Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) has expanded its model lineup with the introduction of the new Versa Van. Mitsubishi’s new offering is basically a rebadged version of the Nissan Urvan, which means that the Versa Van comes with the same size and layout.
The Mitsubishi Versa Van traces its roots to the Delica, a van platform engineered to transport both people and cargo. It was first introduced in the Philippines in 1987 as the L300 cab chassis. Mitsubishi said that the original Versa Van became a “familiar sight on roads and a trusted companion of Filipino families.” For context, one of the popular design elements of the Versa Van is the dual or double sliding doors, which were one of the vehicles of choice for school bus service back in the day.
With its return in the Philippine market, MMPC said that it aims to establish the Versa Van as a reliable mobility partner and people-mover. The car brand shared that the Versa Van can be used as a tourist transport vehicle, a school service, and an employee shuttle, among others.
It features an interior that can accommodate up to 15 occupants (including the driver), and each row gets its own ceiling-mounted air conditioning vent, ensuring consistent airflow throughout the cabin. The Mitsubishi Versa Van also comes with foldable seats, which are said to enable smoother passenger movement and entry/exit routes. In terms of safety, the Versa Van comes equipped with driver and front passenger SRS airbags.
The Mitsubishi Versa Van is powered by a 2.5-liter diesel engine that delivers 127 horsepower and 356 Nm of torque. The engine is connected to a five-speed manual transmission.
The Mitsubishi Versa Van is available in GLX MT variant priced at P1,649,000. To put things in perspective, the Versa Van is priced more than its Nissan Urvan counterpart, which has a price tag of P1,570,000. The colors available for the new Mitsubishi Versa Van are Silver Metallic and White Solid.
Autocar’s Take
Mitsubishi Philippines has officially returned to the van segment with the introduction of the new Versa Van. It is essentially a rebadged Nissan Urvan, but the Versa Van banks on the history of the L300 van in the Philippines. This could attract loyal Mitsubishi owners into choosing the Versa Van over the Urvan, which are essentially the same van but only with a different badge; one has the Mitsubishi emblem while the other has Nissan.
Similar to what vans are, the Versa Van is designed to be a people-mover. With its seating capacity for 15 occupants and ceiling-mounted air vents for each row, you can attest that one of the selling points of the Versa Van is that it is a vehicle for both business and family needs.
