Our Vans: Mitsubishi L200 2.4 MIVEC
17 August 2016: How does the L200 rate as an off-roader?
The Details
| Current mileage | 4902 |
|---|---|
| Claimed economy | 42.8mpg |
| Actual economy | 33.8mpg |
In 2015 I was fortunate enough to attend the international launch of the L200’s at the MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association) test track. MIRA is a proving ground for new cars and boasts one of the UK's most demanding off-road courses. As you might expect, the L200 excelled in the mud and water, with its excellent four-wheel drive system and deep wading depth making short work of the rain lashed trails.
The opportunities to put the four-wheel drive to test have not been as extensive as that day at MIRA, but the L200 has always coped with everything I’ve thrown its way. Whether it be the muddy track that lead to my local mountain bike centre or a flooded road, the Mitsubishi ploughs on and doesn’t really stop until you hit the brakes.
Safety kit is pretty high too, with all L200s getting a hill hold system that - as the name implies - automatically stops the vehicle from rolling backwards. It saves the life of the clutch, as you don't have to burn through the pedal as you hold the vehicle on an incline. Instead, if in traffic on a hill, you simple put on the handbrake, wait, and then disengage the handbrake and select gear without fear of rolling into the vehicle behind.
Other gadgets fitted as standard include a trailer stability system that makes it easier to tow, without fear of the trailer wobbling around and destabilising the vehicle. The 205mm ground clearance also allows you to navigate off-road tracks, without fear of a protruding tree root damaging the underbody.
The L200 might be great off-road, but it lags behind some of its rivals on the hard stuff
That said, while the leaf suspension proves superb off-road handling and load carrying, it does suffer when you get back on to the asphalt, with a bumpy ride (when unladen) that can leave your passengers in the back feeling a little queasy.
With my L200 loan drawing to a close, I've been putting it to task as bike transport, with its large load bay and cabin providing the perfect carrying capacity for three passengers and their pedals. As you might imagine, this has made me popular with biking friends, with many leaving their family estates at home and giving me a call for a lift.
The L200 will never win any prizes for fuel economy though. The mountain bike runs with a full cab has halted the MPG increase of recent weeks, with the Mitsubishi now averaging in the mid-30s. Officially, this one-tonne pick-up should return 42.8mpg and cover 700 miles on a single tank, but I quickly found that this wasn't the case.
The L200 is a great load lugger though. During the past five months I've not had a single occasion where I've run out of storage. The 2.4-litre turbodiesel is also excellent, with mountains of torque. It's just a pity that it doesn't delivery Mitsubishi's fuel claims.
« Earlier: Candid camera Later: The final reckoning for the L200 »
