Joining the field of budget people-carriers this year is the 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander, challenging the Honda BR-V and Perodua Aruz.

To look at the Mitsubishi Xpander objectively, we shall put it through our standardised WapCar Rating system. Will the Xpander pass with flying colours? Let's see.

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander: Driving Performance - 28/50 pts, Not the most powerful in its segment

A brief look at the Mitsubishi Xpander's specs will have you questioning what era you are living in. The naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre engine and 4-speed automatic transmission are tasked with hauling 7 human beings.

How does it do? Well, with no passengers, 0-100 km/h is achieved in 15 seconds, just a tad faster than the Perodua Aruz.

To come to a complete stop from 100 km/h, 40.6 meters of road is needed, very similar to the Honda BR-V.

The Mitsubishi Xpander is not quick, but the 141 Nm of torque is good enough to haul 7 people around. If you want something faster, get the Honda BR-V (0-100 km/h in 11.6 s).

The driving experience of the Mitsubishi Xpander is decent for a 4-speed automatic. Although power delivery is not very immediate, the shifting experience is smooth and decent.

Steering is light and easy to handle. Suspension is on the softer side, ironing out undulations better than BR-V and Aruz.

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander: Ride Comfort - 37/50 pts, Quieter than the BR-V and Aruz

A plausible strength of the Mitsubishi Xpander is its ride comfort. The suspension is soft, and cabin noise levels are very satisfactory for a car of this segment.

Our comments?

The seats could use more support and a pair of armrests for the first row would be very much appreciated. 

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander: Quality and Features - 23.5/50 pts, the 360° cameras make the Xpander a breeze to drive

Panel gaps on the Mitsubishi Xpander show very small deviations.

However, there is still room for improvement for paint thickness consistency.

A major convenience in the Mitsubishi Xpander is the 360° camera. 

The leather upholstery is a nice touch, balancing out the mainly hard-plastic interior.

Basic 2020 luxuries like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available, giving the Xpander an edge over its older rivals.

Some points have been knocked off for safety since the Mitsubishi Xpander only offers dual airbags. For context, the Honda BR-V also only has dual airbags. The Perodua Aruz is equipped with 6 airbags.

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander: Space and Practicality - 43/50 pts, Clever storage and big boot space

There is a fair amount of space for everyone in the Mitsubishi Xpander. The headroom and legroom are very similar to that of the Honda BR-V with differences of less than 5 cm.

Boot space is generous even with all 7 seats in use.

One thing the car boasts is a flatbed length of 171 cm with both the third row and second row folded down.

There are some clever storage compartments in the Mitsubishi Xpander that help you declutter the cabin.

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander: Fuel Consumption – 12/20 pts, it's a bit thirsty

After driving for 86.2 km in a mix of town and highway driving, a calcualated fuel consumption of 8.9 l/100 km was obtained. The fuel consumption of the Mitsubishi Xpander is on the higher side.

No Eco mode is available in the Mitsubishi Xpander and the fuel consumption was slightly under-reported.

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander: Purchase and Cost – 19/30, a lot of space for your money

There is only one variant of the Mitsubishi Xpander in Malaysia and the price starts from RM 91,358*. It is cheaper than the RM 93,420* Honda BR-V, but more expensive than the RM 73,226* Perodua Aruz.

*OTR without SST

The given warranty is of 5 years with unlimited mileage.

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander: Conclusion - 162.5/250 pts overall

If you're all about space practicality, the Mitsubishi Xpander will live up to your expectations. Hauling people and things should be a breeze. Adding to the appeal of the Mitsubishi Xpander would be the comfortable cabin, very satisfactory cabin noise levels, and the 360° camera.

An area that could use improvement would be safety. More airbags and a full suite of ADAS will be much appreciated.

The powertrain could also use a little boost. The existing one is conventional and decent, but a little more grunt would make for a more effortless driving experience.

The Mitsubishi Xpander challenges some very popular B-segment people carriers. We suggest you give it a try first.