Uncamouflaged Mitsubishi Xforce surfaces in Pahang, is Malaysia launch finally near?

KUALA LUMPUR: A pair of uncamouflaged Mitsubishi Xforce SUVs have surfaced in Pahang, with the industrial surroundings in the photos looking very much like the DRB-HICOM Pekan Automotive Complex, the same Pekan site linked to local assembly operations, and where Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia already builds the Xpander.

That context is what makes this sighting feel more than just another “spotted in the wild” moment. The Xforce has been on the Malaysia watchlist for some time, and seeing clean, uncamouflaged cars appear in an environment that resembles Pekan fits the pattern of launch preparation, the kind of vehicles you bring in for internal work, dealer exposure, and marketing material.

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From the photos, the SUV is unmistakably an Xforce, down to Mitsubishi’s “Dynamic Shield” nose and the bold, squared-off body surfacing. The car shown also appears to be riding on the 18-inch two-tone alloy wheel design commonly tied to higher grades in other markets, which would make sense if these are early show or media units being lined up for local photography, display duty, or campaign work.

The bigger question, why is it arriving on a transporter?

The most interesting detail is not the styling, it’s the way the cars were seen arriving. If the Xforce is being unloaded from a transporter truck in Pekan, it naturally invites the CBU vs CKD discussion.

Pekan is already part of Mitsubishi’s Malaysian manufacturing footprint via the Xpander, so when a new model shows up as a fully built unit on a carrier, it can read like an imported CBU vehicle being moved inland from a port or holding yard, rather than something that has just come off a local line.

Still, the transporter alone is not a smoking gun. Carmakers move complete vehicles around for a long list of practical reasons, internal logistics, storage, pre-delivery checks, fleet management, and even repositioning display cars between locations.

But with a Pekan-looking backdrop, it is a fair puzzle to put on the table, because it leans toward import activity more than production activity, at least based on what the public can see right now. At the same time, if Mitsubishi does choose to assemble it locally, that would help keep pricing sharper in Malaysia.

Two cars unloaded, could Malaysia get two variants?

Another detail worth noting, there were two Xforce units being offloaded. That could be simple logistics, but it also fits a common pre-launch pattern, one car for content and static display, another for training, internal use, or a second grade.

If Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia decides to keep the line-up simple, a two-variant range is easy to imagine. Several ASEAN markets already use that kind of structure, typically split between an entry grade and a better-equipped top grade, sometimes with an ADAS-heavy flagship sitting above the pack depending on the country.

Quick refresher, what is the Mitsubishi Xforce?

The Xforce is Mitsubishi’s compact SUV aimed right at the core of ASEAN demand, a five-seat, everyday crossover built for city use, family duties, and the kind of weather and road conditions this region throws at you.

It debuted in Indonesia in 2023, and its footprint lands squarely in the B-segment SUV sweet spot: 4,390 mm long, 1,810 mm wide, 1,660 mm tall, with a 2,650 mm wheelbase. It also brings 222 mm ground clearance and a tight 5.2 m turning radius, both strong “daily SUV” numbers for the class.

For most ASEAN markets, the mainstream powertrain is a 1.5L MIVEC petrol with CVT and 2WD, with output commonly quoted at 105 PS and 141 Nm.

Depending on market and variant, equipment highlights include a 12.3-inch Smartphone-Link Display Audio (SDA) infotainment screen, an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, and a safety suite that scales up on higher grades, including features such as adaptive cruise control.

Where it’s built, and where Malaysia supply could come from

For the petrol Xforce that launched first, Mitsubishi has been clear that it is manufactured in Indonesia at MMKI, and exports have already been running into ASEAN markets, starting with Vietnam, then rolling out in stages to countries such as the Philippines.

That matters for Malaysia because Indonesia already functions as a regional supply base for the model, so a CBU approach for early batches and launch units is a straightforward pathway if Mitsubishi chooses to go that route.

Separately, Mitsubishi has also introduced the Xforce HEV in Thailand, and Mitsubishi’s Thai operation has stated that the hybrid model is built locally at its Laem Chabang facility.

Where it sits in Malaysia, and who it goes after

Size-wise, the Xforce sits right in the zone Malaysians already understand. Think Honda HR-V territory, and close enough to the Toyota Corolla Cross to be cross-shopped depending on spec and pricing, although the Corolla Cross remains the larger vehicle overall.

In local terms, that places the Xforce in the same daily fight as the Honda HR-V, Toyota Corolla Cross, and Proton X50, with value-led alternatives like the Chery Omoda 5 and Chery Tiggo Cross also sitting on the same shortlist for many buyers.

If Mitsubishi wants an “Xforce assault” to stick here, the deciding factors won’t be hype. It will be pricing, variant strategy, and how much equipment Mitsubishi is willing to put on the table in a segment that’s already crowded with familiar, strong options.

Neighbouring-country prices, what the region is paying

The Xforce is already on sale in several nearby ASEAN markets, and those asking prices offer a rough reference point for how Mitsubishi positions it in the region, once you convert them to Ringgit Malaysia.

In the Philippines, the Xforce starts at around RM94k for the GLS, with the GT coming in at about RM109k. Vietnam begins at roughly RM92k for the base GLX, rising to around RM109k for the range-topping Ultimate.

Thailand is a different story because it sells the Xforce HEV, with prices working out to around RM116k to RM140k depending on variant. Over in Indonesia, where the Xforce first launched, commonly seen OTR figures for core variants convert to roughly RM94k to RM104k, depending on trim and listing.

The Malaysia question, CKD or CBU?

Mitsubishi already has a CKD footprint in Pekan through the Xpander, and it also has an established export pipeline for Xforce out of Indonesia.

So if early Malaysia sightings continue to show units arriving fully built on transporters, it supports the idea that Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia may start the Xforce story as a CBU model, at least for launch and initial batches, before any CKD decision is made public.

For now, the clearest takeaway is this: the uncamouflaged Xforce is here, physically in Malaysia, and the timing reads like the pre-launch phase, the kind where marketing cars, display cars, and internal plans start lining up.

Could Mitsubishi time the launch ahead of 2026 Chinese New Year and Hari Raya in Malaysia? If it wants to ride the festive buying wave, an earlier debut would make plenty of sense, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Mitsubishi move quickly.

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