Road Tests: Mitsubishi L200 Club Cab

We’re all a soft touch when it comes to looks; it’s just human nature. But does that mean that someone that looks good is necessarily good to be around in the long term? We’re sure that the current Miss World was voted for on the strength of over continuing crusade for world peace. And those Hollywood A-list actors are no doubt admired primarily for their inner depths and humility as well as their flawless looks and figures (Danny Devito being an exception who proves the rule). While it’s no brad Pitt, the Mitsubishi L200 twin cab in Warrior guise has one plenty of admirers – and buyers – with its rugged good locks and body enhancing extras that convert it from everyday workhorse to stylish driveway accessory. The L200 took 43% of its market segment last year, so chances are that its runaway success is partly down to those who like the idea of a 4x4 but would not use it for commercial purposes. So have all those tempting add-ons coupled with its company car tax advantages taken priority over performance?

To gain an even perspective, as the glamour pusses on the CM test team like to think they don’t discriminate when it comes to looks, we’ve called on the services of the newest addition to the L200 range, the Club Cab. Positioned between the single and double set-ups, it allows up to two extra passengers to be accommodated on a pair of fold-down benches behind the front seats, though in realistic terms only for short distances. But it also offers more secure storage space when the fold-down benches are not in use. And in terms of usage its set-up makes it more suitable for commercial application than its jazzy twin-cab relative. Priced at £12,99 (ex-VAT) on the road, the L200 cab can carry up to 1,100kg and weighs in at 1,720kg, resulting in a GVW of 2,830kg. It comes with a selectable four-wheel drive with high and low ratios and is powered by a 2.5-litre charge-cooled turbo-diesel producing 112hp with 240Nm of torque. Included in the price are central locking, an engine immobiliser and driver and passenger airbags. The extras list includes ABS at £400 (it really should be standard if Mitsubishi counts itself as the market leader), metallic paint at £200 and a power upgrade to 138hp/273Nm; yours for £595. Other options include tow bars, rubber load liners, heavy-duty mats, load-area guards and waterproof seat covers. Mitsubishi’s CV range, which also includes the Shogun Pinin and Sport models, comes under the company’s 4Work banner that was launched a couple of years ago. The marketing company has contributed to a sales boost from around 2,000 units for years ago to 13,500 4x4 CV sales in 2003. Who says marketing doesn’t work?

A popular vehicle the L200 may well be but this is not justified at the pumps where it registered a low 27.0mpg for a laden run. Even this compares well with the Ford Ranger Super Cab’s 26.3mpg but it fall some way behind the Nissan Navara’s 31.8mpg, and far short of the Toyota Hilux’s 36.3mpg (both care double-cab options). The unladen run was a little better at 30.9kg, but that’s not enough to make a dent in the Nissan’s 35.0mpg. This lack of competitiveness can be partly blamed on the use of outmoded diesel technology. The L200 still relies on indirect-injection while the Nissan and the Toyota use second-generation direct-injection equipment. For a pickup that is streets ahead in the sales charts this oversight is simply not good enough. Mitsubishi has long ago been associated with combining 4x4 technology with the user-friendly torque characteristics of turbo-diesels, but it seems that time and its rivals have conspired to blunt the company’s competitive edge. On the load carrying front it can handle a useful 1,110kg – pretty much a standard weight for this category – and getting the cargo in there is simple enough with a tailgate that folds down to a reasonable level and a user-friendly load area that’s designed to make best use of the available space. It comes with an (optional) rubber cover that aids grip and resists scratches and knocks. The last time we tested an L200 (CM 9 January 2003) we were scathing about its 4,500-mile service intervals which could mean up to 22 scheduled workshop visits during its warranty period. Intervals have been increased to 9,000 miles, which for a 4x4 is reasonable (and beats Nissan’s Navara, which can only go for 6,000 miles without some TLC). Warranty is set at a reassuring three years/100,000 miles. Competitively priced at £12,999 on the road, the L200 compares favourably with the Nissan King Cab at £14,637, Ford’s Ranger at £14,795 and the double-cab Toyota Hilux at £15,362.