Mitsubishi ASX SUV - Engines, drive & performance (2010-2021)
The Mitsubishi ASX is great over speed bumps and rough roads, but not much fun to drive
The Mitsubishi ASX is not as much fun to drive as rivals like the Mazda CX-3 and Hyundai Kona. Its steering isn't very precise and is completely lacking in feel, while the suspension is soft enough to result in some quease-inducing body lean when you take corners quickly.
That said, the ASX is reasonably comfortable on the UK's rough roads and adept at absorbing speed bumps and potholes, but it never fully settles over minor imperfections. It's easier to manoeuvre than larger SUVs thanks to its fairly compact dimensions, but doesn't really offer the sort of driving fun we've come to expect from an accomplished crossover like the SEAT Ateca.
Mitsubishi ASX petrol engine
Only one engine is offered: a 2.0-litre petrol that makes do without a turbocharger and offers 148bhp. This is one of the biggest changes for the 2019 facelift, replacing the old 1.6-litre and offering 30% more power and 27% more torque. There's also the option to add four-wheel drive (the ASX is front-wheel drive as standard) and a CVT automatic gearbox on the top-spec model.
That all sounds good on paper but the reality is you'll still need to work the engine hard to make progress and overtaking requires quite a bit of planning. The CVT suits the ASX better, limiting the need to swap gears to access its power, but the ASX never feels as quick as the turbocharged Suzuki Vitara. Sure enough, the figures aren’t particularly impressive: 0-62mph takes 10.5 seconds with the manual gearbox and 12.5 with the CVT.
