2027 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e SUV hits Australia in November

Key highlights:

• Australian launch due next month, with pricing yet to be confirmed
• 4 variants share a 57.7kWh LFP battery and 134kW DC charging
• Flagship GSR delivers 342kW, 700Nm and a claimed 3.9-second sprint

The 2027 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e electric small SUV will arrive in Australia next month, taking on the BYD Atto 3, Kia EV3 and Hyundai Kona Electric. Mitsubishi has yet to confirm pricing, but estimates based on New Zealand prices suggest the range could start at nearly $55,000 before on-road costs and reach about $69,000 for the flagship GSR. 

The ASX VR-e also marks Mitsubishi’s return to the Australian electric-car market more than 15 years after the i-MiEV. The company previewed the new SUV to the media last week in a static walk-around.

Foxtron connection: What is the ASX VR-e?

The ASX VR-e is a reworked and rebadged version of the Bria, which Taiwanese company Foxtron sells in Taiwan. Foxtron is an electric-car joint venture between iPhone manufacturer Foxconn and Taiwanese carmaker Yulon.

The ASX VR-e is currently the only right-hand-drive vehicle built on the Foxtron platform. Mitsubishi also says none of the Bria’s three Taiwanese grades offers cloth seats, and that makes the entry-level LS, with its cloth trim, unique to Australia and New Zealand.

Powertrain, battery and driving range

The range starts with the rear-wheel-drive LS and finishes with the all-wheel-drive GSR, and both use the same 57.7kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, as do the Aspire and Exceed. The GSR adds a front electric motor, doubling the power and torque figures compared with the rear-wheel-drive model.

Mitsubishi has not confirmed Australian driving-range figures, but New Zealand-spec WLTP figures range from 403km for the LS to 328km for the GSR.

The figures show a 75km difference between the entry-level LS and flagship GSR. Official local range figures remain unconfirmed.

All four variants support DC fast charging at up to 134kW and offer vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability.

Also read: VW ID.5 electric SUV discontinued in Australia after short run

Mitsubishi ASX VR-e variant breakdown

Mitsubishi will offer four grades, with each adding equipment as buyers move up the range.

LS: Entry-level model

The rear-wheel-drive LS opens the range, and the standard equipment includes:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• 15.6-inch touchscreen
• 9.2-inch driver’s display
• Cloth trim
• Dual-zone climate control
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist
• Blind-spot detection

Aspire: More comfort and camera technology

The Aspire adds several comfort and convenience features over the LS:

• Synthetic leather upholstery
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• 360-degree camera
• Adaptive driving beam
• Front boot with electric release

Exceed: Larger wheels and upgraded audio

• 20-inch two-tone alloy wheels
• Panoramic glass roof
• Hands-free tailgate
• 12-speaker SEAS sound system

GSR: Flagship performance

The GSR sits at the top of the range, and its additional front motor delivers all-wheel drive and boosts outputs to 342kW and 700 Nm. It can accelerate from 0–100km/h in a claimed 3.9 seconds, and it also receives microsuede trim with blue stitching and a two-tone black roof.

Australian pricing and rivals

Mitsubishi has not announced Australian prices or sales targets for the ASX VR-e, and it has also declined to reveal its expected sales split across the four variants: LS, Aspire, Exceed and GSR.

Based on Australian pricing typically sitting at around 90 to 95% of New Zealand prices, the estimated local prices are:

Mitsubishi Motors Australia chief executive Shunichi Kihara said the company looks beyond Chinese brands when assessing its competition.

He added that Mitsubishi considers competitors across the broader segment and aims to deliver a competitive proposition against its benchmark models.

Here’s how the ASX VR-e’s expected entry price compares with its key rivals’ listed prices.

The estimated Mitsubishi entry price would put it above the listed starting prices of the BYD Atto 3, Atto 3 Evo, Kia EV3 and Hyundai Kona Electric. Final Australian pricing will determine how closely the ASX VR-e competes with them.