Can a Mitsubishi ASX tow a caravan?

In this blog post, we will answer the following question: Can a Mitsubishi ASX tow a caravan? We wrote a complete review and discussed the most important aspects of towing with an ASX, such as engine, performance, behaviour on and off-road. 

Can a Mitsubishi ASX tow a caravan?

A Mitsubishi ASX can easily tow a small or medium caravan, pop-up camper or boat trailer. Besides the maximum towing capacity of 1400 kg, the ASX has great equipment: 4X4 traction with Mitsubishi AWC architecture, diesel 1.8-liter DI-D MIVEC 150 hp, all man-made sensors for cars (rain, video camera parking, light, outside temperature, etc), navigation upholstered leather seats, smoky rear side windows and glazed ceiling.

Mitsubishi ASX Towing Capacity

Mitsubishi ASX: a complete review

The Mitsubishi ASX has become a favourite target of crossover car marketers. The advantage is easy to understand, as long as on the inside you find the warmth of a compact car, and on the outside the robust presence of a respectable SUV.

Seen from the front, the ASX takes on the imprint of the Mitsubishi design by adopting the massive grille, a strong element of identity for cars built under the sign of the 3 diamonds. 

The “frowning” optical blocks tickle the pride of any pilot. On the side, the design keeps its balance, and the rear optical blocks integrate perfectly into the “glossy” assembly that dominates the ASX tailgate. A few models in this class look just as good no matter what angle you look at.

A remarkable plus is a trunk, larger than you can guess the side shape of the ASX. The trunk is “pet friendly”. The same cannot be said about the access in the trunk for the four-legged friend.

Towing with a Mitsubishi ASX – diesel or petrol?

In the Mitsubishi ASX case, the answer to the above question is: “definitely diesel”. The 4X4 versions are exclusively diesel, while on petrol there are only 4 × 2 versions 

On the other hand, the MIVEC DI-D diesel technology with variable distribution is not a pioneer, but it is a class continuator of the Japanese common-rail with a light aluminium engine block.

ASX initially came to the US with a single diesel engine, one and good, 1798 cc coupled to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The maximum power is 150 hp (110 kW) at 4000 rpm. The 1.8 DI-D sprint is most vividly between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. 

The engine’s remarkable performance is achieved with systems such as the classic “intercooler” for cooling the intake air, EGR (complete unburned fuel recirculation) and turbo with variable geometry.

An exceptional urban asset is the AS&G (Auto Stop & Go) system. It automatically stops the engine when you reach a stop after disengaging the car and releasing the clutch pedal. The engine restarts automatically when the clutch is pressed when the car is restarted.

ASX – on the road

On the long road, ASX fully emphasizes its perfectly balanced running gear. At high speeds (over 130 km / h) the noise of the air current on the side windows is significant, but for an SUV body, this detail is tolerable.

The electronic dynamic assistance equipment works very discreetly, so that – in case of sudden manoeuvres of the steering wheel – the car “speaks” in curves, but without compromising the stability control or the maintenance on the trajectory.

This aspect, also found in the new Lancer, positions Mitsubishi security systems in a prominent place in the Total Auto archives.

ASX – offroad

I did not have the opportunity to test the behaviour of the ASX on slippery roads, but I can tell you how all-wheel-drive works in rough terrain.

Once off the asphalt, when the glia begins to caress the tires, the ASX turns. On the off-road, the traction switch must be switched from the “4X2” position of the road or “4X4 car” of the slippery road, on the “4X4 lock”, the permanent all-wheel drive.

Even before getting behind the wheel of the ASX, we knew that the front-to-rear torque ratio can vary from 85-15 to 40-60. The rear differential is electronically controlled to dynamically distribute the loads on the rear axle’s two wheels.

The evolution in the field confirms the elasticity of the torque distribution between the axles through the prompt response to the pilot’s commands. If you keep the ASX 4X4 diesel in the speed range corresponding to the maximum torque (2000-3000 rpm), you get perfect control and a remarkable sprint.

If you go out of this beach you may feel a significant lack of traction on the ramp. Getting out of this situation is classic, downshifting. Even at steep angles, if you have to downgrade to step 1, you don’t have to worry. In stage 1 ASX is invincible.

Conclusions

For conclusions, we are going to mention what we really like about the Mitsubishi ASX:

• excellently balanced crossover: small enough to have a decent consumption in the city and big enough to sofa with low stress on the long road;
• very manoeuvrable in the city, a video camera for back parking;
• visibility (windows + mirrors) is one of the best in the segment;
• ergonomic positioning of the onboard controls, other than the existing ones on the steering wheel;
• premium quality finishes;
• pet-friendly luggage racks;
• excellently balanced undercarriage;
• the “Hill Start Assist” system, which immobilizes the car on departure on the ramp;
• ASX “speaks” – discrete intervention of electronic dynamic assistance systems;
• reduced pollution, respectively low environmental tax.

Final verdict: – Mitsubishi ASX is a great crossover.

Please let us know what your opinion is, whether you’d trust your ASX to tow a caravan and why you’d choose this car in the first place. 

FAQ on Can a Mitsubishi ASX tow a caravan?

Is Mitsubishi ASX a reliable car?

Mitsubishi ASX is a pretty reliable car, gaining 4 out of 5 points. 

Are Mitsubishi cars expensive to repair?

Mitsubishi are expensive cars to repair, as the average annual maintenance costs start from $535. 

Is the Mitsubishi Outlander a good tow car?

Overall, the Mitsubishi Outlander is a good tow car, but it has its limitations – its towing capacity. For this category’s car, we would expeed a much bigger towing capacity and more reliability while towing a fully-loaded trailer. 

References

• Mitsubishi ASX | Tow Car Awards
• ASX Compact SUV Specifications | Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd
• Mitsubishi ASX | Our Compact Family SUV For Urban Adventures