Mitsubishi says the new Xforce is now scheduled to hit SA only in early 2025, while also confirming the crossover will wear the “Outlander Sport” badge in our market…
When the new Mitsubishi Xforce officially touches down in South Africa, it won’t be wearing that nameplate. The Japanese firm’s local division has confirmed to Cars.co.za this small crossover will instead be badged as the “Outlander Sport” in Mzansi, while also giving us an update on launch timing.
Yes, the new model’s local market introduction will no longer take place in the 3rd quarter of 2024, as initially targeted, with this launch date now pushed into next year. Indeed, Mitsubishi Motors SA tells us the new Outlander Sport is now expected to arrive in South Africa “early” in 2025.
Interestingly, Mzansi won’t be the first to offer the 4 390-mm-long Xforce – which was revealed in August 2023 – as the Outlander Sport, with other African markets like Egypt as well as some Latin America countries (such as Mexico and Costa Rica) having already launched the crossover under the latter nameplate.
Of course, “Outlander Sport” is by no means an unfamiliar badge to Mitsubishi fans, having been used on the ASX in various markets around the world for well over a decade. And it’s that long-in-the-tooth ASX – which launched locally way back in 2011 – that the new Outlander Sport looks likely to replace in South Africa.
While a 2nd-generation ASX based on the Renault Captur is offered in Europe, the original has soldiered on in Mzansi (it earlier formed the basis for the Citroën C4 Aircross and Peugeot 4008, though both French versions went out of production back in 2017). Today, the local ASX range still comprises 5 derivatives, with pricing bookends of R409 990 and R494 995.
Though local specification and pricing details have yet to be divulged, the new Indonesian-built Outlander Sport may well be positioned slightly below the outgoing Japanese-built ASX, particularly if Mitsubishi Motors SA intends on taking on Indian-sourced contenders such as the similarly sized Toyota Urban Cruiser (not to mention strong-selling Chinese models like the smaller Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and larger Haval Jolion).
For the record, the Xforce offered in Indonesia employs a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine (familiar from the SA-spec Xpander) that delivers 77 kW and 141 Nm to the front axle via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Inside, the Indonesian-spec model features a 12.3-inch touchscreen, with top-spec versions furthermore scoring an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster.
Look out for more local details on the new Mitsubishi Outlander Sport closer to its expected arrival in Q1 2025…
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