Asylum
18-09-2006, 09:53 AM
As Australia focuses on the VE Commodore/BF Falcon large car stoush or the Toyota Camry/Mazda6/Honda Accord Euro/Subaru Liberty medium combatants, there is an up to the minute and cheaper middle line that might be better than all of them depending on your requirements. After I had covered over 2000km in each variation of the first Mitsubishi 380 series and was left with a huge respect for the model, the latest SX Series 2 at its $32,990 starting price had my attention as it should for anyone looking for a low cost but good quality family car.
This sporty SX alternative to an XR6 or SV6 is now $2000 cheaper than the base 380 level at launch. Its 3.8-litre six is bigger and smoother than both of Holden's V6 engines in a car that weighs up to 200kg less. When its five-speed auto is significantly better than Holden's base V6 four-speed auto and at least as good as the VE's premium five-speed auto, it has the potential to deliver better economy in urban conditions with equivalent or better performance. It's also a useful half size smaller at 4837mm long, 1840mm wide on a 1570mm track versus 4894mm,1899mm and 1602 front/1618mm rear for the VE Commodore.
Although the turning circle is wide for the 380's size, it is still smaller at 11.2 compared to the VE's massive 11.4 metres. Without the VE's hidden wheel arch blisters and fat windscreen pillars, the 380 is also much easier to position in confined spaces than the Commodore while providing significantly more rear seat hip space for three than the imported medium cars.
The 380 marks a return to the first Magna formula of a wider medium car, not a downgraded prestige model like the two Magna series that followed. This explains why it feels a much more youthful, more agile car to drive than any recent Magna and its heavy Australian rivals. Equally, it feels more substantial than the current crop of Japanese and Korean medium cars. The SX sports suspension is considerably more refined and compliant for everyday use than Holden's VE sports specification. It also lacks the crash-through and sharp jolts that mar the Japanese imports as soon as you leave smooth bitumen.
This is one of the few sporty family cars that you can drive quickly over most Australian road surfaces without upsetting it. As Australians become more dependent on imports that don't have suspensions tuned for local roads, the 380 SX was like a breath of fresh air. It turns in willingly with little body roll or front drive scrub in tight corners providing you don't unleash the considerable grunt. The 380 SX, despite the standard traction control, can get untidy when you plant the foot and has more than enough power in a car of this size and weight.
The 380 SX brings 17-inch alloy wheels, mesh sports grille, contoured front sports seats with six way driver's seat electric adjustment, leather-wrapped steering wheel, premium six-stacker in-dash CD sound with eight speakers and an exceptionally clear instrument display that includes an easy-to-read auto gear indicator as it works through its sequential dash lights. Clever remote steering wheel controls are mounted on the back of the spokes while the single zone climate control system has outlets for rear passengers. The SX also gets the top level 4.9-inch TFT screen with graphics and colour effects similar to the latest mobile phones and 10-function computer. Factor in the 10-year non-transferable powertrain warranty and it should be done deal. Not so fast.
While I personally like the new 380 shape, it has already become anonymous even if there are still not many on the roads. There is no rear spoiler and the lack of external detailing on the cheaper models can be a turn-off for those excited by the showroom presentation of the Honda Accord Euro or Mazda 6. Even though there are more padded and tactile surfaces inside the 380 than the hard plastics common in Japanese imports these days, they don't present as well with the cheap-looking centre section and button-shaped knobs.
The 380 misses out on steering column reach adjustment but with the generous power seat adjustment and steering wheel tilt, it won't matter to most drivers. Driver comfort and cabin layout are as good as any of its rivals and better than some. However, the lack of a fold down rear seat may veto the 380 for some families. This is a real oversight shared with the VE Commodore when you can no longer buy a wagon version.
If you can see past these shortfalls and drive a 380 SX on a wide variety of roads, you will be impressed by the body integrity and smoothness. It is a nice car in the fundamentals rather than a tarted-up ordinary one. The 380 is more a direct rival for the Toyota Camry before Toyota split its range into the four cylinder Camry and V6 Aurion. Mitsubishi's original plan was to do something similar but after the bigger Mitsubishi model was cancelled, Mitsubishi was forced to cover both bases with a single 380 range which leaves it as the only one of its type with this much grunt at the price.
If you are in the market for a four-cylinder front-drive medium car which is the 380's true hunting ground, the big obstacle on paper is the potential for the big 3.8-litre V6 to guzzle petrol. The claimed 10.8lt/100km figure for the SX auto is close enough to the base BF Falcon or VE Commodore autos and significantly worse than the benchmark $40,960 XR6 with its extra cost six-speed auto.
Yet the lighter weight of the 380 SX should generate better figures than its full size rivals in stop-start traffic. To test this, I undertook a 65 km loop through inner Melbourne in dense but constantly moving traffic through 60, 70 and 80km/h speed zones driving only as hard as I needed to keep up. Using a bowser fill readout verified by a computer average, this generated a genuine 10.8lt/100km fuel figure, identical to Mitsubishi's claim.
