2026 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e confirmed as brand's first EV in over a decade

Key takeaways

• 2026 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e is the brand's first EV in a decade
• Foxtron Bria-based EV rivals the MG 4 and BYD Dolphin
• Arrives in Australia Q4 2026, pricing yet to be confirmed

Mitsubishi has confirmed its first electric car for Australia in more than a decade and it wears a name lifted straight from the brand's performance past.

The 2026 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e is a small electric SUV due in local showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2026. Pricing is yet to be locked in, but Mitsubishi's new EV is expected to start close to $40,000.

What is the 2026 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e?

Despite the shared badge, the ASX VR-e has nothing to do with the petrol ASX already on sale. That car is a rebadged Renault. This one is built by Foxtron, the vehicle arm of Foxconn, the Taiwanese giant best known for assembling the iPhone.

Foxtron Bria

Sold as the Foxtron Bria in Taiwan, it rides on a Pininfarina-designed platform and has been retuned locally by Mitsubishi's engineers with Australian and New Zealand roads in mind. Mitsubishi has reworked the front and rear styling, wheels and interior trim so it reads as its own model.

The ASX badge stands for Active Sports Crossover. The VR-e suffix revives the Galant VR-4, the turbocharged all-wheel-drive sedan that paved the way for the Lancer Evolution.

ASX VR-e variants and features

Four grades are confirmed for Australia: LS, Aspire, Exceed and GSR.

Every version gets a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, a 9.2-inch digital driver's display and wireless phone charging. Move up the range and you add ventilated front seats, a 360-degree camera, a panoramic glass roof and a power tailgate.

Driver assistance covers adaptive cruise control, lane-centring and rear cross-traffic alert. Mitsubishi has also fitted an S-duct through the front bumper and active grille shutters to sharpen aerodynamics.

2026 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e specs and performance

Mitsubishi is yet to confirm final Australian specifications, so the figures below come from the Taiwan-market Foxtron Bria.

Both outputs draw from the same 57.7kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. The quoted ranges use the lenient NEDC cycle, so expect lower numbers once Australia's tougher WLTP testing applies, likely closer to 430km for the single-motor car and 400km for the dual-motor version. DC fast charging peaks at 134kW, enough for a 10 to 80% top-up in about 30 minutes.

Price and Australian release date

Local pricing has not been announced. In Taiwan the Bria opens at around A$39,470 and industry expectation puts the ASX VR-e near $40,000 when it arrives here between October and December 2026.

That would line it up against the MG 4 and BYD Dolphin, the Chinese EVs that currently set the pace at the affordable end of the market.

Mitsubishi CEO Shunichi Kihara said the ASX VR-e "marks a significant milestone in our refreshed Mitsubishi range as the first BEV since the i-MiEV", part of a broader Momentum 2030 electrification plan.

The badge is set and the timing is locked. The one number that decides everything is still missing, and anyone weighing up an MG 4 right now has until Christmas to see where the VR-e lands.

Frequently asked questions

How much will the 2026 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e cost in Australia?

Mitsubishi hasn't confirmed local pricing. Based on the Taiwan-market Bria and rival EVs, expect it to start close to $40,000.

When does the Mitsubishi ASX VR-e go on sale?

It's due in Australian showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2026, between October and December.

What is the driving range of the Mitsubishi ASX VR-e?

Taiwan's Bria claims 516km (RWD) and 466km (AWD) on the NEDC cycle. Under Australia's stricter WLTP testing, expect closer to 430km and 400km.