Certainly, the Xpander’s ethos at offering large families with a relatively affordable, robust, and genuinely versatile seven-seat MPV option sets it apart from other contemporaries, not to mention its rugged and lifted crossover SUV-like styling. One could argue these were the key drivers behind the Xpander’s market success.
Having sampled the newly added Xpander Plus variant during this trip, there’s indeed much to look forward to, especially for any discerning household heads - or perhaps the house’s leading lady too..
Putting aside our slight nervousness from having to share our tester on this trip with veteran motoring scribes that even included retired rally legend Uncle YS Khong, the refreshed Xpander’s drive dynamics thankfully isn’t hard to grasp and master.
The first leg of our drive saw us putting the Xpander through its paces across the city, the highway, plus a light spot of twisty B-road traffic conditions between Bamboo Hills, KL and our first stop at a campsite in Selangor’s Hulu Langat district. During which, we also did some ‘light’ off-roading across gravel and soft terrains too.
From which, we’re glad to report that much of the pre-facelift Xpander model’s soft and comfy ride remains unchanged in this updated version, as is its tight 5.2-metre turning radius. The same applies with its driveability from the hot seat. Speaking as a working mum myself, I’m certain other fellow lady drivers won’t break a sweat managing this MPV.
The facelifted Xpander continues to be powered by the tried-and-tested 1.5-litre MIVEC engine.
Certainly, the Xpander’s SUV-like lifted ride-height is a god-send too as it not only lets you tackle some terrain when needed, it also makes for a comfier MPV to manage in the urban conditions, soaking up potholes and asphalt imperfections almost effortlessly. In turn, this also inspires plenty of confidence for any daily-driving mums or dads too.
Handling dynamics aside, the Xpander’s unchanged powertrain package is also a very straightforward affair. Sure, both the Xpander’s 1.5-litre 4-cyl MIVEC petrol mill and 4-speed automatic transmission appear to be very ‘conventional’, but we reckon both its robustness and torque-led nature make it a solid choice in this people-mover.
Moreover, in the case of this updated 2024 model year version, said powertrain’s smooth, quiet, and highly frugal operation is something many prospects can appreciate too. Indeed, the last place any driving parent or cranky toddler alike wants to be in for extended periods is a noisy and bumpy cabin.
By the way, said merits in driving comfort does not come at the expense of handling either, and this was something we discovered whilst traversing through some of the twisty asphalt snaking through Hulu Langat district. There’s indeed respectable levels of agility in this Xpander as far as three-row MPVs go.
Predictably, the lifted ride-height does see some noticeable rate of body-roll when thrown in and out of bends quickly, but this isn’t apparent should one keep cornering speeds sane and family-friendly to say the least. Otherwise, there isn’t much to gripe about here.
From our initial preview and launch reports, we’re certain many of you are already familiar with the features and amenities offered aboard the Xpander across both variants. Aptly though, the new range-topping Xpander Plus ought to be the ideal choice for those seeking slightly higher comforts and ease.
From its easier to clean and maintain leather-wrapped seats that also feel plush, to the offer of a nifty 360-degree parking camera, not forgetting other conveniences like keyless entry and ignition, electronic parking brake, as well as the wireless charging pad. Count in both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and it’s easy to see how the Xpander, even in its most base trimline form, easily finds its way into the hearts and minds of many. In fact, this almost led to forgetting the fact that it only packs two airbags lining its cabin - one caveat that perhaps will cause concern amongst some.
Despite that, and absence of any ADAS features, the Japanese tri-diamond marque has covered all the other basics well enough at the very least with seatbelts in all seats, ABS brakes, and stability control. In the case of the Xpander plus range-topper, you’ll even get both front- and rear-facing dashcams primed as standard.
In its defence, this is merely an ‘updated’ new model year version, not a full-model change as what neighbouring Thailand and Indonesia received. From which, perhaps it’s easy to forgive just how ‘basic’ the Xpander is as a total package, but we’ll also admit that things like the new Perodua Alza do beg to differ for way less.
Unlike said Rawang-built bargain choice though, this Pekan-built alternative certainly offers a more spacious and arguably more flexible cabin real estate, and arguably much more versatility borne out of its lifted ride height. The Bonuses here are of course the comfort levels stemming from the latter, and arguably better looks too. Overall, the merits highlighted perhaps explains why the remainder of our drive to Melaka and back proved to be an uneventful breeze. Yes, whilst we aren’t afraid to admit that the refreshed Xpander’s package has several flaws, they are indeed few and far apart, and there’s enough merits elsewhere to offset which.
So, should you have between RM100,000 to RM115,000 to spare for a versatile, comfortable, and very easy family-mover, then the Xpander as we’ve sampled couldn't be more fitting to say the least. The fact it comes with a 5-year, unlimited mileage warranty makes it all the more convincing too, if we might add.
SPECIFICATIONS
2024 Mitsubishi Xpander Plus
Editor’s Note: This feature was readapted from our BM Editorial colleague’s original First Drive report, which you can read by clicking these blue words.
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