MOTORNETNEWS  ROAD  TEST  -  JUNE  2008

MITSUBISHI  GRANDIS  LS

The Grandis makes far more sense as a family wagon than the large 4WD wagons and it is cheaper to buy and run, too. It offers a spacious interior, car-like handling and room for seven with  more luggage space at the rear. It is very well equipped with both conveniences and safety items and, for the kids, there are fold down tables and lots of places to stow their toys, etc.

It also has good looks which is more than you can say about any of the truck-like 4WD wagons on the market.

OUTSIDE:

The Grandis has a long, swooping body with a roofline that dips slightly at the back. The corporate, two-piece grills is flanked by triangular headlight nacelles while a wide air intake below has the driving/fog lights at each end.

The steeply sloping windscreen extends back as far as the middle of the front door and the window line rises from the front A Pillar to the rear of the back door then drops away at the rear of the car. It does give the Grandis a bit of a slab-sided look but it is quite an innovative styling feature. Body-colour mirrors and door handles  and alloy-lookalike wheel trims add a bit of flair. 

At the rear the tail lamp clusters run right to the roofline and cannot be missed by following drivers. There is a projection from the roof that effectively keeps the rear window fairly clean and a washer/wiper unit for helping rear vision in bad weather. Front and rear bumpers offer quite good protection and the large tailgate window ensures very good rear vision although fitting rear parking sensors would be a good idea. The insulated bonnet is heavy but it doesn't have a gas strut to help lift it. Access to the engine bay is good but the layout is messy.

INSIDE:

The Grandis is a real seven-seater but the rear row is really only for small children. This family car is well supplied with door bins, cup and bottle holders, fold down tables in the front seat backs, a two-level glove box and a lidded compartment on top of the dashboard. The dash is a bit Star Ship Enterprise with a very modern approach. The transmission lever is in the centre of the dash console leaving a space between the front  and second row seats.

The front seats are comfortable and supportive and have fold down arm rests. The second row is wide enough for three adults and is quite comfortable. Access via the four doors is excellent. Access to the rear seats is by folding down the left second row seat and access is easy for small children.

The four spoke wheel is fully adjustable and has a deep binnacle in front of it that houses the easy-to-read instruments but it still has a   tacho - quite useless for an automatic car. The trim is black cloth with patterned inserts, there seems an enormous expanse of dark grey plastic between the front seats and the windscreen. The pillars and roof lining are in a lighter grey as are the door trims.

The centre dash console has the audio and air-conditioning controls grouped together for easy use. Leg and head room are very generous and adults have no problems in the front and second row compartments - kids only in the third row of seats.

LUGGAGE SPACE:

Open the gas strutted tailgate and the deep luggage area will swallow quite a lot of cargo. Fold down the third row of seats and area is cavernous. Fold down the second row and you have commercial van capacity! The deep boot means lifting heavy cases out over the rear lip might be a bit of a strain but there is a lot more room than you will find in the average 4WD wagon. The temporary spare wheel and tyre are under the car and there is a winder in the boot to lower the wheel. While this is a great idea to help make more room inside, the spare wheel would get very dirty after a while.

Four tie-down lugs are provided to keep goods in place and there is an interior light plus a recess in the tailgate to make it easier to close.

ON THE ROAD:

The 121kW, 4-cylinder engine has a capacity of 2.4-litres and seems quite adequate in handling this large car. Torque of 216Nm at a reasonable 4000rpm helps to keep things moving and keep the transmission from changing too often. Economy seemed to be fairly good, however, without a trip computer it was hard to gauge. It is rated at 10.2 litres per 100km officially and this would mean that motorway travelling would be near this figure but urban driving would be closer to 12/13 l/100km.

The Grandis drives and handles like a car with just a hint of body roll if you enter a corner a bit fast.  The car is quiet, the ride is very smooth as is the 4-speed auto transmission. Economy and performance would be enhanced if the transmission had five ratios but this may come in the next model.

PRICE:            $39,990 plus on road costs - auto only.

STANDARD:    Dual front, head and side airbags; ABS brake system with Electronic Brake Distribution, Air conditioning; Cruise control; Central remote locking; Engine immobiliser; Leather wrap steering wheel; Power mirrors, steering & windows; 4-speaker radio/CD; Seat belt pre-tensioners (front).

OPTIONS:        Metallic paint $300.