- Mitsubishi has cut its Australian lineup, dropping the ASX, Eclipse Cross, and Pajero Sport.
- The models ere discontinued due to non-compliance with updated ADR regulations for 2025.
- A new-generation Mitsubishi ASX, rebadged from the Renault Captur, will arrive later this year
Mitsubishi is shaking up its Australian lineup in a big way, announcing the end of the road for three of its five models. The aging ASX, Eclipse Cross (both ICE and PHEV), and Pajero Sport SUVs are being axed as they fail to meet upcoming regulatory standards. This leaves Mitsubishi Australia with just the Outlander SUV and Triton pickup, though a new Renault-based ASX is set to join the lineup later this year.
Despite Improved Sales, New Regulations Stop Play
The reason behind the discontinuation of the three SUVs is the updated Australian Design Rules (ADR), which come into effect from March 1st, 2025. According to Shaun Westcott, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Australia, the investment required for re-engineering the models “was not commercially feasible” given their age.
Spied: Mitsubishi’s Decade-Old Pajero Sport Is Finally Getting A Successor
Interestingly, this decision comes despite the trio’s solid sales performance. As reported by CarsGuide, the ASX, Eclipse Cross, and Pajero Sport made up more than a third of Mitsubishi Australia’s sales in 2024. The ASX alone moved 12,330 units (a 34% increase from 2023), while the Eclipse Cross found 9,221 buyers (+18%), and the Pajero Sport sold 7,306 units (+31%). Not bad for models that are, by industry standards, practically ancient.
The ASX, in particular, has been soldiering on since 2010 and remains one of the oldest models on the Australian market. Sure, it’s been facelifted three times in the past 15 years, but there’s only so much lipstick you can put on a 2010-era SUV before it starts to show its age compared to fresher competitors.
Stock to Last Through 2025
The current generation of the Pajero Sport is also in its twilight years, having been introduced in 2015. The ladder-frame SUV received facelifts in 2019 and 2024, but a new generation is expected to debut in the coming years. Similarly, the Eclipse Cross, which first arrived in 2017 and was refreshed in 2020, is also nearing the end of its lifecycle.
More: Mitsubishi Quit Sedans, So This Galant Got A Creative Facelift
While production of the SUVs for the Australian marked has now ended, Mitsubishi’s local CEO said that the company was “well-prepared” to manage the transition, confirming that the current stock will remain available throughout the year.
“We have worked closely with our dealer partners to ensure each model line will be ordered in sufficient quantities ahead of time. This will support our customers while we continue to confirm our future model plans as a core Mitsubishi market. We will announce these future models in due course.”
New ASX Landing On Australian Shores
Looking ahead, Mitsubishi confirmed that the second-generation ASX will arrive in Australia later in 2025. Already available in Europe, the new ASX is essentially arebadged version of the recently-facelifted Renault Captur. The company has yet to share specifics about the Australian version, but this new model should breathe some life into the lineup.
As for potential replacements for the Eclipse Cross and Pajero Sport? Mitsubishi hasn’t offered any concrete details, though as we recently spied, a next-gen Pajero Sport is in development using the latest Triton platform
Furthermore, Mitsubishi’s Momentum 2030 plan includes “several new or significantly updated vehicles into Australia by decade’s end”, using BEV, PHEV, hybrid, and ICE powertrains. One of them is the facelifted Outlander that will reach the Australian market in 2025, featuring an improved PHEV setup.
