Mitsubishi Montero launch in September

Come September, Mitsubishi will be launching a face-lifted version of its famed Montero SUV. Bookings for the same have already begun. Customers can book the SUV in its 2016 avatar for a token fee of Rs. 10 lakh. The SUV will be brought in via the CBU route, and will thus carry a steep price tag of Rs 70.43 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

The 2016 launch of the Mitsubishi Montero will be the third iteration of the SUV. In this latest face-lift, the car has received updates to its design. The front sees the most changes as the headlights have been elongated to wrap around the front and the grille gets an ample serving of chrome. The car also gets LED DRLs and a new bonnet. On the sides, we can see that the vehicle gets a new set of alloy wheels and revised cladding. At the rear, the spare wheel is mounted on the tailgate.

Mechanically everything remains pretty much the same. The engine though same, has been re-tuned, and produces 10 HP less than the 2012 model. The torque figures remain the same, and it still comes mated to the same 5-speed automatic gearbox. The new model also gets 10 mm of reduced ground clearance as compared to the older car, which maybe due to the weight, has gone up by 25 kgs.

However, Mitsubishi doesn’t seem to have addressed the issue relating to sales, as the older car didn’t find many takers due to its steep price tag of Rs. 40 lakh. While times have changed, and people today are willing to pay higher sums for luxury, Mitsubishi’s image in India is not that of an expensive luxury brand, which may prove to be a problem for the SUV. It all depends on how Mitsubishi markets the new Montero but this is heading to be a sales dud just like its predecessor.