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Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V?

Arif · Jan 1, 2021 11:00 AM

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 01

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.

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 02

The Mitsubishi Xpander scores a total of 162.5 points

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

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2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - Facts and Figures
Engine 1.5 L 4-cylinder MIVEC
Transmission 4-speed automatic
Power 105 PS @  6,000 rpm
Torque 141 Nm @  4,000 rpm
Weight 1,275 kg
0-100 km/h 15.0 seconds
100-0 km/h 40.6 metres

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.

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 01

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).

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 02

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.

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 03

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 - Driving Performances Breakdown
Engine Acceleration 2.5 / 5
In-gear Acceleration 2.5 / 5
Throttle Response 3 / 5
Transmission Shift Logic 2 / 3
Smoothness 3 / 5
Sport/Manual Mode 0 / 3
Steering   Accuracy 1.5 / 3
Response 2 / 3
 Weight & Feel 2 / 3
Braking Distance 1.5 / 3
 Feel 2 / 3
Handling  Chassis Balance 2 / 3
 Grip 2 / 3
 Load Reaction 2 / 3
Total   28 / 50 pts

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

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 04

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.

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 05

Second row seats of the Mitsubishi Xpander

Our comments?

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - Noise Level
60 km/h 55 dB
90 km/h 62 dB
110 km/h 68 dB

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

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - Ride Comfort Breakdown
Sound Proofing 8 / 10
Suspension 8 / 10
Passenger Comfort 7 / 10
Seat Support 3.5 / 5
Ergonomics 3.5 / 5
Engine Refinement 7 / 10
Total points 37 / 50 pts

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

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 06

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - Panel Gaps (mm)
Location Driver Side Passenger Side Difference
Bonnet 3 5 2
Front Fender 4 3.5 0.5
Front to Rear Door 4.5 4.5 0
Rear Door to quarter panel 3.5 3 0.5
Tailgate 4.5 4 0.5

Panel gaps on the Mitsubishi Xpander show very small deviations.

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - Paint thickness (µm)
Location Driver Side Passenger Side
Front Bonnet 139
Front Fender 175 267
Front Door 177 249
Rear Door 131 271
Rear Quarter Panel 145 155
Tailgate 125
Roof 137
Average paint thickness: 179

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

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - Exterior Material Use
Bonnet Soundproofing Material Thick
Struts Manual
Front Fenders Soundproofing Material Yes
Doors Front Windows Single Glazed
Rear Windows Single Glazed
Construction One Piece
Tailgate/Boot Opening Manual

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

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 07

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

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 08

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - Cabin Material Use
Seat Seat Cover Leather
Armrest Armrest Cover N/A
Dashboard Upper Section Hard Plastic
  Lower Section Hard Plastic
Front Doors Upper Section Hard Plastic
  Middle Section Hard Plastic
  Lower Section Hard Plastic

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

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 09

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 - Quality & Feature Breakdown
Exterior Paint Finish 0 / 4
Panel Gaps 2 / 4
Assembly Quality 1 / 2
Interior Build Quality 3 / 5
Materials Used 3 / 5
Features Safety 5 / 10
ADAS 0 / 5
Luxury 2 / 5
Convenience 4 / 5
Infotainment 3.5 / 5
Total   23.5 / 50 pts

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

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 10

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.

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 11

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

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 12

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

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 13

Third row space is decent, but not for tall passengers.

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

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 14

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - Interior Space Breakdown
Front Row 7.5 / 10
Middle/Back Row 8 / 10
Third Row 3.5 / 5
Boot Space 5 / 5
Practicality 5 / 5
Storage Space 5 / 5
Visibility 4 / 5
Storage Flexibility 5 / 5
Total 43 / 50 pts

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

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 15

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.

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 16

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

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - Fuel Consumption Test Breakdown
Fuel Consumption 11 / 15
Eco Mode 0 / 2
Indicator Accuracy 1 / 3
Total points 12 / 20 pts

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

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 17

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 - Service Costs
Month Mileage (km) Cost (RM)
1 1,000 37.10
6 10,000 219.18
12 20,000 322.39
18 30,000 279.48
24 40,000 546.64
30 50,000 219.18
36 60,000 911.41
42 70,000 219.18
48 80,000 546.64
54 90,000 279.48
60 100,000 634.70
Total 4,215.38

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 18

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - Purchase & Cost
Purchase Car Price 9 / 15
Warranty 4 / 5
Cost Maintenance 3 / 5
Fuel Cost 3 / 5
Total   19 / 30 pts

2020 Mitsubishi Xpander: Conclusion - 162.5/250 pts overall

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 19

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.

Ratings: 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander - A better family car than the Honda BR-V? 20

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.

Arif

Writer

Previously an engineer in an automotive manufacturing company and a highway concessionaire. A part-time research student on biofuels and diesel engines. Obsessed with vehicle electrification and the future of transportation.

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