2009 Mitsubishi Zinger MIVEC launched in China

Mitsubishi Zinger

This is the Mitsubishi Zinger, sort of like a replacement for the MPV known as the Mitsubishi Kuda in Indonesia. It’s based on the Mitsubishi Challenger’s ladder-frame rear wheel drive truck platform.

In a nutshell, you could call it Mitsubishi’s equivalent to the Toyota Innova, a cheap way to put together a decently sized 7-seater people carrier that can be priced cheap and positioned lower than premium car-based MPVs such as the Grandis.

The Zinger usually comes with the 2.4 litre 4G64 engine that produces 136 PS at 5,250rpm, and a variant of this engine in a nearly similiar tune is also found in the Chery Eastar MPV. Quite an old design I must say, but in certain markets you can also get a newer model called the “Super Zinger” which features the newer 2.4 litre MIVEC 4G69 engine from the Grandis that produces 159 PS.

Mitsubishi Zinger

It’s currently being sold in Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Costa Rica and Indonesia. There are probably some other countries which I’ve left out. The most recent facelifted model with the 4G69 engine has just recently been launched in China by Southeast Motor.

Southeast calls it an not something simple as an SUV or an MPV… it gets a completely new term called an “MICS-RV”! The M is supposed to stand for Multi-purpose, the I for Interior Roominess and Ride Comfort, the C for Compact body size, the S for Sophisticated Styling, the R for Rough-road capability and the V for value for money. What a tongue twister… phew!

Looking at the success of cheap MPVs like the Nissan Grand Livina and the Toyota Innova here, and Mitsubishi’s uncanny ability to do magic with the pricing of its cars lately such as the massive price cut for Grandis and the Lancer having an unbelievable price for a CBU Japan car, could the Mitsubishi Zinger do well in Malaysia?

Look after the jump for more photos of the Mitsubishi Zinger.

Mitsubishi Zinger

Mitsubishi Zinger

Mitsubishi Zinger

Mitsubishi Zinger

Mitsubishi Zinger

Mitsubishi Zinger

Mitsubishi Zinger

Mitsubishi Zinger

Mitsubishi Zinger

Mitsubishi Zinger

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • nyte_skater (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 1:36 am

    zinger..yum…(kfc burger)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • adil2008 (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 2:42 am

    Oh Zinger, zinger, why TRITON sterring? overall not consider bad & good. Well done, MITSUBISHI.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • red7 (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 4:00 am

    dont look like a mitsu~

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • MisterBenjo (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 4:09 am

    It looks weird.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • abundai (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 4:56 am

    same case with Hilux and Innova.. an MPV with a 4X4 chasis

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • tHe CuLpRit (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 6:55 am

    oh man…. i can just imagine telling someone “im driving a Zinger”.

    That’s soo wrong….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • narrowband (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 7:27 am

    At least it’s not ‘Hot Rod’.

    Anyway, good competition in this segment – previously dominated by Toyota (Unser, innova, avanza), followed by Nissan Livina.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • MyviKiller (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 9:43 am

    Paul,

    It’s Costa Rica not Costa Rice… Dud you have a lot of typo errors in your recent posts.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • MyviKiller (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 9:43 am

    *Dude

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Apathy (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 9:49 am

    Hurmmm somehow designing process is becoming easier….just cut and paste from different models and voila…..a new model is created..I name this as Mitsu Frankenstein. LOL p/s: Zinger reminds me of KFC.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GMBH + Co. KG (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 10:16 am

    kfc burger?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • jolly_idiot (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 10:18 am

    Mitsubishi CEO likes to eat KFC. So it make it name Zinger. Indeed, the car look like Zinger as well. It’s BIG, SPICY and JUICY!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • AlexKhoo (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 11:42 am

    Lol. Zinger. KFC Burger. Imagine someone going around saying. ‘Hey! I drive a KFC Burger!’

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • e-nabilll (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 11:45 am

    no matter how ugly…still looks beter than the pukable innova

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • sagaKNIGHT (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 11:51 am

    adil2008 said,

    November 22, 2008 @ 2:42 am

    Oh Zinger, zinger, why TRITON sterring? overall not consider bad & good. Well done, MITSUBISHI.

