Mitsubishi Space Star (2002 - to 2006)
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
If youre in the market for a mini or supermini sized MPV, chances are you wont have Mitsubishis Space Star in pole position on your shortlist. Why? It certainly isnt the quickest, the most spacious, the cleverest or the cheapest candidate around. What it does offer is a comfortable middle ground, a smartly styled appearance and an impressive range of engines. Most will overlook it in favour of more conspicuous offerings such as the Renault Scenic, Fiat Multipla or Vauxhall Zafira, but in truth the Mitsubishi is a smaller, less ambitious proposition more akin to a Daihatsu Grand Move.
To ignore a used Space Star because of this is to pass a competent offering by, and one that offers 90% of the utility of mini MPVs at a modest price. If you want a nearly new micro MPV that does nothing badly and wont go out of fashion by the end of the month, then a Mitsubishi Space Star bears closer scrutiny. The post 2002 model offers improved build quality and a number of neat packaging tricks. With used prices as they are, it deserves your attention.
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The rear lights have also been smoothed over and every model is fitted with alloy wheels. The interior has also come in for a freshening. The upholstery is markedly superior to the old Space Star, as is the quality of the plastics used about the cabin. The centre console has been redesigned to bring it into the here and now, as has the steering wheel.
There are even cup holders for rear passengers. Whilst the seating arrangement doesnt mirror that of a fully paid-up member of the mini-MPV club, storage capacity certainly does. As well as being fitted with huge door bins, the Space Star also has stowage space beneath the passenger seat, in the back of the front seats and in the centre console. Locating a carelessly secreted Yorkie can detain you for some time.
Expect to budget for at least £4,875 for a decently cared for Space Star 1.3 Mirage, in this instance on an 02 plate. 03-plated examples are currently fetching around £5,525. In truth wed avoid the 1.
3 and instead plump for either the 1.6-litre petrol or the 1.9-litre diesel models. The 1.
6-litre models are the most commonplace and these open at £5,250 on an 02 plate in Mirage guise or £5,650 in Equippe trim, rising to £6,700 for a late 53-plated Equippe. The best of the bunch has to be the 1.9-litre diesel model and youll need to cough up at least £5,900 for an 02-plated Mirage or £6,175 for a similar vintage Equippe. Insurance ratings for the Space Star reflect the fact that its safe, secure and is often driven by more mature customers.
Budget for Group 7 if youve chosen a 1.3-litre car or Group 8 for the rest.
Although a good deal more substantial than the old Colt version, the Space Stars interior still isnt what youd describe as hewn from rock. Despite the decent equipment levels, the Space Star could do with some higher quality fitments. Its obvious where costs have been cut, and it could have been done in a cleverer way. Check the interior for tears, stains and snapped off fittings, and inspect the luggage bay and the seat backs for signs of damage when loading.
Otherwise insist on a service history. Mechanically the Space Star benefits from Mitsubishis usual reputation for extreme durability.
(approx based on a 2002 Space Star 1.3i) Spare prices for the Space Star arent too meteoric, except for the black hole in your finances represented by a new exhaust system, which will require around £675 to replace if you factor in the catalyst. A new clutch assembly is around £170, front and rear brake pads retail at around £40 a pair, and a new alternator will be around £150. Finally if youre after a new starter motor, set aside £130.
The 1.3-litre engine is one of the older ones on Mitsubishis books, developing an unremarkable 81bhp. The 41.5mpg combined fuel figure looks impressive, but will be difficult to achieve in real conditions, especially if the Space Star is fully loaded.
The sprint to 60mph will take over 14 seconds, making this 1.3-litre model only marginally quicker than some tectonic plates but if you expect a racy drive and all that practicality then your expectations are probably going to have to be managed downwards. Far better to fork out a little extra and plump for the 1.6-litre version.
This offers a choice of two very different transmissions; a regular five-speed manual or the intriguing INVECS II 4-speed automatic, which claims to learn driving styles and adapt accordingly. The 1.6-litre engine will propel the Space Star to a top speed of 112mph and itll notch off 60mph in 12.0 seconds if you change yourself and 14.
5 seconds if youre relying on INVECS-II. The fuel economy is something worth crowing about, the Mitsubishi capable of nearly 40mpg combined. That INVECS-II 4 Speed Automatic Transmission system claims to be pretty clever. Its key advantage is what Mitsubishi call Adaptive Shift Control.
Here, a computer constantly monitors driving performance to learn your driving style. Even if you opt for the manual, however, you wont feel hard done by as the five-speed gearbox has a smooth, quality feel to the shift. Around tight car parks, a turning circle of just 4.8 metres is a boon, while out on the road; the slippery 0.
33Cd figure means that wind noise is kept to a minimum. Producing 101bhp at 4,000rpm, the 1.9-litre direct injection diesel offers the sort of smooth refinement weve come to expect from contemporary diesels. Here is a car that emits only 146 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilometre travelled.
A car that manages to eke over 51 miles out of every gallon of diesel and yet manages to accelerate to 60mph in under 12 seconds is proof indeed that you can have your cake and eat it too.
Depending on what viewpoint you take, the Mitsubishi Space Star is either a worthy competitor or a tough sell. Cars like the Vauxhall Meriva and the Honda Jazz offer a good deal more in terms of clever packaging and driver appeal respectively, but the Space Star aces them both in terms of affordability and, for the time being at least, used availability. Unremarkable in any obvious way, the Space Star quietly gets on with the job in hand. If you want a car that will operate with metronomic reliability and which boasts a commonsense hassle-free nature, a used Space Star could well appeal.
