The car is marketed as a compact van-based crossover vehicle clad in an off-road body kit. It also sports a richer feature set and an engine optimized in terms of fuel consumption and noise.
The original Xpander MPV emerged on the Southeastern Asia market about two years ago. Indonesia is the only producer so far, but another factory opens in Vietnam in 2020. The model enjoys rather good sales, being the second best-selling MPV of Indonesia with around 75,000 units sold in 2018 (the first one is the Toyota Avanza, which is only 7,000 units ahead). Experts reckon that the new Cross version will bolster the demand even further.
Aside from the unpainted body kit made of plastic, the ruggedized Xpander sports new bumpers and radiator grille, LED lighting, roof railings, and comes in two additional colors to choose from.
At 4,500 mm (14.76 ft.) long and 1,800 mm (5.91 ft.) wide, it is an inch longer and two inches wider than the regular Xpander. The ground clearance is only marginally larger at 225 millimeters (8.8 inches), and the wheelbase stays unchanged at 2,775 mm (9.1 feet). The optional 17-inch wheels are also new (the standard sizes are 15 and 16 inches).
Powering the vehicle is the same old 1.5-liter, naturally aspirated engine good for 105 hp (78 kW) and 141 Nm (105 lb-ft) of torque. However, Mitsubishi claims it has reworked the mill to consume less fuel and produce less noise. No actual numbers are being provided for reference.
The transmissions – five speed manual and four-speed automatic – also stay in place. The latter variant enables you to opt for a cruise control system. The drive stays on the front axle.
The cabin sports black and brown trim and houses a larger multimedia display. The noise insulation has reportedly improved, although it remains unclear just how much. Like its standard counterpart, the Cross has seats for seven people. The second seat row folds 60:40, and the third one 50:50.
Sales in Indonesia start later today, November 13, with other Southeastern Asian markets to follow later. Neither the standard Xpander nor the Cross will ever be available outside of the region, the company says.