It’s been a very busy few days for Mitsubishi Motors Philippines. Right on the heels of the much-awaited Xpander Cross, they’ve announced the launch of the Strada Athlete as well.
Designed to appeal to those who want a bit more style with their pickup truck, the Strada Athlete comes with all sorts of aesthetic changes that set it apart not just from the “regular” Strada, but from other pickup trucks in the market as well.
Outside, the Strada Athlete boasts of a more striking fascia thanks to its trademark Dynamic Shield grille now decked in high-gloss black. The same high-gloss black is also found in the door handles, side mirrors, and the 18-inch wheels. Side body graphics complete the changes.
Inside, the Strada Athlete differentiates itself from other Strada variants with its orange and black leather seating with orange stitching. This orange stitching is also found on the door trims and steering wheel as well. The interior is luxurious for a pickup given it has features such as a touchscreen multimedia system with GPS, dual zone climate control, an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, and push-button engine start/stop with passive entry.
The Strada Athlete remains mechanically unchanged. With that, it has the 2.4-liter MIVEC diesel engine pushing out 181 horsepower at 3,500 rpm and 430 Nm of torque at 2,500 rpm. This is mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox with cruise control.
For the 4WD drive model, it gets the Super Select-II 4WD system. Like its application in the Strada GT, it gets a new dedicated Off-road Mode which has Gravel, Mud/Snow, Sand, and Rock (in 4LLc only) settings. When engaged, Off-road Mode integrally controls engine power, transmission, and braking to regulate the amount of wheel slip and thereby maximize all-terrain performance.
There are two variants of the Strada Athlete — the 2WD and the 4WD. The top-of-the-line 4WD gets a complete set of safety features including seven SRS airbags, Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Electronic Stability Control (Mitsubishi Active Stability and Traction Control or MASTC), Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, Forward Collision Mitigation, Ultrasonic Misacceleration Mitigation, Automatic High Beams, Blind Spot Warning with Rear Cross Traffic alert, and a reverse camera.
Pricing for the 2020 Strada Athlete is at P1.443 million for the 2WD and P1.760 million for the 4WD version. Colors available are White Diamond, Jet Black Mica, and exclusive to the Strada Athlete 4WD, Sunflare Orange.