The Mitsubishi Xpander has long been on sale in neighbouring countries for years and has quickly risen to become one of the most popular 7-seater SUV.

In Indonesia for example, the Mitsubishi Xpander was the second best-selling car in 2018 having only going on sale in the country in late 2017.

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) has recently confirmed that they will be launching the long-awaited Mitsubishi Xpander in 2020.

The reason for its delayed arrival to Malaysia is due to the preparations for local assembly (CKD) of the Xpander – the only way for MMM to offer a competitive price for their new 7-seater.

It’s powered by the 4A91 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder petrol engine paired to a 4-speed automatic transmission or 5-speed manual (safe to say only the automatic will be offered in Malaysia). The MIVEC engine is good for 105 PS and 141 Nm of torque driving the front wheels.

Before you scoff at the measly 1.5-litre unit, remember that the Perodua Aruz, Toyota Rush, Toyota Avanza and Honda BR-V all adopt a similar engine capacity.

However, the Mitsubishi Xpander is also lighter than the competition (up to 100 kg) which helps with power to weight ratio. Although the BR-V has the most powerful engine (120 PS), it uses a CVT automatic that some may not be a fan of.

Another plus point on the Xpander is its practicality. It has plenty of ergonomic storage spaces that can accommodate the storage needs of a large family. The third-row seats also offer a decent amount of space for a 175 cm tall adult as demonstrated in the video.

MMM has not disclosed the pricing of the soon-to-be-launched 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander but looking at the pricing strategy of Thailand and Indonesia, expect the Xpander to be priced in the region of the BR-V at RM 80,000 to RM 90,000.