Text and photos by Aries B. Espinosa
THE Mitsubishi Xpander MPV was launched in the Philippines early last March, and the ensuing eight months was a waiting game for its much-anticipated ride-and-drive activity. The wait ended on Nov. 23 and 24 when Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) took the four variants of the Xpander from Quezon City to Subic Bay in Zambales, then on to idyllic Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan, for a total round-trip distance of nearly 400 kilometers.
It turns out that MMPC just needed some space, and time, for more Xpander units to arrive, as senior manager for marketing services Arlan S. Reyes explained before the group rolled out of the Mitsubishi dealership in Balintawak. “There was a very long line of reservations for the Xpander, so we had to prioritize our customers. We had to wait for our vehicle allocations for the media.”
When we boarded the Xpander for the first time, we were immediately impressed with the generous cabin space. There were four of us in this seven-seat MPV, and the two people that sat in the second row, both of whom were above-average in height and build, said there was more than enough leg- and headroom for them to slouch and doze off. The third-row seats were conveniently folded down to accommodate all our luggage and gear, including tripods and bulky cases for cameras, stabilizers and drones.
Space, however, was just one of the many highlights MMPC wanted us to notice in the Xpander.
Among the more remarkable ones that we experienced during the drive were the class-leading minimum ground clearance of 205 millimeters (for the 16-inch wheels of the GLX Plus, GLS and GLS Sport) and 200 millimeters for the 15-inch wheels of the GLX variant, the easy-to-understand multimedia system (the navigation system in the GLX Plus, GLS and GLS Sport proved useful in plotting out our destinations in a loose convoy).
The gasoline-powered 1.5-liter 4A91 MIVEC engine provided an adequate power output of up to 103hp at 6,000rpm and 141Nm at 4,000rpm. Though we didn’t achieve MMPC’s recorded top fuel mileage of 22.9 kilometers per liter (kpl) for the GLS Sport A/T, our group still got an efficient average of 13 – 14kpl for the entire trip, considering the traffic outside of the expressways and the four-person load with luggage .
Mr. Reyes also guaranteed that we would enjoy the sedan-like ride of the Xpander, as he revealed that this was achieved via the interplay of the torsion beam of the rear suspension and the McPherson Strut front suspension. We had a firsthand feel of this on the sharp bends of the country road on our way to Bataan from Subic Bay via Morong, and on the rough unpaved turnoff from the highway in Bagac, Bataan to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.
He also disclosed that the Xpander’s window panes and other strategic parts of the body frame underwent sound dampening processes for better noise insulation, resulting in a more quiet interior. We did notice this quietness that, even at speeds upwards of 100kph at the expressways, the drone inside the cabin was considerably lower compared to even some mid-size SUVs.
What we didn’t get to experience, thankfully, were the high-tensile steel strength Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) body and the dual SRS airbags in action. The fact that they were there just waiting to be deployed in a millisecond’s notice to save our skins was enough to add to our peace of mind. Mitsubishi’s RISE body enhances passenger protection, such that in the event of a collision, its high cabin integrity efficiently absorbs the impact energy, diverting it from the occupants.
And it goes without saying that the Xpander is a looker, with an aggressive fascia that follows the automaker’s Dynamic Shield design concept that expresses both form and function, power and protection.
No spoilers here, whatsoever. What we discovered with the Xpander during this two-day trip, the motoring public must have long known by now. And they like what they’ve seen and felt, so far. Mr. Reyes said the waiting time for customers in the Xpander reservation list ran back to as long as three months, apparently mirroring its reception in Indonesia where it was first launched and where it received 50,000 orders immediately after its launch.
“During these ‘Ber’ months, however, we have been fortunate that our headquarters have allocated more [units] for the Philippines. So we have been able to lessen the waiting time to a little less than a month,” Mr. Reyes added.
So, there’s less waiting time, but still lots more space, for the Xpander to get into more Filipinos’ lives.
Xpander, explained
BILLED as a “next-generation MPV,” the Mitsubishi Xpander is a compact car-based model that could be configured to seat seven. It was launched in August 2017 in Mitsubishi’s largest Southeast Asian market — Indonesia.
Mitsubishi is pitching the Xpander’s mix of MPV utility and SUV toughness and style as key to the model’s commercial success. The company said the vehicle has the roomiest cabin in its class, and even out-sizes the cabin height of a competitor’s larger MPV because of a lower floor — the result of the Xpander’s monocoque structure that does not require its body to be mounted atop a ladder frame (unlike the larger truck-based MPV).
It debuted in the Philippines on March 1, and is available in four variants; GLX M/T, GLX Plus A/T, GLS A/T and GLS Sport. Prices range between P955,000 and P1.130 million.
Following the launch, strong demand in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam has led Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (MMC) to increase production of the Xpander, which is built at a new manufacturing facility in Bekasi, Indonesia.
MMC said it originally planned to produce 100,000 Xpanders this year but a stronger-than-expected demand for the model will see production increase to 120,000 units. Additional welding and assembly facilities are seen to increase the manufacturing capacity of the Xpander to 10,000 vehicles per month.
The move seeks to “ensure waiting times are managed,” and that a further boost in production is “being investigated,” according to the car maker, which noted its Indonesia plant is aiming to build 150,000 Xpanders in 2019. — BMA
