We don’t see much of Mitsubishi in Europe these days. However, the Japanese brand is in the process of reinventing itself once again. This time, it is bringing back the ASX name (which in Europe already is present now as a Renault Captur’s rebadging) in a much sportier interpretation than before, with the new Mitsubishi ASX VR-e name – a nod to Mitsubishi’s legendary VR-4 and VR-6 models, if you remember them.
However, the new ASX is no petrol-powered performance car. It is fully electric, that”s why “VR-e”.
Built on an electric car from Taiwan
The ASX name has been associated with a compact SUV since 2010, when Mitsubishi launched the model as a rival to cars such as the Nissan Qashqai.
Today, the current petrol-powered ASX is essentially a compact crossover based on the Renault Captur. With the new ASX VR-e, however, Mitsubishi is not only taking the ASX name in a completely new direction, but also signalling its plans for more fully electric models.
But there is a big secret hiding underneath the new ASX.
The car isn’t actually Japanese – or French, for that matter. The new Mitsubishi ASX VR-e is based on the Foxtron Bria, a relatively unknown electric car from Taiwan. Foxtron is a joint venture between Foxconn (the tech giant that produces Apple’s iPhone) and Yulon Motor, while the Bria itself was designed by the legendary Italian design house Pininfarina.
Mitsubishi has given the car its own identity, with a redesigned front end and different headlight treatment, while Mitsubishi badges and various details inside the cabin and at the rear help distinguish it from the Foxtron model.
However, the most interesting thing about the ASX VR-e isn’t its design. It’s what’s underneath.
Mitsubishi has yet to reveal all of the technical details, but the car will be offered with rear-wheel drive and an electric motor producing around 229bhp. The range-topping version gets all-wheel drive and a much more serious 400bhp.
That makes the ASX VR-e something completely different from the ASX we know today. With 400bhp on tap, the electric Mitsubishi is expected to accelerate from 0-62mph in less than four seconds. That suddenly puts the ASX into performance territory that Mitsubishi hasn’t occupied for many years.
In fact, the ASX VR-e could become the brand’s first genuinely sporty model in more than a decade.
Will it come to Europe?
Under the floor sits a 57.7kWh battery pack.
The Foxtron Bria is officially rated at up to around 517km of range, but that figure is based on the Chinese NEDC testing cycle. It therefore cannot be directly compared with European WLTP figures, and the real-world range is expected to be lower.
Mitsubishi has yet to publish an official WLTP range figure for the ASX VR-e.
Charging performance is more promising. The car can DC fast-charge at up to 134kW, although Mitsubishi has not yet revealed how quickly the battery can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent. While the styling is clearly intended to make the ASX VR-e stand out, serious attention has also been paid to aerodynamics.
Pininfarina has integrated what is known as an S-Duct into the front end. It channels airflow over the bonnet and helps reduce aerodynamic drag.
There are also active air flaps in the lower section of the front bumper. These can close when the car doesn’t need additional cooling, helping to reduce drag and improve efficiency. When extra cooling is required, they can open to allow more air through.
The big question, of course, is whether the Mitsubishi ASX VR-e will make it to Scandinavia and the rest of Europe.
For now, the answer is: we simply don’t know. Mitsubishi plans to launch the new ASX VR-e in Australia later in 2026, but the brand has yet to confirm whether the electric performance SUV will also be introduced to the European market.
