The Mitsubishi Destinator Is A Three-Row SUV For Indonesia With Lots Of Space

Mitsubishi has just revealed a brand-new model in one of the hottest segments in the industry. The Mitsubishi Destinator gets an aggressive name to accompany its sharp looks. Inside, there’s seating for seven to fulfill your family-hauling destiny. Destiny, Destinator … get it? There’s just one problem. It’s not offered in the US where, frankly, Mitsubishi really needs more models. You’ll have to go to Indonesia for this one.

Much like how the Engelberg Tourer concept became the current Outlander, this is the production version of the DST concept Mitsubishi revealed last year, a concept car that we called “the perfect SUV for American families.” Designed with an eye towards something Mitsubishi calls “gravitas & dynamism,” it’s ironic that, for now at least, it won’t be sold in the place where the automaker said it would be perfect.

Mitsubishi Nails Another Big Three-Row SUV

The Mitsubishi Destinator is a three-row that’s about the same size as Mitsubishi’s own Outlander. It’s a touch shorter in overall length, but a wheelbase a few inches longer should deliver a lot more space for people and cargo inside instead of wasting it under the hood.

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It will come with the same power as the Outlander, too. No, not the PHEV, but the 1.5-liter turbo-four that is about to show up at dealers stateside. It will make 161 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. In typical modern Mitsubishi fashion, it has a CVT. Surprisingly, it will not offer all-wheel drive. The Destinator is aimed at the South East Asian market, where price is likely more of a concern to buyers than off-roading or traction in inclement weather.

Strangely Funky Interior

On the inside, the Destinator mostly looks like every other Mitsubishi. It at least follows the same style, with loads of actual buttons instead of touchscreen nonsense. The dash is a little strange, though. It has a 12.3-inch center screen and a bezel that integrates the screen and goes around the dash. But the cluster itself is buried well back into the dash instead of flush like in a modern Hyundai. It’s unique, but it’s also uniquely strange.

It also comes with Mitsubishi’s latest safety systems including adaptive cruise, blind spot warnings, and the rest. It also offers a panoramic roof, Yamaha stereo, and all the creature comfort goodies we expect from a new SUV.

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The biggest sign we won’t see this SUV no matter how much we might want to is the curb weight. The Destinator is only 3,295 pounds, seemingly impossible for a modest passenger vehicle in 2025, never mind one with seven seats. As much as we would love to get a three-row crossover that weighs about the same as a loaded Honda Civic, we suspect it’s missing quite a bit of kit that would be required for legal operation in the US. It’s not that far underweight, though. A front-drive Outlander, for comparison, is 3,681 pounds.

About the only thing we don’t know is the price. Mitsubishi hasn’t announced that yet, though unless you’re familiar with the Indonesian market, the number probably won’t have any relevance.

It will launch for Indonesia at the 32nd Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show. It will be built in Indonesia and sold “globally,” though global in this case will probably be quite limited. Unlike US reveals where it could be a year or more before the actual car arrives, this one will go on sale July 23 – the same day it rolls onto the auto show stage.