Mitsubishi Destinator 1.5 GLS Turbo CVT: The middle child star

The Mitsubishi Destinator is one of the most exciting cars to come out of Mitsubishi Motors in a while, specifically being targeted as a new entry in its lineup. Slotting in between the Xforce and the Montero Sport, this seven-seater unibody crossover does battle with the likes of the Toyota Zenix as a more premium alternative to its MPV offerings.

Attractive introductory prices aside, the Destinator’s pricing starts at Php 1,389,000, and goes all the way up to a pricey Php 1,929,000 for the top-of-the-line offering. What we’re looking at here is the GLS Turbo CVT, and it costs Php 1,599,000.

Right off the bat, if you’re looking to buy one, this is the model to get, as it offers the best experience for the car if you’re willing to let go of a few niceties you probably don’t even need. 

One of the biggest concerns most people have with the Destinator in general is the new engine—the 1.5-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine (4B40) underneath the hood, powering the front wheels via a CVT. A far cry from the turbodiesels that most Filipino drivers find comfort in for seven-seater SUVs.

With 163 horsepower and 250Nm of torque, one might think that these numbers aren’t enough to move a car full of people and cargo effortlessly, but it’s the opposite.

When the car only has one or two occupants, it’s peppy off the line with lots of power to spare. Power doesn’t peter off until high revs, and in fact, you can find yourself already at the speed limit easily without knowing, and that’s even in the Normal drive mode.

The steering is a little on the overassisted side, but the ride is wonderfully cushioned and quiet, and it’s agile for its size, with a surprisingly small turning radius, especially with Active Yaw Control (AYC) working its magic to kill understeer when needed. Plus, the 214mm ground clearance should give buyers some peace of mind when the rainy season arrives.

As for the returning Tarmac drive mode, this sharpens up throttle response up to a point where it’s a little too jerky, makes the steering weight satisfyingly heavy—something we wish could be configured in an Individual drive mode, and AYC is more aggressive, kicking in more often.

If you’re wondering why the very “quick off the line” feeling is the norm, Mitsubishi tuned the power delivery to compensate for a loaded cabin. It’s more gradual and smooth, even if the sensation feels like the car is a bit slower than normal. But take note, it isn’t. You don’t have to put it in low gear or rev it high to get around with a full cabin, unlike other cars.

As for the Destinator’s fuel economy, don’t expect turbodiesel-level figures, especially for a crossover of this size. With the unit delivered brand spanking-new, the engine hasn’t been broken in yet.

Within the city, our average fuel economy ranged from 6 to 8km/L, with worst-case holiday traffic making those figures go as low as 3.3km/L (but what non-electrified car wouldn’t suffer in these conditions?). It fares better on the expressway, getting up to 14-15km/L with ease.

As for the rest of the Destinator, it’s a wonderful package. The crossover’s concept-car looks really turn heads wherever you go, and those T-shaped LED lights front and back make it distinct on the road. For this GLS variant, you get body colored bumpers and the lack of roof rails to distinguish it from the others. This shares the same two-tone 18-inch alloy wheels as the GT, and LED fog lamps, too.

Also, this particular Destinator GLS was kitted out with a couple of Genuine Accessories, which can be purchased at the dealership.

The interior is where the changes are a little bit more noticeable. Compared to the GT, you get an all-black interior (except the headliner) with black manual fabric seats, black soft-touch materials on the dashboard, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The same 12.3-inch infotainment and 8-inch digital instrument cluster are present with a wireless charger, dual-zone climate control, and cooled center console storage, which is everything that you need. The unbranded six-speaker sound system sounds good after some tuning, and the infotainment supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which worked well enough without any problems, but wired connections via the USB-A and C ports are still the way to go for most.

Visibility in the car is great all around, but the manual adjustments for the driver’s seat can be an issue for shorter drivers as it makes finer positioning a bit harder, considering the tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel doesn’t extend as far out compared to other cars.

The second row seats are also well equipped, with luxuries like a dedicated fan speed control with roof-mounted air vents, second-row tray tables, seatback pockets, USB-A and C ports for charging, and four-way adjustments (slide and recline), plus a folding center seat that doubles as a large armrest with additional cupholders.

The third row is also liveable for taller adults, as long as the backrests are reclined and the second row is slid forward enough to give legroom. There are also charging ports, multiple cup and device holders, and roof-mounted air vents, something most three-row crossovers tend to forget.

While no cargo space figures have been provided, with all three rows up, it can easily accommodate a backpack and a folded walker (as shown above), and it can easily swallow more with the second row seats down. Plus, underneath the false floor is additional storage, with an organizer built in.

Finally, the GLS also comes with a few select driver assistance features, such as a 360-degree camera, parking sensors front and back, blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, and standard cruise control, which is pretty much all you need.

The Destinator GLS’s price-to-feature ratio is pretty generous, considering most of the GT’s features are superfluous to many. Features aside, the Destinator truly is one of the most exciting cars to come out of Mitsubishi recently, with very solid mechanical underpinnings, a love-it-or-hate-it concept car design, and a comfortable and premium-feeling cabin.

2026 Mitsubishi Destinator GLS 1.5 GLS Turbo CVT | Key Information

Engine	1.5-liter 4B40 four-cylinder turbo gasoline
Output	163 horsepower, 250 Nm of torque
Transmission	Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Drivetrain	Front-wheel drive
Seating Capacity	7 (including driver)
Driver Assistance	Blind-spot monitoring, Rear-cross traffic alert, 360-degree camera, 4 parking sensors
Price	Php 1,599,000 (as of December 2025)
Pros	The most exciting, well-rounded package from Mitsubishi Motors Philippines to come out, with great looks, lots of space, and great driving dynamics.
Cons	Driving position can be a bit awkward for shorter people, with so-so fuel economy, especially if you’re coming from a turbodiesel PPV.

^{Photos by Sam Surla}