Mitsubishi Attrage launched - From RM59k ! Simon Har

Mitsubishi Attrage is officially Malaysia's cheapest non-national sedan! The B-segment sedan bowed at the J.W.Marriott, Kuala Lumpur earlier today, surprised us with an affordable introductory price of RM59,212 for the entry level manual GL variant, RM67,978 for the GS auto variant and RM75,796 for the top-of-the-range SE auto variant, all OTR without insurance.

The Attrage is a very popular Mitsubishi model in Thailand, mainly because of its value-for-money and certified as an eco-car, where Thailand government offers it excise tax reduction. To be an eco-car, the car has to be equipped with an engine below 1.3 litre with fuel consumption of at least 20km/l.

In terms of exterior, SE variant gains daytime running LEDs on the bumper and bodykits which bring out a lot of character to the Attrage. Design is subjective, to me the Attrage's exterior doesn't look disproportioned like some people claimed, it even has a little upmarket feel with the chrome front grille and chrome garnish on the bootlid!

Fitted with a 1.2 litre MIVEC powertrain coupled with a CVT gearbox, the Attrage is capable of achieving fuel consumption rate of 21km/l, which is the Attrage's main selling point! Low kerb weight of 875kg to 905kg, depending on variant, and a low 0.29Cd drag coefficient also contributed to the good fuel efficiency. The 1.2 litre engine churns out 80PS at 6000rpm and 106Nm of torque at 4000rpm, tried and tested (review here) where I found it is adequate for normal city driving and within the speed limit of highway.

Having a larger footprint than its hatchback sibling Mirage, the Attrage has more usable space in the cabin for the occupants. Tallish rear passengers such as myself can enjoy ample legroom and adequate headroom, and the leather seats in the SE variant provide greater comfort and style. A member of the media also mentioned that the door closes with a thud and the seats are comfy. For those who are interested in the dimensions, the Attrage measures at 4245mm long, 1670mm wide, 1515mm tall with a 2550mm wheelbase. Boot space is rated at 450 litres, smaller than some of its competitors but it's well shaped and quite big too!

While GL variant is the entry-level variant, GS is packed with few more goodies such as keyless entry with push-start button, digital auto air-cond, leather-wrapped steering wheel and remote boot release. SE, being the top variant, has the best. Leather seats, security window film, daytime running LED lights and reverse camera.

Safety wise, it is commendable that Mitsubishi offers dual airbags, ABS and EBD as standard across the range. Brakes are discs on the front and drum on the back. I just wish the GL has automatic variant......