Arrived: Apr 2009 List price (including options): £12,349 Average economy: 34.1mpg
The Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart has been -
Impressing with its long-legged ability. Sure it's a small hot hatchback, but it's proved adept recently at hacking up and down motorways on long journeys. In the space of a few days this month it was pressed into service ferrying me to and from events all over the UK, winding up over a thousand miles in the process. It did so with ease, the punchy engine pulling particularly strongly on the motorway and it's surprisingly refined and comfortable at high cruising speeds.
We're loving the -
How good it looked after a good wash. On a trip up to Graypaul Ferrari to check out Ferrari's Approved Used scheme the lads at the dealership very decently gave the Colt a much-needed scrub. Thanks chaps. White's a great colour for shining through the muck all the driving (and the trees and seagulls around my flat) deposit on the Ralliart, but seeing it gleaming after a proper wash and polish reminded me just how good the Ralliart looks - even parked alongside a Ferrari. The odometer has rolled past 8,000 miles this month and the engine seems to continue improving, feeling stronger and even quicker with use. It's still not using any oil, either.
But not so impressed by -
The phone call from Mitsubishi asking for it back. I've stalled as long as possible, but the Colt's not going to be with us much longer. The same foibles I've highlighted previously remain - the fabric at a join on the driver's seat squab looks like it will give up pretty soon and the seatbelt has a habit of getting tangled up and not retracting. These are minor complaints though as overall the Colt punches well above its weight. I'll be looking into how much it's worth in my final few weeks with it and I've no doubt it'll prove to be a good value used buy. More of that in my final report.
We're looking forward to -
With only a handful of weeks left in our tenure the Colt will be pressed into service doing more of what it's good at - everything really. Which is why when the man from Mitsubishi arrives to take it away I'll be more than a little bit lost without it.
