Overall rating:

Range-topping Mitsubishi ASX undercuts its rivals and offers lots of equipment for the price, but the real gems are elsewhere in the line-up.

Key Facts

Model tested: Mitsubishi ASX 2.2D 4WD auto
Pricing: £23,899
Engine: 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel
Transmission: four-wheel drive, six-speed automatic
Body style: five-door compact SUV
Rivals: Hyundai ix35, Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai
CO₂ emissions: 153g/km
Combined economy: 48.7mpg
Top speed: 118mph
0-62mph: 10.8 seconds
Power: 147hp at 3,500 rpm
Torque: 360Nm at 1,500- to 2,750rpm

In the Metal:

No real changes outside to the ASX's style, but its relative rarity to date does mean that it still cuts it in the looks department - despite having been around since 2010. Mitsubishi's 'jet fighter' grille gives a bold face to the ASX, the rest of the car's shape living up to that with plenty interesting surfacing on its flanks and rear. In flagship ASX 4 form driven here there's a large panoramic glass roof too, featuring its own LED strip lighting to frame the view out top.

There's minimal headroom loss inside thanks to that roof, so passenger space remains ample front and rear. The boot is spacious too, and access to it good. Mitsubishi has long suffered from Japan's idea that for quality you need durability and hard plastics, and while there are still hints of that inside it's tactile enough in there - and will be durable, too of course.

Driving it:

Visually it might have changed little, but Mitsubishi has been busy popping the 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine and six-speed automatic gearbox from the Outlander underneath to create this new range-topper. Suspension revisions help enhance ride comfort and sharpness, while there's a bit more sound deadening to improve refinement too. The 2.2-litre (as a 2,268cc engine it's technically a 2.3) unit is large for the class, which endows the ASX with decent performance and impressive economy. It'll reach 62mph from rest in 10.8 seconds, though it's the flexibility that impresses most. Mid-range it feels muscular, but rev it out - using the paddles on the auto - and that sound deadening needs to work fairly hard to mute the clatter. Keep the revs lower and it's a brisk, easy drive, the transmission juggling the gears impressively, meaning there's little requirement for you to take over.

Suspension changes allow the ASX a combination of decent ride comfort and a chassis that's agile enough for some enjoyment. The steering is a bit light on weighting, but it's accurate enough, and there's even a modicum of feel at the wheel's rim. Two-wheel drive for the most part, if you press the 4WD button the ASX will direct torque to the axle that needs it most, with up to 50 per cent of drive being diverted to the rear. There's a 4WD lock function too, should it get slippery, though for the most part, and to maximise economy, it's best left in front-wheel drive mode.

What you get for your Money:

Mitsubishi's early chances with the ASX were hammered by the exchange rate with the Yen, but now that's settled the ASX is priced where it should be. This ASX 4 with that 2.2-litre diesel and auto box is £23,899, which undercuts all its obvious rivals fairly comfortably. Throw in a huge specification list and the ASX makes an even better case for itself, though comprehensive as the servicing package (first three services for an additional £650) and warranty/roadside assist are, the three-year warranty is bettered by its Korean rivals.

Worth Noting

A credible machine in range-topping guise, the ASX is actually more appealing in its lesser specifications, where it looks even better value. The 1.8 diesel 4WD manual loses little in performance over the 2.2, drops emissions down to 138g/km and betters its economy, too. Drop the 4WD (this market is predominantly 4x2 after all) and it gets better still, while the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol ASX in 2 specification wants for little equipment wise and competes with smaller B-segment crossover models on price.

Summary

Mitsubishi's ASX is neither particularly new, nor remarkable, yet the company's repositioning of its price and specification make it a far more credible purchase across the entire range. It's strongest in its entry- to mid-level guises, but this 2.2 turbodiesel auto isn't outclassed against its competitors either, reviving a model that would one time have been overlooked. Now it needs adding to any buyers' list, and far nearer the top than it would have once been.