Tessa403
30-07-2006, 07:01 AM
On The Road
The Magna was a little disappointing. It's a soft car, in all ways. Engine, Transmission and suspension response lack an identifiable edge.
Point the car into a corner too quickly, the tyres roll on the rims and the Mitsubishi noses wide... then wider ... and wider still.
The car doesn't react quickly to driver input, either at the over assisted wheel or the pedals. It's dogged almost plough under-steer some of which could be blamed on the tyres. Stable all right and benign, provided the driver closely examines corner speed advisory signs.
But it lacks crispness, particularly when stuffed full of five well fed males.
Unladen the ride quality is excellent. But with the crush on springs and dampers comes a previously unseen harshness and lack of control. The Magna is simply sprung too softly to carry weight while staying off it's bump-stops and providing comfortable passage for all.
The Astron engine spins away happily enough again, without any crisp power band. But torque is what counts here, and the Magna has a reasonable dollop from 3000 rpm on wards.
It has a good shift for a manual. The lever slots home positively and cleanly in a manner seems to have become a Mitsubishi trademark.
The Commodore wins this section, but only by the fact thats it's chameleon performance is so convincing. One or two up, it displays all the unwanted characteristics we've moaned about since the launch. The car wanders, it's skittish in the rear end. The steering is touchy, nervy just off centre.
We've found the cure.
Every Commodore should be sold with 6 adults. The transformation with extra weight on board is quite impressive. Gone is the meandering and generally loose feeling. The wagon sits down and hugs the road along it's Length, removing that bum-up attitude.
Ride quality is an improvement, and the Commodore feels to be operating in a more effective spring/damper phase. Passengers are left unruffled by suspension movement and comfort is the best.
The steering still gets uptight on that initial movement away from centre. It's as though somebody drops a big hand on the loaded outside corner the minute you your wrist on the wheel.
The brakes stink! Three or four decent applications and those front pads really let forth with dust and an aroma that fills the air vents and your nostrils. The don't fade in a hurry, but certainly make their presence felt. As you would expect the gusty V6 was simply made for the job.
0-60
VN 4.5
TP 5.2
0-80
VN 7.1
TP 8.2
0-100
VN 10.2
TP 12.9
0-120
VN 14.8
TP 18.6
400m
VN 17.4
TP 18.6
Top Speed.
VN 202 km
TP 184 km
Fuel Consumption :shock:
VN 11.8 L/100km
TP 12.8 L/100km
Range:
VN 68 ltr tank 515 kms
TP 68 ltr tank 497 kms.
Conclusions
The Magna is frankly disappointing when laden. It's capable and still a worthy competitor but the compromises are many and too great to make it a winner.
The Commodore is a surprise. The more thats asked of it the better it gets.
The Magna was a little disappointing. It's a soft car, in all ways. Engine, Transmission and suspension response lack an identifiable edge.
Point the car into a corner too quickly, the tyres roll on the rims and the Mitsubishi noses wide... then wider ... and wider still.
The car doesn't react quickly to driver input, either at the over assisted wheel or the pedals. It's dogged almost plough under-steer some of which could be blamed on the tyres. Stable all right and benign, provided the driver closely examines corner speed advisory signs.
But it lacks crispness, particularly when stuffed full of five well fed males.
Unladen the ride quality is excellent. But with the crush on springs and dampers comes a previously unseen harshness and lack of control. The Magna is simply sprung too softly to carry weight while staying off it's bump-stops and providing comfortable passage for all.
The Astron engine spins away happily enough again, without any crisp power band. But torque is what counts here, and the Magna has a reasonable dollop from 3000 rpm on wards.
It has a good shift for a manual. The lever slots home positively and cleanly in a manner seems to have become a Mitsubishi trademark.
The Commodore wins this section, but only by the fact thats it's chameleon performance is so convincing. One or two up, it displays all the unwanted characteristics we've moaned about since the launch. The car wanders, it's skittish in the rear end. The steering is touchy, nervy just off centre.
We've found the cure.
Every Commodore should be sold with 6 adults. The transformation with extra weight on board is quite impressive. Gone is the meandering and generally loose feeling. The wagon sits down and hugs the road along it's Length, removing that bum-up attitude.
Ride quality is an improvement, and the Commodore feels to be operating in a more effective spring/damper phase. Passengers are left unruffled by suspension movement and comfort is the best.
The steering still gets uptight on that initial movement away from centre. It's as though somebody drops a big hand on the loaded outside corner the minute you your wrist on the wheel.
The brakes stink! Three or four decent applications and those front pads really let forth with dust and an aroma that fills the air vents and your nostrils. The don't fade in a hurry, but certainly make their presence felt. As you would expect the gusty V6 was simply made for the job.
0-60
VN 4.5
TP 5.2
0-80
VN 7.1
TP 8.2
0-100
VN 10.2
TP 12.9
0-120
VN 14.8
TP 18.6
400m
VN 17.4
TP 18.6
Top Speed.
VN 202 km
TP 184 km
Fuel Consumption :shock:
VN 11.8 L/100km
TP 12.8 L/100km
Range:
VN 68 ltr tank 515 kms
TP 68 ltr tank 497 kms.
Conclusions
The Magna is frankly disappointing when laden. It's capable and still a worthy competitor but the compromises are many and too great to make it a winner.
The Commodore is a surprise. The more thats asked of it the better it gets.