Mitsubishi Grandis 2.0 DI-D The Ultimate Diesel?

You dont buy a family MPV and you certainly dont buy a diesel expecting much in the way of driving enjoyment. Its more a case of investing in a sensible purchase that you hope doesnt have to be too sensible. Which was why we chose Mitsubishis Grandis DI-D as our latest long term test car

Theres something depressing about driving around in a large MPV when youre the only occupant. These vehicles make a number of compromises so that they can carry six or seven passengers in comfort but without the passengers theres always the nagging feeling youve been left only with the compromises. Thats why such an inordinate part of our time with Mitsubishis Grandis has been spent trying to recruit willing parties to fill it up.

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Volunteering to ferry groups of friends to and from the pub, borrowing some kids from family members for the day or, in the absence of any actual people to take up the generous seating allocation, transporting large inanimate objects around as required. Such activities have been par for the course over our time in the company of Grandis. With the seating occupied, you can really grasp the whole point behind the Grandis. Aside from the obvious (that you simply wouldnt be able to get this many in a conventional car), theres the way the suspension eases over the bumps to deliver a comfortable ride for everyone on board and the way the body resists the rolling motion common to many high sided vehicles, again keeping its passengers happy.

The Grandis is up with the very longest large MPVs on the road, part of the reason why the accommodation in the rear two rows is so generous and theres still a bit of luggage space behind. However, its also narrower and lower than most of its rivals. This means that you can park the thing without someone standing behind with a couple of table tennis bats to watch your back end and you can thread it through congested streets without a police escort. All of which brings us to the power behind our Grandis, the Volkswagen-sourced 2.

0-litre DI-D engine. Its not the quietest of installations Ill grant you but it certainly packs a punch. Even with a fully-loaded vehicle, you rarely find yourself frantically swapping down through the gearbox, yearning for more power. The engines powerful torque helps it pull in most situations, so long as the ratio has been moderately well chosen.

Economy too has left little cause for complaint. Official figures tend to be a tad optimistic in the real world but we havent been a million miles away from the Grandis DI-Ds 43mpg official figure on our test, consistently averaging in the high thirties.

"The engines powerful torque helps it pull in most situations, so long as the ratio has been moderately well chosen"

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.

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 Grandis is an MPV that doesnt surrender completely to the demands of life with a large family.

Despite our best efforts, well over half of the journeys weve undertaken in the car have been solo but the Grandis doesnt punish you for failing to utilise its capacity in the way that some other products would. The styling is very sleek for an MPV, the chassis is nimble enough about town and it doesnt go to pieces when you show it a corner. The diesel engine, despite being a little noisy for our tastes, is very well suited to the vehicle, so all in all, its been a positive showing by the big Mitsubishi.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Mitsubishi Grandis 2.0-litre DI-D Warrior
PRICE: £23,846 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