At the beginning of 2022, Mitsubishi announced it would sell rebadged versions of the Renault Captur and Clio in Europe. The former made its debut as the "new" ASX last September and now it's being joined by its supermini equivalent, the Colt. Much like the small crossover is assembled by Renault at its Spanish factory in Valladolid, the supermini will be put together by the company with the diamond logo in Bursa, Turkey.
The 2024 Colt is based on the recently facelifted Clio and is an obvious case of badge engineering. There are some minor changes to the grille, bumpers, and lights, but it's essentially the same car. Not only that, but the interior is virtually identical, save for the different logo on the steering wheel and the removal of the French flag on the passenger side of the dashboard.
2024 Mitsubishi Colt
Much like the 2023 ASX has inherited the powertrains from the Captur, the subcompact hatchback gets its oily bits from the Clio, which are also shared with the Dacia Sandero. The base version comes with a naturally aspirated 1.0-liter, three-cylinder gasoline engine making 66 horsepower (49 kilowatts) and 95 Newton-meters (70 pound-feet) of torque. Step up to the turbocharged 1.0-liter mill and output grows to 90 hp (67 kW) and 160 Nm (118 lb-ft).
At the top of the range is the naturally aspirated 1.6-liter hybrid with a combined output of 141 hp (105 kW). The ICE is good for 148 Nm (109 lb-ft) while the electric motor delivers 205 Nm (151 lb-ft). Aside from being the most frugal of the three, it’s also the quickest by doing 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 9.3 seconds. Mitsubishi mentions the turbo model takes 12.2 seconds to complete the sprint while the base version needs 17.1 seconds. The top speed is only 100 mph (160 km/h) for the entry-level variant whereas the turbo and hybrid can do 112 mph (180 km/h).
The hybrid model and versions equipped with the electronic parking brake get rear discs but the others are stuck with drum brakes. Stick to the base model and you get a five-speed manual gearbox, replaced by a six-speed unit for the turbo version. The hybrid gets an automatic transmission, a 1.2-kWh battery pack, and brake energy recovery. Wheel size varies from 15-inch steelies to 17-inch alloys.
The awfully familiar interior can be had with a seven-inch touchscreen or a 9.3-inch display if you upgrade to the larger infotainment. There are two USB ports, a wireless charging pad, and a Bose sound system with nine speakers and a subwoofer. The driver gets a seven-inch instrument cluster or a bigger 10-inch screen at an additional cost. Mitsubishi's Skoda Fabia rival can be had with niceties such as a heated steering wheel, bi-LED headlights, 360-degree cameras, heated mirrors, and basically all the safety kit you can order for the Clio.
Renault will kick off production of the Mitsubishi Colt in September, with the market launch scheduled for this fall.
