Mitsubishi Grandis 2.0 DI-D - LongTerm Test
What constitutes a seat in a car? Does it merely need to display the essential parts like a base and a back to qualify or does it need to be large enough for someone to actually sit in it? If the later is true, how big does that someone have to be? Are we talking toddler or adult? If its an adult, are they more Jimmy Cranky or Peter Crouch? Can just cramming passengers in be enough or do they have to be comfortable and for how long? Are we talking about a trip to the supermarket or motorway marathon?
There are cars out there that make all kinds of spurious claims on the subject of seating capacity but Mitsubishis seven-seat Grandis appears to be on the level on this subject. Its compact enough for everyday urban use yet, unlike some mini-MPVs, properly big enough to really seat seven. A prime candidate then, we decided, for one of our long term tests. There are plenty of coupes and convertibles on the market with rear seats that are completely inaccessible to anybody with a full set of limbs.
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Over the course of our lengthy stint with the Grandis, its proved itself to be a willing companion, able to cope with a variety of combinations of personnel and luggage. The third row tends to be where seven or eight-seater vehicles are found out but although access could be easier, both leg and head room are adequate for two adults once youre inside. The third row of seats isnt just a crude bench as in most vehicles of this ilk. Both seats can be reversed to provide a rear facing vantage point ideal when viewing an outdoor event as the rear tailgate provides an excellent rain shelter.
Whats more, both these seats can be individually reclined for additional comfort.
"A robust and practical family vehicle, the Grandis has space and style on its side"
Another plus point with the Grandis is its luggage space. Too often, smaller MPVs sacrifice carrying capacity to fit in that third row of seating but the Grandis is spacious enough to accommodate a pushchair or a couple of large suitcases, even with the back seats in use. The boot is fairly deep so you find yourself having to lift heavy items out but at least this means that the space is maximised. The Grandis manages to offer all this roominess inside without looking like an amorphous blob to passers by.
The frontal styling is particularly racy for an MPV, with a clean and curvy treatment incorporating elongated light clusters in the shape of arrowheads, twin mesh grilles and fog lights cut into the valance. The rear end looks rather distended in profile but its a neat job and the bulkiness is a price that most buyers will be happy to pay for the user-friendly interior. From the drivers seat, the Grandis doesnt feel like a big vehicle until you look in the rear-view mirror and see all those passengers grinning back at you. The driving position is reasonably car-like but raised-up enough for you to get a slightly enhanced view out the front and down the flanks.
The dash-mounted gear lever is pleasant enough to use but its positioned on a section of the centre console that protrudes out and downward, hindering the cross-cabin access that should be a key advantage of a gear lever in this position. The plastics used are generally tough but not quite up with the standards set by the leading large MPVs and the mock carbon-fibre trim dotted around our high-spec Warrior model feels particularly cheap. Storage space is generous with cup holders for occupants of all three rows and good-size door pockets, as well as a large glovebox in the front. The 2.
0-litre DI-D engine in our Grandis is a turbocharged DOHC 16-valve unit of the direct injection configuration. Its 134bhp output is generated at 4,000rpm and theres a sizable 310Nm of torque available at 1,750rpm. This isnt the most advanced diesel engine youll encounter in todays marketplace, a fact thats betrayed by the gruff engine note on start-up thats quelled only slightly as the Grandis reaches operating temperature. Theres also a distinct sweet spot in the rev range below which theres not much happening and above which the Grandis seems to just pile on the noise without much benefit in terms of forward progress.
Still, learn to plug into the power band where the turbocharger is doing its thing and theres strong acceleration to be utilised. Full size 7-seat MPVs that can hit 60mph from a standing start in 10.8s are rare indeed and the 121mph top speed will be more than adequate for most. Of course, its economy rather than performance that drives buyers in this sector and returning an average of 43mpg, Grandis DI-D is well capable of wrestling sales from rivals.
This is especially true when you consider the £23,500 price-point occupied by our test vehicle. It seems conspicuously good value for a seven-seat MPV with good looks and a strong diesel engine. It would be easy to overlook the Mitsubishi Grandis in favour of the more recognisable names in the medium large MPV sectors but our long term test has demonstrated just how much it has to offer. A robust and practical family vehicle, the Grandis has space and style on its side.
At this price, these are rare commodities, as is the genuine seven-seat capacity and the respectable boot area tucked away in the back.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Mitsubishi Grandis 2.0-litre DI-D Warrior
PRICE: £23,710 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 14
CO2 EMISSIONS: 176g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.8s / Max Speed 121mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [combined] 43mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (length/width/height mm) 4755/1795/1655
