Head to head: Geely Okavango vs Mitsubishi Xpander Cross

Geely’s newest player, the Okavango, has been making quite a buzz. This vehicle undeniably goes by the ‘Wonderfully Distinct’ tagline, in fact, there’s a bit of an identity crisis going on with the Okavango, given that it shares a number of attributes from both crossovers and MPVs. Despite that, it’s quite surprising that Geely managed to come up with an affordable pricing on this one, specifically, lower than the compact Azkarra and somewhat closer to the subcompact Coolray.

Last time, we compared the Geely Okavango head to head with the Toyota Rush, and the Chinese contender has successfully dominated the battle in several aspects. Now, the new kid on the block is up for another battle and it’s definitely a potential contender, enter the Mitsubishi Xpander Cross. Apart from having a close price range with the Okavango’s range-topping Urban, the Cross also comes with some bells and whistles which are heavily inspired by SUVs. Going more in-depth, Mitsubishi’s contender is set to compete with the Geely’s Urban trim, by that, we shall then find out who deserves to be hailed as the winner in the fairest manner. So without further ado, let’s proceed, shall we?

In general, the Xpander Cross is quite loud and radical while the Okavango looks cleaner and mild in a rather inoffensive manner. Admittedly two of these vehicles do look good in their own way. In terms of dimensions, the Geely sits as the larger cruiser, respectively, 4,835mm for its length, 1,900mm for the width, 1,785mm for the height, and 2,815mm for its wheelbase. That said, the Xpander Cross is indeed smaller, in order to support that claim, its dimensions are as follows, specifically, 4,500mm for the length, 1,800mm for the width, 1,750mm for the height, and 2,775mm for its wheelbase. Ground clearance, however, was overtaken by the Mitsubishi, with the Xpander Cross having 225mm and the Okavango only sitting 194mm above the ground.

In terms of exterior features, both models benefit from an LED lighting system, while only the Okavango gets the all-LED affair for its taillights, as the Xpander Cross gets a fair combination of LEDs and halogen bulbs for the rear. As for shoes, the Geely Okavango Urban gets a set of larger 18-inch alloys that are wrapped in 225/55 tires. The Cross, on the other hand, comes with slightly smaller 17-inch rims that are then wrapped in 205/55 tires. 

Styling of these two vehicles are indeed subjective, as both the Geely and Mitsubishi might appeal to different buyers with contrasting taste. That said, both vehicles are deemed to be on tie for this round.

WINNER: Tie

Both MPVs are capable of carrying up to 7 passengers. Apart from that, the third-row seats also fold flat in order to give way for your precious items. Moreover, leather upholstery is made available on both vehicles but only the Xpander Cross gets the contrasting factor of brown inserts on the seats and dash. 

As for the infotainment system, both models get touchscreens with different specifications. The one on the Xpander Cross measures at 7-inches that’s paired with a 6-speaker system and comes with Mirror Link which should successfully integrate your phone through the infotainment system. The Geely Okavango, on the other hand, gets a bigger and more advanced 10.25-inch touchscreen with QDLink. Apart from the screen’s larger size, the Geely also gets an 8-speaker sound system. It is also worth noting that the Geely Okavango 1.5 AT Urban is the only model made available with an all-digital gauge and an automatic climate control with the inclusion of air vents for the third-row.

The Geely Okavango Urban may come at a hefty price tag but you can actually opt for the entry-level Comfort trim which is actually more affordable than the Xpander Cross, and finally get some of the much-needed essentials from tech features to practicality. Then again, comparing both top-of-the-line trims, the Okavango Urban would still sit as the more dominant competitor given its wide range of equipment that is indeed justifiable from its price tag. That said, the overall winner for this round would have to be the Geely. Don’t get us wrong, the Mitsubishi Xpander Cross does come with a sufficient amount of features, it’s just that packaging turned to be more strategic on the Okavango.

WINNER: Geely Okavango

Like the standard Mitsubishi Xpander, the Cross is powered by a 1.5-liter engine that produces 103 hp and 141 Nm of torque. The said mill is then paired with a 4-speed automatic. Notably, this motor does well enough in the city, apart from its good performance, this combination is able to return good fuel economy figures as well. 

The Geely Okavango, on the other hand, goes a bit fancy with its 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine combined with a 48-volt electric motor, therefore making it a mild-hybrid. This combination is then set to push out a healthy 190 hp and 300 Nm of torque. As for the transmission, it is solely available with a 7-speed wet DCT. While it is not as punchy as the subcompact Coolray, but the Okavango does pack a sufficient amount of power that should keep you going on city roads and highways.

All thanks to its advanced and more peppier motor, the Geely Okavango, once again, dominates this round. Still, the Xpander Cross’ motor shall still remain relevant among buyers given that many people already patronized its standard counterpart.

WINNER: Geely Okavango 

Both vehicles benefit from ABS, EBD, stability control, and hill start assist. The Xpander Cross gets dual-front airbags while the range-topping Okavango Urban comes with 6 airbags which includes side and curtain units. The Geely’s Urban trim also tops up with its 360-degree camera system versus Mitsubishi's standard reversing camera. Along with that, both vehicles come with parking sensors as well.

While the Xpander cross still packs a decent amount of safety equipment, the Geely Okavango Urban still dominates this round given its much extensive list of features which does justify the more expensive price tag quite well.

WINNER: Geely Okavango

On paper, the Geely Okavango serves as the more affordable model, given that the entry-level Comfort is only priced at P1,208,000. However, when comparing the Xpander Cross with the Okavango’s range-topping Urban, the Mitsubishi’s sole variant then sits lower than the Okavango. Respectively, P1,295,000 on the Cross and P1,328,000 for the Okavango Urban. 

Since the comparison was based between the Xpander Cross’ sole variant and Geely's top-of-the-line Urban trim, then the Xpander Cross gets the crown this time given its more affordable pricing over the range-topping trim of the Okavango.

WINNER: Mitsubishi Xpander

After going through each category, we’ve come to the conclusion that the Geely Okavango has become the overall achiever of this head to head battle. This is simply because of its overall packaging which was strategically done by Geely. Now, we know that the Urban trim costs a bit extra than the Xpander Cross, but as we’ve said, the additional pesos are well justified by its wider range of features making it a more desirable option if your budget does permit.

By then, if you're planning to save a little or maybe just a bit short on the budget, you could either go for the Okavango Comfort which is priced lower than the Urban or opt for the Mitsubishi Xpander Cross which is also an MPV that offers a good value proposition. That said, you can’t go wrong on either of these two.