Auto Express – August 20, 2019

24 SpecialIssue http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

JamesBrodie

[email protected]

@jimmybrods

NEWCARS

Visitautoexpress.co.ukforthe latest newcarsand drives

FORD FOCUSST

Howdoesthenew

hothatchperform

onBritishroads?

26

Mitsubishi L200

FIRSTUKDRIVESixth generation of iconic pick-up gets newtech

“The L200 seems to avoid the worstofthe

harshness youget from over-sprung pick-ups”

BRITAINisEurope’slargestpick-up

market–afactnotlostonMitsubishi,

whereoneinthreeofitscarsisanL200.

Stridingthroughits40thyear,anew

versionhasjustenteredthefray.The

sixth-generationL200getsaboldnew

look,butit’snotatotallynewtruck.It

carriesoverelementsoftheSeries5’s

chassisandinterior,butreceivesanew

engine,newsuspensionandahostofnew

technologyanddriver-assistancefeatures.

Theloadbedisthesamesize:1,520mm

longand1,470mmwide.Availablespace

isparforthecourse,beatingthecheaper

SsangYongMussobutnotquitesizingup

totheNissanNavaraorMercedesX-Class.

However,there’sonlyafewcentimetresin

it.Asever,Mitsubishioffersabroadrange

ofcovers,hard-topsandaccessories.

AClubCabversionwithroomforfourand

anextra-longbed(1,850mm)kick-startsa

slightlyrevisedline-up.We’redrivingthe

larger,five-seatDoubleCabBarbarianX,

thenewrange-toppingmodel,withasix-

speedautogearboxandlotsoftoys.

Amongthenewfeaturesisablind-spot

warningsystemwithlane-changeassist,

lane-departurewarning,hill-startassist,

rearcross-trafficalert,forward-collision

warningwithautomaticemergencybraking

andtrailer-stabilityassist.Thetech isall

partofMitsubishi’sefforttomakethe

newL200ascar-likeaspossibletodrive,

andinthecaseoftheBarbarianXmodel,

thefinishofthecabinreflectsthis.

Thebasicsoftheinteriordon’tchange

allthatmuch,andwhileitsdesigndoesn’t

dazzle,itfeelsrobustandtheswitchgearis

easytooperate.There’splentyofroom,too.

Thetouchscreeninfotainmentsystem

iscarriedover,andit’sstillarudimentary

set-up–althoughsmartphoneconnectivity

appsanda360-degreecamerasystemare

standard.Anewcolourdisplayiswedged

betweenthedials,though,andBarbarianX

iseasytoaccess.Gettinguptospeedis

nohassle,andit’satruckthatcruisesvery

nicelyandwithoutexcessivewindnoise.

Mitsubishiclaims32.1mpgformanual

carsand29.1mpgforautomaticmodels–

andbyandlarge,thosefiguresarerealistic.

Thesteeringisheavyandtherackisquite

slow,soit’snotthemostmanoeuvrable

pick-uptodrivearoundtown.Itsautobox

isn’tthesmoothest,either,whichmakes

changesfeelalittlenotchy. Buttruckslike

theL200arehardlydesignedtobeitemsof

highprecision,andoverallit’sonlyslightly

behindtheFordRangerforsophistication.

trucksfeaturesomemoreluxurioustouches;

there’saheatedsteeringwheel,electric

heatedseats,andleatherandAlcantara

upholstery.It’sacomfortableplacetosit.

Itimpressesonthemove,too.The

mechanicalsofpick-uptrucksrarelylend

themselvestoacomfortableride,butthe

newL200seemstoavoidtheworstofthe

harshnessandbouncinessencounteredin

anover-sprungpick-upwithanemptybed.

Thatcanbeputdowntothestronger

chassisandthenewspringsanddampers.

Therideiscertainlymorethanacceptable

inthecontextofwhattheL200is–and

incontrasttotheShogunSportSUV.

Thenew2.3-litredieselenginemakes

itspresenceknown,butnotoverlyso–and

althoughthere’sonly148bhptotugthe

two-tonneL200along,the400Nmoftorque

PRACTICALITYSpaceinside is good but,

as in many rivals,the rear seatsare upright.

The Double Cabseatsfive, but the Club Cab

has fold-down seatsand will only takefour