Lancer Sportback

While the Evo models tend to grab the headlines, Mitsubishi is also keen to attract buyers who are looking for practicality and value for money, rather than outright performance. The result is the Lancer Sportback - a five-door hatchback based on the saloon. Sharp is a word that is used a great deal in the information pack; sharper handling, sharp dynamics, sharp styling are just a few examples. All of which are true and the new car is quite different to most other C-segment vehicles although there is a hint of Audi about it. Starting with the chiselled features of the front end; gone is the so-called, ‘Mount Fuji’ grille; in its place is a new ‘Jet Fighter’ grille with a wide trapezoidal mouth, which is said to resemble the air intakes of a jet fighter.

There are two petrol engines available a 1.5-litre and a 1.8-litre both can cover the 0-62mph in less than 12 seconds. A five-speed manual gearbox is fitted as standard with an optional CVT automatic. The far better choice is the 2.0-litre diesel. It's badged DI-D but it is actually a TDI engine borrowed from Volkswagen. Although slightly noisy, the 140bhp unit it does at least offer decent in-gear pace plus a slick six-speed gearbox returning an average 45mpg. On the plus side it is comfortable to drive, has good passenger space and a decent boot - standard equipment is generous too with all models getting air conditioning, cruise control and electric windows. The Lancer Sportback feels quite sporty on the road thanks to firm suspension and only a moderate amount of body roll in corners. Fortunately the ride quality isn't adversely affected and it smoothes out bumps and rough surfaces well.  On twisting routes the Mitsubishi is enjoyable to drive and surefooted. The steering is responsive too but overly light and lacks feel.

There are three trim levels - GS2, GS3 and GS4. The base-level car comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, manual air conditioning, steering wheel mounted stereo controls, cruise control, electrically adjustable and folding door mirrors, electric windows front and back, leather steering wheel and gear lever, auxiliary input for MP3 players, power steering, remote central locking and a CD stereo. The GS3 adds 18-inch alloy wheels, climate control, front fog lights, stability and traction control and privacy glass while the GS4 has a touch screen sat-nav system, a 30GB music hard drive and heated leather seats.

While the design of the cabin is neat with well laid out controls and an easy to use stereo, the build quality is good and the interior certainly feels solid. The front sports seats are comfortable and supportive without the sense of brutal expectation you get from the more focused Recaro. The rear seats are much the same, especially the outer ones, they have the usual 60:40 split with just the centre of the backrests that fold, leaving the large side and shoulder bolsters in place. This of course increases the capacity of the huge boot the exact size of which is undisclosed but you can get at least three sets of golf clubs in this cavernous area. Despite the boot size, and, as a result of the larger, ‘one size fits all’ platform, there is plenty of leg and shoulder room for the rear passengers, who can travel in comfort thanks to the beefed up body structure and sports-tuned, but easy-riding suspension. The Lancer Sportback is a new breed of Mitsubishi.

Mitsubishi Outlander

The new Mitsubishi Outlander is very sleek and has an elegant look and feel to it and has attracted quite a bit of attention during the my test week, from people wanting to give it the ‘once-over’. Friends and neighbours have come over had a look round the outside were impressed by the size, space and quality of the car, and went away in search of a Mitsubishi dealership. It looks big, hefty and capable of dealing with everyday life and the great outdoors, but actually casts a footprint smaller than most family-sized 5-seat cars.

The Outlander’s dynamic qualities are reinforced by its sleek profile and clean styling cues - the front end features a rounded, curved bonnet swooping down to a large bumper with integrated grille and protective panel. Moving around the rest of the vehicle you notice the distinctively slash-back rear quarter window, the boldly flared wheel arches and the technical LED wrap-around tail lights further adding to the Outlander’s overall distinctive appearance.
Outlander is powered by a Volkswagen-sourced 1968cc intercooled turbo diesel four-cylinder engine. Featuring an advanced pump-jet injection system and a variable geometry turbo charger, it produces 138bhp at 4000rpm and enough power to accelerate the Outlander to 62mph in 10.8seconds and onto a maximum speed of 116mph. Mounted prominently on the centre console is the rally-derived AWC, or All Wheel Control. By turning the rotary switch, the driver can select from three settings; 2WD where only the front wheels are driven for normal road use, 4WD Auto, which activates when the going gets tough and finally, 4WD Lock (50:50 torque split) for when the tough get going.

In the front, the seats are heavily contoured and therefore, supportive, there’s height-adjustment for the driver but not the front passenger and in the top of the range Elegance, the seats are leather-clad, heated and powered. All Outlander models are fitted as standard with fully automatic climate control complete with an effective filter to remove pollen, dust and other impurities. From a driver’s point of view, it is all very easy to use and the rake- and reach-adjustable, means that it is also easy to find a comfortable driving position. The Outlander feels taut and I liked the positive feel of the steering, the six speed box offers a slick and easy gear change. On motorways the ride is comfortable and smooth, even on twisty, minor roads, the Outlander is very stable and well balanced.

Mitsubishi Grandis

The Grandis may be an MPV, but performance is very much a priority. Turbo charged with a 2.0 litre 134bhp diesel engine gives the Grandis DI-D top league performance with a maximum speed of 121mph, a 0-62 dash time of 10.8 seconds and most importantly, an economical combined fuel consumption figure of 43mpg. Grandis is great for long distance trips where its refined cabin and quiet engine make it well suited to motorway cruising. The high driving position gives a good view of the road. All the dials and switches are centrally positioned and easy to use; the gearlever is mounted on the dashboard making it easy to use. The steering is light and it doesn't feel too much of a handful in town - even parking is quite easy. Once on faster roads, the steering is still very positive. Grip is good on twistier B roads and body roll is kept to a minimum for an MPV of this size. The seats are well shaped give good support and are adjustable in many ways - there are even flip-down armrests for the driver and front passenger. There's plenty of room for passengers in the second row but the third row is only suitable for children, as legroom is tight. Remove the back seats and Grandis has van-like carrying capacity, with a wide tailgate opening and high roof. Folding the seats is easy, as the rear two slides into the floor and the middle row fold upright. Should you be stranded; Grandis' rear seats fold into a double bed. There are also the cubby bins and cup holders associated with MPVs and aircraft-style flip-up tables in the rear. As with all Mitsubishi models the Grandis comes with a 3 year unlimited mileage and 12 year anti=corrosion perforation warranty along with 3 years pan-European roadside, home and accident assistance. Service intervals are 9,000 miles/12 months.