We were in Thailand recently to join the first leg of the recently concluded 2024 Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR) with Team Mitsubishi Ralliart. The team was parked a couple hundred meters away from the hotel and so we walked to see the beefed up Tritons they will use to race. As we got closer to the parking lot, there was one little car that got our attention and everyone was giddy to see it closer. It was my first time to see a kei car up close and I’m glad it was the Mitsubishi Delica Mini.
The moment was even more special as the one in front of us is the dressed up version, meant as a support vehicle for the AXCR. It has the same livery as the AXCR Triton and accompanied with 15-inch Work wheels, relatively slim 60-series tires, modified suspension and taller ground clearance, a roof rack, rear ladder, and rack mounted auxiliary lights.
It took a while but waiting for the person who has the key was worth it. We were surprised by the amount of room this kei car had inside. The front section has a bench seat with no center console so one can slide in and out from one side to the other. Both rows are also good for the average sized adult horizontally. There’s a lot of headroom that gives the interior a lot of visual space so you’re not feeling closed in, as seen from the smile of our colleague who stands 5’9. The rear also has a sizable cargo space that fits the full-sized spare.
The best thing about it is it’s not basic. It has power-sliding second row doors, there’s an electronic parking brake with auto hold, the touchscreen has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, it even has Cruise Control. It really is the perfect city car that you can take offroad.
Yes, you read that right. This little thing might only have 52 horsepower from its 660cc engine, but it’s available with an All-Wheel Drive configuration. If not for this drivetrain, Mitsubishi wouldn’t think of bringing this cute beast into AXCR.
I’m not sure if it’s because of our history with owner-type Jeeps but Filipinos have an affinity for small boxy cars. Remember the Toyota BB that was so popular with the younger car enthusiasts around 2012? It was followed by the second generation Kia Soul that’s also visible with the younger crowd. You don’t even have to go far because most recently, we have the Suzuki Jimny that flew off showrooms as soon as stocks rolled in. This Delica Mini would have been a perfect offering in a populated city like Metro Manila.
The sad thing is, the Delica Mini is literally a dream car for us – we can only have it in our dreams. There are a few reasons why we can’t have it. The converted price, without shipping and tariffs, is more or less PHP 800,000 (AWD trim). It’s not surprising given the features of the car, but it will definitely hinder sales potential. Which brings us to the second point – numbers. It won’t make sense for Mitsubishi to export this to the Philippines given that our car market is small compared to theirs. The best selling kei car of 2023, the Honda N-Box, sold more than 200,000 units. That’s more than all the Toyotas sold in the Philippines in the same period.
But even if you can price it well and you can prove that there will be a good amount of buyers in the country, we still can’t have the Delica Mini because it’s only available in right hand drive. Converting it to left hand drive would put additional costs that will affect the first two points. You can’t say that “it’s okay I’ll just drive it as it is” because driving right hand drive vehicles in the country is illegal, as stated in Republic Act 8506. Our only hope is Mitsubishi making a boxy Mirage hatchback and bringing it to the Philippines.
