2014 Mitsubishi ASX GSR

When Mitsubishi Motors Philippines introduced the ASX (which stands for active sport crossover), the spec sheet looked promising: platform based on the very capable Lancer EX chassis; a narrower track; raised ride height which gave it better all-road, all-weather ability, and the impressive Mivec-equipped 4B11 four-cylinder petrol engine. Initially I tried the five-speed front-wheel-drive manual—which was fun; it had a light but snappy clutch pedal, slightly loose but willing gearshift assembly, strong brakes, and firm, sporty suspension.

But trying out the top-model Invecs-III CVT equipped variant left me rather cold. It was kinda like, meh…

Fast forward a few years, and Mitsubishi releases a revamped ASX GSR variant. The cynic in me thought: not another useless aesthetic upgrade to a slow-moving, slow-selling and underwhelming compact SUV. Boy was I wrong!

While there are aesthetic upgrades both inside and out, it was the drive that blew me away. From an indifferent and forgettable compact SUV to a real gem has this ASX been transformed. Its litany of aesthetic upgrades include a new radiator grille featuring honeycomb mesh instead of the horizontal slats of old, new design 17-inch alloy wheels, and LED daytime driving lamps packaged together with the fog lamps, plus the GSR variant’s aesthetic pièce de résistance, the panoramic glass roof, which really illuminates (pardon the pun) your nighttime driving, giving a feeling of luxurious spaciousness and airiness—alfresco motoring without the heat, noise, pollution and intrusion to your privacy. Inside, you get full leather interior for the GSR variant, a revamped multimedia system, carbon-wrap on the central HVAC vents, and a new design three-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters and controls for the multimedia system and cruise control—a popular option for those who love to enjoy our growing superhighway network.

But the single biggest change to the car is underneath the skin: The Invecs-III CVT has been tweaked and reprogrammed to feel and perform more like a conventional-torque-converter-equipped automatic transmission. Gone is the laggy, dim-witted, slow-responding, sliding-clutch sensation of the previous ASX with the same transmission, replaced by immediate, punchy and responsive motivation. Finally, the brakes, chassis and suspension have a willing heart to really allow the ASX to shine brightly.

The Mivec-equipped 4B11 engine still produces the same 150 horsepower and 197 Newton-meters of torque, but the revamped CVT transmission makes it feel like the engine gained a useful 10 or so responsive “horses” at least, allowing the ASX to confidently accelerate to and cruise at 120-140 kilometers per hour with gusto

—something the prefacelifted  ASX lacked the ability and confidence to do. If you want more interaction, you can slot the gearshift lever to the left to enable manual shifting, which can be controlled by paddle shifters, or if you’re a bit old school like me, through the gear-lever itself like a good old sequential shifter. In manual mode, the CVT can simulate six forward gears, which keeps you excited as you pile on the speed and attack corners and dirt roads with gusto, all the  while keeping five people happy and comfortable inside.

Space inside the ASX is always good. We took it to a long drive to Bataan via NLEx, SCTEx, and onto Subic Bay, through the tight twisties of the jungle reserve and out the Morong Gate, making a beeline to posh Anvaya Cove.

After coming back, I arranged for the ASX to remain with me for a few days, driving through the worst traffic Metro Manila has to offer. I even loaded up the ASX with a spare engine, a couple of carbon-fiber hoods (four of them actually), a spoiler and some odd assortment of spare car parts I was selling to a friend. The ASX, while not exactly looking like a huge car, swallowed all the parts with ease with nary a complaint—of course with no scratches from the simple but elegant interior.

The ASX is a pretty safe car: You get dual front airbags, and ABS-EBD brakes with emergency brake assist. Also, the electronically assisted rack and pinion steering is light and easy. It’s not the last word in feel and feedback but still,  it is comparable to, if not better than, its competitors, which include Subaru’s more cosmopolitan XV and Kia’s left-field, quirky but highly metrosexual Soul.

The ASX was always a decent car. But with the aforementioned tweaks, it finally transformed into a really great, fun-to-drive compact SUV. Driving position is excellent, is painless in traffic, and on the highway gets an easy 12 km per liter, 10.4 kpl when riding up against the legal limit. In the city, consumption ranges between 7 to 8.5 kpl, which isn’t so bad considering the ASX’s 1,350-kilogram weight. You get other niceties such as the multimedia system with SatNav/GPS, a 6.5-inch LCD screen, six speakers, a keyless push-start system and of course the panoramic glass roof.

Suddenly the ASX is beginning to look like a real bargain too!