Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart: month 3

Arrived: Apr 2009
List price (including options): £12,349
Average economy: 34.0mpg

The Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart has been -

The Colt has either been hugely busy, or sat idle for a while, as the need for greater space (i.e. hire vans) due to a home move has meant more time as a white van man than a white Colt man. When it has been pressed into service it's being doing some big miles, taking in everything including round trips to Banbury from Hove via central London on a good few occasions.

It remains enjoyable transport getting to either airports or far-flung countryside locations in the UK for car launches, it excelling as an all-rounder. That's thanks to the punchy engine more than anything else, the Colt's turbocharged 1.5-litre giving it the feel and ability of a bigger car on long journeys.

We're loving the -

Given its tiny proportions the Colt has surprised with its carrying capacity recently. The boot is still hopeless, but seats down it's able to carry a surprisingly large load. None more so than an Ikea Billy bookcase - surely one of the toughest tests for any car. I managed to get one in supported on the rear seat backs and atop the dashboard. I've often bemoaned the Colt's less than brilliant boot, but it genuinely impressed shifting stuff to my new place in the past month or so.

Fuel economy is improving and not through any conscious effort to drive more economically. I'm now getting around two miles more per gallon on average. Perhaps the greater amount of time on motorways has helped, but it's not being spared anywhere else. One fill revealed a near 37mpg average. I'll be watching it more closely in the next few months just out of interest.

But not so impressed by -

The Billy bookcase trip revealed that the front passenger seat doesn't move as much as I'd like it to; it only reclines by about 15-20 degrees forwards and back. That's useless if you're trying to carry a long load and use the passenger footwell. The lack of adjustment on the backrests is similarly frustrating when sitting in the seats, the gaps between settings too large - leaving me either too upright or too reclined. The front seat material near the right squab seems to be wearing rather heavily, too.

Finally, I'd love a bigger washer bottle, as the seagulls around my new place mean I'm using a lot...

We're looking forward to -

More regular use firstly, the Colt being pressed into service full time again. That's fine with us, as its blend of small car dimensions, enjoyable performance and surprisingly comfortable motorway cruising makes the Colt a useful thing to have around. Even when carrying bookcases.

Kyle Fortune