2022 Mitsubishi Xpander GLS – First impressions

The Mitsubishi Xpander first caught eyes and turned heads in 2018 when it made its debut in the country. A big part of it was the very radical front end that featured a lower headlight placement. Since then, it cruised to the top of its segment, getting a 54% market share and became the brand’s best-selling model. Mitsubishi Philippines isn’t putting this momentum to waste as they quickly opened the books for the new Xpander, just ahead of its rival. 

Mitsubishi let me have a quick date with the new Xpander GLS in South Lake Village in ETON City and even provided the previous iteration of the same variant for comparison. Let’s see if the new Xpander is interesting enough to make you visit a showroom.

The iconic front face just became more interesting with the new T-shaped headlights. It certainly elevated the appeal of this MPV. It’s further improved with the new grille that’s now finished in gloss black with a new mesh grille below it. The plate holder was also moved from the center of the bumper to the lower portion, further flaunting the radical design of the fascia. I also loved the new segmented design of the daytime running lights. 

There’s almost no revisions at the sides, except for the new and bigger 17-inch alloy wheels. Meanwhile, the rear also went through an overhaul. It received new T-shaped taillights with a thicker pattern, a new lower bumper design with vertical reflectors, soft touch button for the tailgate, and a protruding edge under the rear glass, resulting in a body line that connects the taillights. 

Overall, the new Xpander’s design has certainly made it look more premium and more muscular at the same time. The best thing about it is, it’s not all for show as it continues inside the cabin.

While the exterior is about initial impact, the interior is all about tangible comfort. All major contact points for the front passengers are clad in leather. This includes the steering wheel, door panel armrests, and the new center console armrest. The dashboard is now utilizing a ‘Horizontal Axis’ motif that’s split nicely with an aluminum-finish panel. It resulted in a design that’s very easy to look at and premium to the touch. Going back and forth between the new and old Xpander GLS, the new one is certainly two steps higher or more in comfort level. The padded armrests alone make me want to stay longer on the new Xpander’s driver’s seat.

Perhaps the most significant addition in front is the electronic parking brake with auto brake-hold. Honestly, the catch and release of this automatic system is far from being the smoothest in the business, but I still appreciate it. It’s still better than not having that at all especially in the hellish stop-and-go traffic of Metro Manila. 

Other new niceties for the Xpander GLS are the new 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital control for the aircons (not an automatic), and the new steering wheel design that’s more modern. There’s also a lot of storage space all over the car with an open compartment on the dash, open tray below the aircon controls, cup holders, bottle holders, and a shoe tray for the front passenger.

On paper, the new Xpander is 50mm taller than the previous model but much of that increase can be attributed to the ground clearance that’s now at 225mm. This is why for the second row, headroom and legroom is pretty much the same as before. It’s just nicer to be in since now, there are exposed USB Type-C and Type-A ports behind the center console and finally there’s a center armrest with cup holders. Rear occupants now won’t have to worry much about their digital needs while drinking their iced coffee. 

Ironically, Mitsubishi carried over the same powertrain from before. It still has the naturally-aspirated 1.5-liter engine that makes 103 horsepower and 141 Nm of torque, paired to a 4-speed automatic. I asked them about this since the Xpander launched in Indonesia had a CVT and they said the 4-speed is fine, even previous owners have no qualms about it according to their internal survey – and I tend to agree. 

It may sound outdated but the 4-speed auto of the Xpander is one of the smoothest in the market. It’s tuned well that it knows when to shift up quickly, or when to stay in gear and go higher in the rev range. Besides, even with this seemingly old transmission, the Xpander is known for being efficient in its fuel consumption. 

An improvement that they brought over is the new high performance valves in the front and rear suspension. Simply put, this would make the already good ride of the Xpander even more supple for everyday driving. I’m just curious how it will handle the body roll of the MPV since it’s now higher but that would have to wait until the full review. 

The new Mitsubishi Xpander GLS will retail for P1,160,000 or P32,000 more expensive than the outgoing model. Frankly, it’s a marginal hike considering what you’ll be getting. The front fascia and new dashboard alone can justify that increase but it’s not all about bling. The Xpander still maintains its function over form mantra, it’s just that Mitsubishi designers have a good eye for modern design. Hopefully it maintains its good impression once it’s driven extensively but for now, the new Mitsubishi Xpander is definitely worth the top spot in your list of MPVs.