Mitsubishi ASX VR-e is essentially a rebadged Foxtron Bria
Mitsubishi is returning to Australia’s battery-electric market with the ASX VR-e, a new model derived from the Taiwanese Foxtron Bria. Due to go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2026, it is another example of Mitsubishi broadening its line-up by drawing on technology developed by partner companies.
Mitsubishi Motors Australia will offer the ASX VR-e in four trim levels: LS, Aspire, Exceed and GSR. It will be the brand’s first battery-electric model in Australia since the i-MiEV. Mitsubishi has yet to disclose the Australian version’s battery capacity, power output, driving range or charging specifications.
Foxtron hardware, Mitsubishi tuning
According to Mitsubishi Motors, the EV has been developed in partnership with Foxtron and will be manufactured in Taiwan by Yulon Motor. The project was conceived with the Australian and New Zealand markets in mind, with the original timetable calling for an Oceania launch in the second half of 2026.
The ASX VR-e is therefore not a clean-sheet Mitsubishi development. Its basis is the Foxtron Bria, the production evolution of the Pininfarina-designed Model B concept. Mitsubishi has added its own treatment to the front and rear fascias, wheels and interior trim. Global and regional engineering teams have also carried out extensive local testing and tuning in Australia to give the car a distinct ride-and-handling character.
The VR-e name is no coincidence either. Mitsubishi says it references the Galant VR-4, the all-wheel-drive performance saloon that ranked among the company’s most capable road cars before the arrival of the Lancer Evolution.
Foxtron Bria offers clues to what the ASX VR-e could deliver
The Foxtron Bria measures 4,315 mm long, 1,885 mm wide and 1,535 mm tall, with a 2,800 mm wheelbase. In size and proportions, it sits somewhere between a compact electric crossover and a high-riding hatchback.
The rear-wheel-drive Bria uses a 57.7 kWh LFP battery and a 171 kW electric motor. Foxtron claims a 0–100 km/h time of 6.8 seconds and an NEDC driving range of 516 km.
The range-topping Bria Pioneer adds a second electric motor and all-wheel drive. Combined output rises to 299 kW, cutting the 0–100 km/h time to 3.9 seconds. With the same 57.7 kWh battery, its quoted NEDC range falls to 466 km. Mitsubishi has not confirmed whether the ASX VR-e will adopt these powertrains or specifications unchanged.
The Bria supports CCS2 DC fast charging at up to 134 kW. According to Foxtron’s specifications, charging from 10 to 80 per cent takes around 30 minutes, while Type 2 AC charging is limited to 7 kW.
From a European perspective, that 7 kW AC charging limit is one of the package’s more obvious weaknesses. Nor should the quoted 516 km NEDC figure be compared directly with the WLTP figures used in Europe. Mitsubishi’s final homologation figures will be needed before the ASX VR-e’s real-world competitiveness can be assessed properly.
European launch not confirmed
Mitsubishi has not announced plans to sell the ASX VR-e in Europe. Its European line-up already includes the fully electric Eclipse Cross BEV, alongside the Colt, ASX, Grandis and Outlander PHEV.
For now, then, the ASX VR-e is primarily an Oceania-market model. Its significance nevertheless extends beyond Australia and New Zealand. The Foxtron partnership illustrates how Mitsubishi is increasingly using partner-developed vehicles to broaden its range more quickly. The company follows the same basic strategy with Renault-supplied models in Europe and Nissan-supplied models in North America.
The ASX VR-e’s success will ultimately hinge on two things: how much of Mitsubishi’s own driving character it can inject into Foxtron’s underlying hardware, and how competitively the car is priced. Both questions should be answered closer to its Australian launch in the fourth quarter of 2026.
