FIRST-DRIVE REVIEW: 2024 Mitsubishi XForce -- a 5-seater Xpander Cross

Starting out as the Mitsubishi XFC Concept, the 2024 Mitsubishi XForce finally made its global debut in Indonesia.

The crossover brings the brand’s latest styling, a futuristic interior and many new features that help make it ideal for the ASEAN Market.

Our colleagues from AutoFun Indonesia gave the all-new XForce a quick drive and here are their impressions.

They were able to take it for a spin in the test-drive area of the 2023 GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show located within the ICE BSD City in Tangerang, some 34 km west of the capital Jakarta.

Also read: The 2024 Mitsubishi XForce has one feature perfect for those with the attention span of a goldfish

Excellent visibility, comfortable seating position

One of the first few things that our Indonesian team noticed about the XForce is its wide viewing angles from the driver’s seat.

You have an excellent view of the road ahead, thanks to the narrow A-pillars and wide windows. Even the 12.3-inch floating infotainment system did not impede the view forward and to the sides of the crossover.

The seats of the Mitsubishi XForce were also notably comfortable and gave off a premium leather feel. They were supportive and hugged the body well, thanks to their semi-bucket seat design.

Mitsubishi Xpander power

The Mitsubishi XForce shares the same 1.5-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine as the Mitsubishi Xpander and Mitsubishi Xpander Cross.

This produces 105 PS and 141 Nm of torque. Our Indonesian friends found that the all-new crossover had the same acceleration feel. 

However, unlike the locally available Xpander/Xpander Cross units, the XForce already utilizes a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which our colleagues noted felt better than an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

Notably, power for the crossover comes in at around 3,500 rpm. This means that the Mitsubishi XForce was designed not to be fast, but to have a torquey midrange suitable for the city.  

Nimble, but has stiff suspension

Despite being a crossover with decent power figures, the Mitsubishi XForce felt nimble on its feet thanks to its chassis tuning. 

It also has a turning radius of 5.2 meters, which isn’t great. But thanks to the light steering, maneuvering the vehicle is quite manageable.

However, the suspension of the Mitsubishi XForce is on the stiff side. Our colleagues noted that the suspension slams down on grooves around the test drive track, leading to a less-than-comfortable ride. It is felt even more if you are seated in the second row.

They couldn’t test the XForce in higher-speed maneuvers. But given that the suspension tuning is stiff, it may perform better on smoother, flatter surfaces like provincial roads and the highway.

Conclusion

Despite being a crossover, Mitsubishi tuned the XForce to be more of a city car than an off-roader.

Visibility is also excellent for a crossover, giving you a good view of what's ahead and to the sides of the vehicle. 

Engine performance for the new Mitsubishi crossover is decent at best as it shares the same motor with its Xpander counterparts. It's not a bad thing, though, as the new CVT can bring out most of its power, especially in the midrange of its power band. 

It's now a waiting game to see what Mitsubishi Philippines will do to the XForce for the local market.

Are you looking forward to Mitsubishi's all-new crossover contender?

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