Mitsubishi reveals all-new 7-seat Destinator with 163 PS MIVEC Turbo CVT
Mitsubishi DST Concept is the all-new Destinator
When the DST Concept was showcased at the 2024 Philippine International Motor Show as a 7-seat crossover based on the XForce, most people thought it’s just going to be another Xpander. Boy did Mitsubishi prove everyone wrong.
Mitsubishi Motors has revealed the all-new Destinator. It’s bigger, more powerful than initially expected, and it’s set to compete in the 7-seater midsize crossover segment. While the DST Concept made its premiere in the Philippines, Mitsubishi will produce the all-new Destinator at the Krama Yudha Indonesia plant in West Java.
Let’s quickly silence those who doubted its powertrain. Underneath the hood of the Destinator is yes, a 1.5-liter engine, but it’s taken from the Eclipse Cross instead of the Xpander. It’s the 4B40, and it’s a MIVEC Turbo unit that produces 163 PS and 250 Nm of torque. Mitsubishi says the powertrain is an Atkinson cycle engine designed to maximize fuel efficiency, while the water-cooled intercooler provides more consistent power delivery.
As for the transmission, the all-new Destinator gets a CVT powering the front wheels, with five drive modes optimizing performance in various driving conditions. Much like the XForce, the all-new Destinator has Active Yaw Control.
Size-wise, the all-new Destinator measures 4680 mm long, 1840 mm wide, and 1780 mm tall. To put that into perspective, the Destinator is almost as big as the Honda CR-V. Ground clearance is at 214 mm, about almost an inch higher than the XForce that has a 193 mm ground clearance.
Mitsubishi kept most of the DST Concept’s design features for the production version, as the Destinator’s LED headlights and taillights are similarly shaped, much like the XForce where the platform was based from. As for the wheels, the Destinator rolls on 18-inch alloys with 225/55 series tires.
Inside, the Destinator shares a similar layout with the XForce, as it has a 12.3-inch touchscreen and an 8-inch digital instrument cluster. Mitsubishi kept the digital clinometer for the Destinator’s infotainment content, which pays homage to the iconic Pajero. There’s also an 8-speaker Dynamic Sound Yamaha premium sound system for the interior acoustics.
Other features first seen on the XForce also made its way to the all-new Destinator, such as the 40:20:40 split second row seats and ambient lighting. However, the all-new Destinator one-ups the XForce by having a panoramic sunroof.
When it comes to advanced safety, the Destinator debuts what Mitsubishi calls the Mitsubishi Motors Safety Sensing. The ADAS suite covers things like adaptive cruise, forward collision mitigation, blind spot warning, lead car departure notification, and a multi-around view monitor. For the Indonesia-spec version, the Destinator comes with six SRS airbags as standard.
The all-new Destinator will make its public debut at the 2025 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show on July 23, with Indonesia market sales slated to begin on the same day. Mitsubishi has quickly said that other ASEAN markets will follow, which include Vietnam and the Philippines.
