Mitsubishi Grandis Sport Gear

A re-styled, more aggressive Mitsubishi Grandis should appeal to a wider audience...

What's New
The facelifted Grandis is one of Mitsubishi's latest additions to its fast-growing model line-up, along with the i minicar and Colt CZC. The car is now available in two models, the standard version and the Sport Gear version tested.

If the car you drive is an extension of your character, a Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) would no doubt leave you with stuck with labels like 'family man' or 'mum with kids'. Mitsubishi has attempted to give the Sport Gear an almost SUV-like appearance by decking it out with a new bodykit that includes wheel-arch extensions and a front scuff guard.

The 17-inch wheels give it a marginally wider track, and it also rides 15mm higher than the standard version. Mechanically, both the standard and Sport Gear versions use the same engine.

Inside the car, the opinion-dividing purple trim of the previous model has given way to a black mesh effect trim that seems to look vaguely like carbon fibre if you squint a little. If you feel apprehensive about driving something larger than an average sedan, the Grandis' proximity sensors will help you by emitting a beeping sound not unlike that of a regular reverse sensor whenever you get too close to something at the side.

Not that you'll need them though, as all-round visibility is excellent. There is plenty of space inside too, and the test car came with video monitors on the dashboard and on a flip-down LCD panel on the roof for back seat passengers.

How it Performs
When driven in urban traffic, the Grandis does exactly what it says on the box. The 2.4-litre engine does a pretty good job of moving the car with little fuss, and at low speeds the car is very quiet and refined. Even those in the last row enjoy a comfortable ride, although the seats are best reserved for children on longer drives.

The danger of a well-insulated car is that it can feel a little boring to drive. The Grandis' designers seem to have factored this in, and the engine pulls a bunch of rabbits out of its hat above 4,000rpm. The selectable sport shift mode proves very useful for getting the engine into this sweet spot, from which it takes on a smooth throaty rumble all the way to the redline.

The steering is light, with decent feedback and turn-in considering the size of the car. The accelerator pedal stroke is unexpectedly long though, but this is in no way detrimental to the overall drive. The Grandis Sport Gear comes with electronic stability control, but the car's inherent stability means it will rarely need to intervene.

How it Stacks Up
The Grandis' closest rival on the local MPV scene is the Honda Odyssey, and the fact that the Sport Gear is almost $7,000 cheaper than the top of the range Odyssey Absolute will no doubt make prospective buyers do a close comparison between the pair. The Grandis' facelift and generous standard equipment package make it worth serious consideration.

Technical Specifications

MODEL Mitsubishi Grandis Sport Gear (A) ENGINE Engine: 2,378cc 16V in-line 4 Max Power: 165bhp at 6,000rpm Max Torque: 217Nm at 4,000rpm TRANSMISSION 4-speed automatic TOP SPEED 189km/h 0-100km/h 11.4s