One of the 2023 Mitsubishi Xpander Cross’ biggest selling points is its 225 mm ground clearance. 

Arguably, much has been written about how its raised clearance from the tarmac is the highest in its class. Its a rarity in the entry-level, multipurpose vehicle (MPV) segment that includes the following:

• Suzuki Ertiga (180 mm)
• JAC M3 (170 mm)
• Maxus G50 (150 to 160 mm)
• Toyota Avanza/Toyota Veloz (190 mm)
• Honda BR-V (190 mm)

But how exactly does that high ground clearance benefit the potential Xpander Cross owner and its occupants? We take a look.

You can drive the Xpander Cross through the provinces

Although a great many roads in the rural areas are paved, there are far more paths that are unpaved or riddled with potholes.

If you’re driving a passenger car (PC), these road conditions will definitely take a toll on your underpinnings and suspension since a PC’s road damping is meant more for smooth tarmac.

But a high-ground-clearance utility like an Xpander Cross can easily go through those types of paths without issues. This is because the raised underbelly parts don’t come in contact with cement, dry earth or packed loose rock alleys, even with a significant load at the rear. 

For the Xpander Cross owner, this is a positive because you can toss in up to five passengers and their respective luggage and the rear suspension and underchassis won’t bottom out.

That high ground clearance – along with the Xpander Cross’ 495 liters of cargo space with the third row upright – also means you can use the Mitsubishi MPV as a potential personal auto for farm use.

This entails going from the dirt or grassy roads common in farms to the pavements of towns proper or Metro Manila (if you bring your produce all the way to the Philippine capital megalopolis) and back.

You can drive the Xpander Cross through most floods

Another advantage of that ground clearance is the wading depth, especially if you get caught in an urban flash flood.

This means you can get through certain areas in Metro Manila during sudden squalls in, say, the Ortigas and Santolan flyovers on EDSA or the C-5 area of McKinley Hill.

This also means that you can wade through a number of torrent-prone provincial locations, such as the Candaba area of Pampanga or parts of Plaridel in Bulacan.

Disclaimer – just because the Xpander Cross has a raised platform higher than passenger cars doesn’t mean you can be cavalier when wading through waterlogged locales.

You can easily drive up and down places with high approach/departure angles

Another problem with PCs is that their respective ground clearances make going up and down certain areas risky, especially with people and items at the back.

One example is going up and down road humps. Another example is going up mall parking and expressway ramps with high inclines.

Both instances run a high risk of scratching or denting the lower front bumper, the lower rear bumper and the lowermost side panels of a regular car.

Sure, your can slow down and weave from side to side a little bit, but that impedes fellow road users behind. That can be the cause of serious delay if an emergency first responder is in that train at the back caused by a PC trying to go over a speed bump at snail’s pace. 

In contrast, an Xpander Cross can go through those road obstacles while maintaining momentum and keeping the vehicle straight, thanks to the abovementioned ground clearance.

Of course, you need to slow down in the case of speed bumps and 35-degree mall parking ramps, such as those in Greenbelt in Makati and SM Megamall.

However, even with the MPV full of cargo and chatty passengers, the Xpander Cross driver can navigate through those areas without the need to weave sideways.   

Easier examination of the underchassis

Should a PC strike a rock that lodges itself somewhere below and impedes forward travel for whatever reason, searching for that offending thing will likely be difficult.

This is because the low ground clearance of a PC hinders the driver from easily examining the vehicle. As such, you have to either raise the car with a jack to fully inspect what’s below the car or get the auto on a lift.  

In contrast, a high-ground-clearance four-wheeler like the Xpander Cross makes an impromptu look-over easy. Just crouch down on your legs for assessment or crawl on all fours if need be.

Plus, if the impromptu probe of what’s under the utility runner is at night, you just need to put a flashlight on any of the wheel wells or within the spokes of any wheel to see better. 

Easy ingress and egress

Although this advantage is purely anecdotal, I feel that getting in and out of a utility vehicle like an Xpander Cross is much easier than getting in and out of a PC. 

This is because the Mitsubishi’s raised ground clearance results in higher seats. As a result, you need not exert more effort on core muscles, legs and knees during ingress and egress.

For 40-somethings and older, or even for those using crutches, the reduced effort on the aforementioned body parts is a godsend.

In short, it can be argued that due to the ground clearance, the Xpander Cross is a vehicle wherein getting in and out is at par with regular body functions and not at par with an adventure or strenuous physical exertion.

Another benefit for ingress and egress is bringing in or taking out cargo items or securing a toddler or infant in the second row.

Height matters

There is no doubt that the vehicles in the segment where the Mitsubishi Xpander Cross participates have ground clearance taller than passenger cars.

However, the Mitsubishi utility runner’s 225 mm of distance from the ground does have a bevy of end benefits for the potential owner. Thus, the MPV’s ground clearance may very well be the (if not one of the) reasons to get a unit from the Japanese automaker.  

What do you think about the Mitsubishi Xpander Cross’ ground clearance?

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