The Mitsubishi Xpander has been spied in India for the first time. While it was under consideration for our market, it doesn't look like it's here for local testing. The disguised license plate could be hiding registration for a neighbouring country in the East. Had it been here for testing, most of the exterior body would've been camouflaged and the branding would've been removed or covered.
For the uninitiated, the Mitsubishi Xpander MPV is a low-cost MPV which has been developed especially for emerging markets like Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. It was introduced at GIIAS 2017 and is now on sale in several markets.
The exterior design features of the SUV-styled Mitsubishi Xpander include 'Dynamic Shield' language-inspired fascias, two-tier headlamps, 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, and L-shaped LED tail lamps. Inside, its comfort and convenience features include passive keyless entry, engine start-stop button, tilt and telescopic steering, 2-DIN 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with GPS navigation, roof-mounted rear AC vents, cruise control and a 12-volt power outlet in all three rows.
In terms of dimensions, the Mitsubishi Xpander measures 4,475 mm in length, 1,750 mm in width and 1,700 mm in height. Its wheelbase spans 2,775 mm in length. It offers a high ground clearance of up to 205 mm and a maximum luggage space of 1,630 litres.
Under the hood, there's the 1.5-litre MIVEC four-cylinder unit which produces 105 PS of maximum power at 6,000 rpm and 141 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm. The engine comes teamed-up with a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission.
Mitsubishi currently has no plans for a new locally manufactured model in India. If anything, the company is struggling to upgrade its imported models. The previous generation Pajero Sport will probably be discontinued, finally, by March, and one can only hope the facelifted, latest generation Pajero Sport makes it here this year. The Outlander will likely get upgraded to BS-VI in the first half of this year and be the single offering at the Japanese automaker's showrooms.
