Car Test
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R0301 | |
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January 2003 |
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| First Drive | Mitsubishi Shogun | |
| Printer Friendly Page | Featured model: 3.2DI LWB (diesel) | |
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We guess that for every buyer of this sort of car who regularly indulges in serious mud-plugging, there are three or four who will never exploit their vehicle’s considerable off-road abilities. So what advantages and disadvantages do you encounter by opting for a Shogun rather than an executive-style estate (or even an MPV) in everyday asphalt-road motoring?
At one time, it was the lofty driving position with a clear view out and over hedges, plus the better seat angling that was easier on the spine and legs. Of course, the MPV’s advent meant that you could have these features without four-wheel drive, and the latest Shogun is now one of many in these respects. It’s always been well-endowed with comfort and equipment features, but again, in the contemporary scene, so are many cars at two-thirds of the price. Rear accommodation is good for centre rear occupants, but the foldaway rear pair are really suitable for smaller children only; however they do fold neatly out of the way to leave a flat, uninterrupted load space for luggage instead - there’s no boot room when they’re in use. The rear load sill is flat and there’s 101cm of load aperture height, with a convenient cubic shape inside too. Because of the Shogun’s lofty build and generous ground clearance, the seat cushions (at 81-86cm above ground) are really too high for the less agile. Sill steps are provided, as are prominent rear grab handles, to help shorter people to get in, but most will still soil their legs when getting out. This is especially true after excursion off the beaten track; the Shogun performs its duties in the most atrocious conditions with aplomb. Our automatic was able to claw its way upwards, way past the point where lesser vehicles would loose grip or ground - and do it in slow, measured fashion, with such decorum. Yet back on tarmac (and bearing its price and alternatives in mind) the diesel left us unimpressed. It’s a noisy engine, despite its up-to-date specification, and both performance and economy are well down on what one can generally expect these days. The suspension and steering don’t work on-road, any better than a Ford Transit’s and, particularly with the optional all-terrain Goodrich tyres, the ride is all of a fidget on anything other than billiard-table main roads. We also drove the latest top-of-the-range V6 petrol with Elegance leather trim and standard tyres. It still offers fantastic grip on mud and proves distinctly smoother-riding on road, while the smoother, quieter engine will help justify the 20mpg-if-you’re lucky fuel thirst, for some prospective owners. |
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