The Mitsubishi Xpander continues to surprise. The model ended 2024 with 1,290 units sold in December, its strongest monthly sales figure last year. The second-strongest month was January 2024, with 948 units sold.

Interestingly, the Xpander outsold its nearest rival, the Toyota Veloz (610 units), by more than two times.

In the final quarter of 2024, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia sold 2,594 units of the new and improved Xpander. The model was launched in September 2024. The quarterly figure is up 27.9% from the previous quarter but down 12.2% from the same quarter last year.

Dealers say this is not due to a lack of demand for the new Xpander, but a mismatch in supply of the two Xpander variants. There is a waiting list for the highest-specification Xpander Plus variant, and Mitsubishi’s Pekan plant is not delivering enough units of the Plus variant (from RM 109,980). At the same time, there is an excess supply of the standard Xpander variant (from RM 99,980).

The Mitsubishi Xpander is not a conventional choice, especially not when it’s going up against the tax-incentivized Perodua Alza, which controls 73.3% of the B-MPV segment.

However, the Xpander, despite its higher price and modest list of safety features, is finding its own niche.

Buyers who frequently need a 7-seater to drive on unpaved roads outside city centres are willing to pay a premium for the Xpander’s higher 225 mm ground clearance and superior ride comfort from its rally-style long-travel suspension. The Xpander’s lack of driving assistance systems also doesn’t bother them because such features don’t work well on the kind of roads they frequently drive on anyway.

Also read: Review: New 2024 Mitsubishi Xpander, we find out if it's still relevant against younger rivals

Total sales Malaysia's B-MPV segment for the Mitsubishi Xpander in 2024 were 9,052 units, versus the Toyota Veloz’s 7,110 units and the Perodua Alza’s 44,374 units.