Why is Mitsubishi Delica Not Sold in the Philippines?
The Mitsubishi Delica is a series of vans and pickup trucks that have been produced by Mitsubishi Motors since 1968. The name Delica is derived from the words "delivery car" and "delicious car" ¹. The Delica is known for its versatility, spaciousness, and off-road capability.
The latest generation of the Delica, the D:5, was launched in Japan in 2019. It is based on the Mitsubishi Outlander platform and features a distinctive design that combines elements of an SUV and an MPV ². The D:5 has a 2.2-liter turbodiesel engine that produces 170hp and 392Nm of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a Super Select 4WD system ². It can seat up to eight passengers and has various safety and convenience features, such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, and a power tailgate ².
There is also the Mitsubishi Delica Mini.
However, the Delica Mini is not sold in the Philippines, nor are any other variants of the Delica. There are several possible reasons for this:
- The Delica Mini is classified as a kei car in Japan, which means it has to comply with certain regulations regarding its size, engine displacement, and power output ³. These regulations make the Mini more suitable for the Japanese market, where there are tax incentives and parking advantages for kei cars ³. However, these regulations may also limit the appeal and performance of the Delica Mini in other markets, where there are different consumer preferences and road conditions.
- The Delica Mini may face stiff competition from other SUVs and MPVs that are already established in the Philippine market, such as the Toyota Fortuner, the Mitsubishi Montero Sport, the Toyota Innova, and the Nissan NV350 Urvan ⁴. These models have lower prices, higher power outputs, larger cargo capacities, and wider dealer networks than the Mini ⁴. The Mini may also struggle to differentiate itself from its platform-mate, the Outlander, which is also sold in the Philippines ⁴.
- The Delica Mini may not meet the demand or expectations of Filipino consumers, who may prefer larger, more rugged, and more powerful vehicles for their family or business needs ⁴. It may also be perceived as too quirky or unconventional for the Philippine market, where conservative designs tend to dominate ⁴.
Interestingly though, the Mitsubishi Delica lives in the form of L300 in the Philippines. That is because the underpinnings of the minivan is similar to that of the L300.
Source:
(1) Why the Mitsubishi Delica 4WD makes sense - Top Gear Philippines. https://www.topgear.com.ph/features/feature-articles/mitsubishi-delica-4wd-tguk-a2633-20210718-lfrm.
(2) See the full specs of the Mitsubishi Delica Mini - Top Gear Philippines. https://www.topgear.com.ph/news/car-news/mitsubishi-delica-full-specs-a5100-20230411.
(3) Mitsubishi Delica Philippines cars for sale | New & used Mitsubishi .... https://www.philmotors.com/Mitsubishi/Delica.
(4) Mitsubishi D:5 Delica debuts – the answer to your SUV-MPV dilemma. https://www.autodeal.com.ph/articles/car-news-philippines/mitsubishi-d-5-delica-debuts-answer-your-suv-mpv-dilemma.
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