Mitsubishi Finally Gives The Xforce The Hybrid Drivetrain It Needs

We’ve already reviewed the Mitsubishi Xforce last year, wherein we commended its stylish exterior and interior design. What we found lacking, however, was its 1.5-literally Xpander-derived. drivetrain. Since it was priced alongside hybrid crossovers like the Toyota Corolla Cross, Yaris Cross, heck even BYD’s Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid, the Xforce didn’t have the same oomph as its similarly-priced electrified rivals. That is finally being addressed by this new Mitsubishi Xforce HEV.

Unsurprisingly, since the Xforce is based on the Xpander’s platform, its series-parallel hybrid drivetrain also came from the popular MPV. Dubbed as e:Motion, it consists of a 1.6-liter MIVEC four-cylinder gasoline engine running on the Atkinson cycle for better thermal and fuel efficiency. This engine in itself produces 95 horsepower and 134 Nm of torque. The engine is then augmented by an electric motor with the battery located under the seats. As a result, the system output is 116 horsepower and a strong (best-in-class, even) 225 Nm of torque.

The e:Motion hybrid drivetrain is Mitsubishi’s own work from the ground up, and it’s based on the plug-in hybrid electric system (PHEV) of the Outlander PHEV. Its transmission is similar to the Honda’s e:HEV drivetrain wherein the e:Motion system can disconnect from the wheels and simply charge the battery while the vehicle is in motion. This isn’t possible with the Toyota Hybrid System’s (THS) planetary gear-type e-CVT, in which whenever the engine is running, it is always connected to the wheels. The engine only connects to the wheels when its full 116 system horsepower is needed.

Mitsubishi also added the Xpander HEV’s Active Yaw Control (AYC), which controls the braking force between the left and right front wheels. AYC also takes into account parameters with the traction, steering, and acceleration to adjust the vehicle’s trajectory for a more stable and engaging driving experience.

Apart from the new, electrified drivetrain, there are subtle changes that help the Mitsubishi Xforce HEV stand out a bit more. The front grille contains an HEV badge, while the vehicle itself has a slightly lower ground clearance of 183 mm. The 18-inch aerodynamic wheels are also new, and so are the snazzy LED taillights with a clear lense. Finally, there’s a smattering of HEV and Hybrid EV badges around the vehicle, perhaps as a way for traffic enforcers to determine if the Xforce that’s driving in Manila is coding-exempt or not.

The interior, however, remains largely the same. Higher trims still offer the fabric dash topper, along with leather upholstery that features bronze highlights. The Dynamic Sound Yamaha Premium sound system carries over to this new crossover SUV, and so is its 12.3-inch main infotainment screen and an 8-inch fully-digital gauge cluster. Finally, Mitsubishi has given a brand name for its advanced driver-assistance suite (ADAS), and it’s called Mitsubishi Motors Safety Sensing. Like in the standard Xforce, what this includes is the usual automatic emergency braking, full-speed adaptive cruise control lane departure warning, blind spot warning, among other ADAS features.

With the Mitsubishi Xforce HEV finally being revealed, we can’t wait to take this car for a spin to see how it improves on the brand’s subcompact crossover SUV.