    ——————————————————-

    and the front bumper like triton too
    the headlight like they reassemblance lancer headlight
    rear part like the mitsu outlander design
    dashboard look good in pics
    overall its look good compare with toyonova
    :p

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • gokibin (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 1:22 pm

    A welcomed addition to the mpv/suv/4×4 market… the cheaper the better… but please mitsubishi… change the name… he he he…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • mitlanevo (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 4:21 pm

    comes with original recipe or hot & spicy ?

    LOL~

    anyway, the interior is quite nice !!!

    and the body is kinda SUV styling….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • theanswer (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 5:12 pm

    mitlanevo’
    zinger only comes in hot&spicy…for original, theres’s colonel burger..(kantoi salu mkn kfc aku neh ;)

    i think this one is better than innova..not too big as if can turn turtle. but for 2.4 at less thn 140hp..kinda underpowered. or at least make it 2.0tdi..nyum~

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • One92 (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 6:46 pm

    Interior wise
    exterior? yucks!!!
    damn ugly!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Dell (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 8:00 pm

    interior quite good, but exterior hard to swallow, probably actual view might alter our view. just like many car, actual flesh view looks better.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • droll (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 8:47 pm

    zinger burger, anyone? :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • csv (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 11:12 pm

    haha, what a weird name choice.

    but i am pretty sure this car won’t be as comfortable as the rondo or grand livina. it uses the ladder frame, same as innova and avanza. handling and ride comfort gonna be bad.

    for that price, families tend to go for comfortable interiors and nice handling vehicles, not driving a 4×4.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • moha774 (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 11:49 pm

    Zinger still ok what!! cant imagine telling others that.. “i’m parking my horse (Kuda) at the basement carpark” like what indonesian has to..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • albagmane (Member) on Nov 22, 2008 at 11:59 pm

    driving Zinger to KFC will never be the same again…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • xenith (Member) on Nov 23, 2008 at 12:20 am

    My dad’s company car at Jakarta was a Mitsubishi Kuda at one point of time. We also used an Isuzu Panther and once we considered to change to Toyota Kijang…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • mzfnd (Member) on Nov 23, 2008 at 1:18 am

    Don’t they have name the car competition or anything over there in Indonesia? I mean, from Kuda to Zinger?? Come on…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ericfoong81exe (Member) on Nov 23, 2008 at 1:25 am

    Saw this “Ginger” mpv in Taipei today, look slightly smaller than Innova but bigger than Livina and Avanza…think most of the Japs car manufacturer are aiming the low cost medium size MPV market in the world.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • raptorclans (Member) on Nov 23, 2008 at 10:35 am

    Looks cute up front… haha… but man, I feel like going to KFC now… :)
    But perhaps they’re trying to say it has some “zing”?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • JejalanMknAngin (Member) on Nov 24, 2008 at 3:35 pm

    where i can buy this zinger?…kfc?..hahaha

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GMBH + Co. KG (Member) on Nov 26, 2008 at 6:35 pm

    when got the mitshubishi hot and spicy,mitshubishi bandito pocket, mitshubishi idaho wedges, mitshubishi twister?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • haha XD on Apr 11, 2009 at 2:27 am

    UGLY!!! i prefer the GRANDIS

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Zailia on Oct 13, 2009 at 5:19 pm

    Cantik. Tak masuk Malaysia ke?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • It's Mitsubishi Fuzion in Philiippines. Thanks Paul for the review.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Fuzion doesn't sound like KFC.

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  • Jemson on Feb 25, 2010 at 10:39 pm

    Hello, Sir Paul. Can you please help me where can I find a complete factory repair manual for this zinger. I'm from the Philippines which was know as the Mitsubishi Fuzion. Many thanks

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Renato A. Mamaril on Nov 22, 2012 at 6:21 pm

    Hi! Where can I buy accessories for fuzion?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • spider on Jun 05, 2013 at 6:15 pm

    I had this car when I was posting in Vietnam. This car is really comfortable. with 2.4 , it went superb for speed

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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