For (new) old cars that are currently still on sale in Malaysia like the Mitsubishi ASX, there are two ways to look at them.

The first would be “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, a method utilized by some manufacturers to continue selling an old model with little or no updates over the course of its lifespan.

Then there’s the saying “aged like fine wine”, which we reckon should be used to describe the Mitsubishi ASX.

Like a good bottle of wine that takes time to age, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia took 10 years to improve and update the ASX.

Compared to the ASX that made its debut here back in 2010, the model you can buy today boasts a better interior build quality, a quieter cabin, and more safety features – the sum of Mitsubishi’s cumulative improvements.

When it was first launched back in 2010 (10 years ago, gasp!), it had no direct competitors – the Honda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail were considerably larger (and pricier).

Fast forward a couple of years later, new rivals in the form of the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Renault Captur, Toyota C-HR and Subaru XV arrived, challenging the ASX for a share of the lucrative crossover market.

But what sets the ageing ASX apart from the rest of its rivals is the option of having a 4WD system.

Barring the Subaru XV, all other rivals are front wheel drive only, making the ASX a unique preposition for buyers.

Then there’s the platform it’s built on – the Mitsubishi GS platform, which also underpins the Lancer and Outlander.

Though a tad bit long in the tooth, the GS platform has proved to be versatile even till this day. As it was developed for larger more sophisticated C-segment cars, the ASX's ride comfort is still better than B-segment rivals like Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3, despite its age. 

Now you see why we described the ASX as fine wine.

There's a new ASX in other markets, but it's just a major facelift of the same car that you see here. That model is still not available on our part of the world.