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It’s no secret that the success of the Chinese carmakers in Australia has been built, largely, on cut-price tactics.
There’s no shame in that, clearly Australian new car buyers wanted a cheaper choice and are liking what they’re finding from the likes of MG, GWM and Chery.
The problem for Mitsubishi was that affordable cars were its strong suit. The Japanese brand was impacted more than most by the shifting tides in the local market, ending 2023 with a 17.5 per cent sales decline over 2022.
Which is why we posed the question at the start of 2024 if Mitsubishi could hit back and arrest its decline? The most obvious solution was the incoming new Triton — because Australians love utes.
Sales of the Triton were down more than 40 per cent in '23 as Mitsubishi ran out the old model. The problem was, sales of the brand’s other popular models — the ASX (down 28 per cent) and Pajero Sport (down 37 per cent) — were also sliding. There was a lot riding on the broad wheel arches of the Triton.
As we get ready to close the door on 2024, sales of both the Triton 4x4 and 4x2 are up on 2023, which isn’t surprising as a new model usually brings fresh interest.
However, the bigger news for Mitsubishi is the way its SUVs sold in 2024. The ASX is up 32.4 per cent, the Eclipse Cross climbed 20.2 per cent, Pajero Sport sales jumped by two thirds and even the steady Outlander is up more than 14.5 per cent (figures correct at time of writing).
All this adds up to Mitsubishi selling almost as many cars as it did in 2023 in just the first 10 months of 2024. And more than that, makes it clear the brand won’t just lay down and be pushed aside by its Chinese rivals in this cut-price fight at the price-sensitive end of the market.
Which can only be a good thing for Australian car buyers looking for a new vehicle on a budget.
The challenge for Mitsubishi moving into 2025 will be to keep the momentum going — especially with ageing models such as the ASX, Eclipse Cross and Pajero Sport.
The Triton isn't due an easy ride, either, with a new Toyota HiLux due, Ford Ranger PHEV arriving, Mazda's refreshed BT-50 and the all-new BYD Shark 6 wild card. So Mitsubishi will need to keep fighting if it wants to continue its positive turnaround into '25 and beyond.
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