The Mitsubishi Grandis is back and it’s not the MPV we used to know

Remember the Mitsubishi Grandis? It was the Japanese automaker’s seven-seater MPV entry from the early 2000s, and replaced the Mitsubishi Space Wagon which was quite popular in the 90s. It was also known for its design which was quite futuristic for the time, and looks new even to this day.

Well, it didn’t last long as it didn’t sell that well, including here in the Philippines. It’s back though and it’s no longer that sleek MPV we used to know, now a compact crossover exclusively for the European market.

Mitsubishi Motors Europe has just revealed the all-new Grandis, now based on the Renault Symbioz and the third Mitsubishi model from the French automaker after the new ASX and Colt from 2022 and 2023, respectively.

The similarities to the Renault are very visible. The Grandis retains the same wraparound headlights and overall silhouette. There are a couple of differences though which give it its own unique Mitsubishi character.

Mitsubishi’s signature Dynamic Shield grille is present, and the daytime running lights positioned on the quarter portions of the front bumper get a similar signature as what we’d see on the Mitsubishi Xforce. This also gets its own unique taillights and tailgate.

The interior unsurprisingly remains identical as what is seen in the Renault Symbioz, including the 10.4-inch vertical central touchscreen display which gets Google built-in, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and also acts as the main control unit of the vehicle with functions such as the climate controls and vehicle drive modes sadly built into it.

Thanks to its Renault Symbioz basis, it also gets an electrochromic panoramic glass roof which can switch between transparency, shade, or both. It is also slightly set apart with a redesigned horn pad on the steering wheel to accommodate the Mitsubishi emblem, and a more modern looking electronic gear selector.

Two powertrain options are available for the new Mitsubishi Grandis: a mild-hybrid and full hybrid.

The former pairs a 1.3-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and gearbox-mounted electric motor. This is good for 140 horsepower and can be mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or seven-speed DCT.

Meanwhile, the latter pairs a 1.8-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder gasoline engine with dual electric motors, a 15kW generator, and 1.4kWh lithium-ion battery. This hybrid powertrain produces a combined 156 horsepower sent to the front wheels via a smart multi-mode gearbox transmission.

Again, the Mitsubishi Grandis will be a European market exclusive, which brings its chances of making it to our market to zero. It will be manufactured in Renault’s Valladoid plant in Spain, with sales set to begin this year.

_{Photos from Mitsubishi}