from the three-diamond emblem upfront all the way to the side and to the rear, while the lower part of the car represents the solid proportions of an SUV.
The Dynamic Shield front face has evolved to be in line with the design concept and consists of left and right bumpers that protect the front grille. The LED daytime running lights that combine into an L-shape and the slitted accents that emit light in an iconic T-shape emphasises the Xforce’s wide stance—a design that’s quintessentially Mitsubishi.
Furthermore, the instrument panel has been designed based on the Horizontal Axis concept. While increasing forward visibility, it allows drivers to easily see changes in the position of the vehicle when driving on rough surfaces. This dynamic form of the instrument panel that runs all the way to door trim creates an open, spacious area.
A Mitsubishi-first, mélange fabric is used for the padding of the instrument panel. This material is highly practical and exudes sophistication while being resistant to stains.
MADE FOR ULTRA-COMFORT
Car rides can be uncomfortable when we move too much involuntarily, but with the Xforce, there’s no more worrying about this. The seats provide comfort and support that prevents lateral body movements in situations like lane changes and rough roads. Although the Xforce has a compact body size, it still has ample space that allows all passengers to relax while in the car. The front seats also feature a spacious shoulder area which gives the driver enhanced comfort.
Passengers can fully relax as the rear seats have plenty of legroom, even when the cabin is full. The compact SUV prioritises comfort with added features to its seats like eight-levels of reclining adjustments for enhanced relaxation and maximum cargo capacity. This makes carrying passengers and belongings much easier.
STATE-OF-THE-ART TECH
Whether you’re blasting your favourite song while cruising down the streets alone, or have the radio on as white noise while you converse with those in the car with you, good sound is guaranteed in the Xforce.
In collaboration with Yamaha Corporation, the Xforce comes with Dynamic Sound Yamaha Premium. The system has eight speakers, with front tweeters on the A-pillars on both sides, woofers in the front doors, and coaxial two-way speakers in the rear doors. It also has four sound types that can be chosen based on your mood—Lively (factory setting), Signature, Powerful and Relaxing. As the system is optimised to the car, the volume and sound quality adjusts according to vehicle speed so passengers can enjoy dynamic bass and well-defined sounds even on rough roads.
That’s not all, the Xforce also comes with a 12.3-inch Smartphone-link Display Audio that gives a cutting-edge feel. The screen is divided into three sections to display various information like altitude, tilt angle, and direction; and also has a multi-widget function. A closer look reveals that the multimetre display pays homage to the triple metre that was used in the legendary Pajero. There’s also a driving score feature—developed with Hiroshi Masuoka, a former two-time Dakar Rally champion driver—so you can always keep your driving in check!
YOUR SAFETY GUARANTEED
To achieve the road handling of an SUV, the Xforce has utilised Mitsubishi Motors’ four-wheel control technology. It comes with four drive modes—Normal, Wet, Gravel, and Mud—that allow the car to manage a variety of road conditions. This is done by activating the Active Yaw Control (AYC) which adjusts the driving force on the front left and right wheels to improve controllability, traction control for tire skidding, engine control, and power steering control.
Furthermore, the Wet mode—another Mitsubishi-first—improves cornering and stability on wet roads especially during rainfall, making the user less likely to lose control of the steering wheel. This allows for worry-free driving and is perfect for ASEAN countries that see a lot of rainfall during the year.
The Xforce’s suspension is also well-tuned for comfortable rides on our roads, which admittedly can get quite bumpy. This feature was tuned to perfection by having repeated tests in Japan on roads that mimicked ASEAN ones. At the front of the Xforce, the steering feel and straight-line stability are improved with optimised caster trail and quacking the steering gear ratio. While at the rear, the optimised suspension bushings and the size of the shock absorber cylinder improves the steering stability.
Additionally, the class-leading ground clearance of 222 millimetres is achieved with the car’s 18-inch wheels. Users can expect to handle rough or flooded roads with ease, thanks to the broad field of vision at the front of the vehicle.
Taking everything above into consideration, if you’re looking for a car that will elevate your day-to-day travels and is comfortable enough for long trips, then look no further than the Xforce.
Although the dates haven’t been confirmed yet, the Xforce is expected to arrive in Malaysia within one to two years.
For more information on the Xforce, visit the Mitsubishi Motors website here.
| SHARE THE STORY | |
| Explore More |
