The Joyous Japanese

Mitsubishi Grandis has been one of the stockiest and, at the same time, longest cars in my tests so far. Because of its sizes, this Mitsubishi is a rather clumsy vehicle in city conditions, which is the basic (the only) disadvantage of this car.

Now, let’s find out the merits of this car.
The Grandis is built on the same chassis as the Outlander, and for a number of markets it is also available in 4X4 version. The van obviously inherited the well-known accuracy of the Outlander.
The car was so good at moving strictly straight, that I was able to lift my hands of the steering wheel. When I started maneuvering the car, the Grandis was amazingly accurate in carrying out all my commands. In this respect, this is probably the best van. On turnings, the roll angle was very small, because of low center of gravity. However, the road clearance was good enough.
The ergonomic package was excellent- the correlation between the pedals, steering wheel and driver’s seat is brought to perfection no matter how tall the driver is. I just cannot understand why other cars of Mitsubishi are not made in the same way. The gear stick of the automatic transmission was also pleasant in movements (as well as all the handles and adjustment buttons). The A-pillars did not anyhow worsen the visibility of the driver. The wing mirrors were big enough not to lose the feeling of space.

The dynamics was also good. Whenever I pushed the gas pedal, the Grandis reacted quickly and with maximum efficiency. The gear box was quick and stressless. In respect of noise insulation, this Mitsubishi is ideal like a luxury sedan - I was not disturbed neither by the engine roar (even at high rpm), nor by outer noises. But within the “genre”, the main thing is the layout solution of the back part of the salon. Behind the third row of the back seats there is little room for a pair of suitcases, but the seats are comfortably foldable, so you needn’t worry about capacity. The third row is the most spacious among all rival vans and can be removed under the floor on the   ”Hide and seat” principle- the mat is completely flat when the seats are folded. As for the doorways, they are broad and high enough to allow you to freely get out of the car.
The tested car costs about 36.000 US dollars and is equipped with almost everything you need:  alloy wheels, electronic stabilization system, chromed mirrors and door handles, climate control for back passengers and more. This car is a serious rival to VW Sharan and Chrysler Voyager.


Brief technical specifications
Engine volume:                                2378 cm 3
Valves per cylinder:                          4
Engine capacity:                               165 hp/6000 rpm
Max. torque:                                     217 N m/4000 rpm
Acceleration 0-100 km/h:                 10 seconds          
Max. speed:                                      200 km/h
Average fuel consumption:              
Per 100 km:                                      9,9 L
Fuel tank capacity:                           65 L
Dimensions:                                      4765 x 1795 x 1655 mm