Providing you can resist the temptation to access the V6's extra grunt, this is so close to what the big Japanese fours will deliver under these conditions, it doesn't matter. Overtaking urge on the open road especially when loaded is in another league. Factor in the $5-6000 saving over some of its rivals and the 380 SX could well be one of the hidden bargains on today's market.
This sporty SX alternative to an XR6 or SV6 is now $2000 cheaper than the base 380 level at launch. Its 3.8-litre six is bigger and smoother than both of Holden's V6 engines in a car that weighs up to 200kg less. When its five-speed auto is significantly better than Holden's base V6 four-speed auto and at least as good as the VE's premium five-speed auto, it has the potential to deliver better economy in urban conditions with equivalent or better performance. It's also a useful half size smaller at 4837mm long, 1840mm wide on a 1570mm track versus 4894mm,1899mm and 1602 front/1618mm rear for the VE Commodore.
Although the turning circle is wide for the 380's size, it is still smaller at 11.2 compared to the VE's massive 11.4 metres. Without the VE's hidden wheel arch blisters and fat windscreen pillars, the 380 is also much easier to position in confined spaces than the Commodore while providing significantly more rear seat hip space for three than the imported medium cars.
The 380 marks a return to the first Magna formula of a wider medium car, not a downgraded prestige model like the two Magna series that followed. This explains why it feels a much more youthful, more agile car to drive than any recent Magna and its heavy Australian rivals. Equally, it feels more substantial than the current crop of Japanese and Korean medium cars. The SX sports suspension is considerably more refined and compliant for everyday use than Holden's VE sports specification. It also lacks the crash-through and sharp jolts that mar the Japanese imports as soon as you leave smooth bitumen.
This is one of the few sporty family cars that you can drive quickly over most Australian road surfaces without upsetting it. As Australians become more dependent on imports that don't have suspensions tuned for local roads, the 380 SX was like a breath of fresh air. It turns in willingly with little body roll or front drive scrub in tight corners providing you don't unleash the considerable grunt. The 380 SX, despite the standard traction control, can get untidy when you plant the foot and has more than enough power in a car of this size and weight.
The 380 SX brings 17-inch alloy wheels, mesh sports grille, contoured front sports seats with six way driver's seat electric adjustment, leather-wrapped steering wheel, premium six-stacker in-dash CD sound with eight speakers and an exceptionally clear instrument display that includes an easy-to-read auto gear indicator as it works through its sequential dash lights. Clever remote steering wheel controls are mounted on the back of the spokes while the single zone climate control system has outlets for rear passengers. The SX also gets the top level 4.9-inch TFT screen with graphics and colour effects similar to the latest mobile phones and 10-function computer. Factor in the 10-year non-transferable powertrain warranty and it should be done deal. Not so fast.
While I personally like the new 380 shape, it has already become anonymous even if there are still not many on the roads. There is no rear spoiler and the lack of external detailing on the cheaper models can be a turn-off for those excited by the showroom presentation of the Honda Accord Euro or Mazda 6. Even though there are more padded and tactile surfaces inside the 380 than the hard plastics common in Japanese imports these days, they don't present as well with the cheap-looking centre section and button-shaped knobs.
The 380 misses out on steering column reach adjustment but with the generous power seat adjustment and steering wheel tilt, it won't matter to most drivers. Driver comfort and cabin layout are as good as any of its rivals and better than some. However, the lack of a fold down rear seat may veto the 380 for some families. This is a real oversight shared with the VE Commodore when you can no longer buy a wagon version.
If you can see past these shortfalls and drive a 380 SX on a wide variety of roads, you will be impressed by the body integrity and smoothness. It is a nice car in the fundamentals rather than a tarted-up ordinary one. The 380 is more a direct rival for the Toyota Camry before Toyota split its range into the four cylinder Camry and V6 Aurion. Mitsubishi's original plan was to do something similar but after the bigger Mitsubishi model was cancelled, Mitsubishi was forced to cover both bases with a single 380 range which leaves it as the only one of its type with this much grunt at the price.
If you are in the market for a four-cylinder front-drive medium car which is the 380's true hunting ground, the big obstacle on paper is the potential for the big 3.8-litre V6 to guzzle petrol. The claimed 10.8lt/100km figure for the SX auto is close enough to the base BF Falcon or VE Commodore autos and significantly worse than the benchmark $40,960 XR6 with its extra cost six-speed auto.
Yet the lighter weight of the 380 SX should generate better figures than its full size rivals in stop-start traffic. To test this, I undertook a 65 km loop through inner Melbourne in dense but constantly moving traffic through 60, 70 and 80km/h speed zones driving only as hard as I needed to keep up. Using a bowser fill readout verified by a computer average, this generated a genuine 10.8lt/100km fuel figure, identical to Mitsubishi's claim.
Providing you can resist the temptation to access the V6's extra grunt, this is so close to what the big Japanese fours will deliver under these conditions, it doesn't matter. Overtaking urge on the open road especially when loaded is in another league. Factor in the $5-6000 saving over some of its rivals and the 380 SX could well be one of the hidden bargains on today's market.