Test Drive: Mitsubishi L200 Single Cab Pick-Up

Sussex Business Times continues to provide businessmen and women with insight into the motoring world, this time reviewing the Mitsubishi L200 Single Cab pick up

Mitsubishi’s L200 Series 5 pick-up has been winning awards since before it was even launched in the UK – Auto Express names it Pick-Up of the Year in 2015 shortly before its launch here, the title is managed to retain throughout 2016 – and understandably so.

The L200 came out on top in a head-to-head against the Toyota Hilux, also carried out by Auto Express, which followed on from the triple test against the Nissan Navara and the Isuzu D-Max, where the L200 won with a five-star rating. Pick-up trucks have become fundamental to Mistubishi Motors and globally, Mitsubishi boasts six decades of pick-up production, accounting for the sale of more than four million vehicles. The L200 Series 5 has inherited the DNA of its predecessors, further enhancing the pick-up concept and, as an entirely new vehicle from the ground up, has seen considerable improvements in more than 300 areas. The end result? The ultimate vehicle for commercial duty, combined with SUV-like modification in quality and dynamic performance.

In all key areas, the L200 Series 5 is quite amazing, providing users with a driving experience like no other and one that is a generation above that of any other pick-up in the market, and we can vouch for that…

The Mitsubishi L200 pick-up was the first of its kind that Sussex Business Times has had the pleasure of becoming hands-on with and boy, did it deliver. It’s the intention of SBT to review more commercial cars and with vehicles like this out there, we can gladly cater to this. Once upon a time, pick-ups were the domain of traveller folk, yet nowadays, vehicles like this are becoming more popular with business users everywhere, especially so now that twin cab versions are peeking into the consumer market, and who’s to say they can’t deliver the same level of practicality and comfort your regular business car can? Pick-ups tend to inherit more hard-wearing materials as opposed to providing luxury, although the L200 seemed to meet both of these elements, with a basic but comfortable interior.

The best thing about modern-day pick-ups and the L200 in particular, has got to be the fact that they drive just the same as your regular car, but with a bit more monster about them, especially so with tis 2.4L engine, producing 151bhp and 380Nm torque. Although it’s a very basic pick-up vehicle and delivers exactly what it says on the tin, the L200 supplied us with all the performance you would ever need, and with exceptional gear to power ratio. Most vehicles of this kind don’t tend to come with all of the top-of-the-range mod coms, mainly because of what they’re typically used for, but you will find that some of the higher-end models do, although you would probably have to investigate the upper ranges to find these. We do find though, that with vehicles that boast the top-range technical elements comes more opportunity for issues to arise and things to go wrong. Despite this, the Mitsubishi L200 came equipped with everything we could have possibly required; six-speed manual transmission, Auto Stop and Go technology, heavy-duty suspension, rear differential lock, 16 inch steel wheels with a full-sized spare wheel, 2 SRS airbags for both the driver and passenger, manual air conditioning and Trailer Stability Assist if you’re looking to use it for it’s historic function. Also, with Active Stability and Traction Control, driving at high speeds and in all weather conditions would prove not to be a problem for this vehicle. In addition to all of this, the L200 also boasts a colour-coded front bumper, Bluetooth with music streaming, central locking, steering wheel audio controls, front electric windows, external temperature display and a whopping 3,000kg towing capacity.

Two things that were missing from this vehicle if we’re talking about transportation for businessmen and women, was a Sat Nav and digital radio. With most modern-day cars you’ll often find a built-in Sat Nav system and, although not a necessity, commuters will find elements like this incredibly useful. However, here at Sussex Business Times, we review cars regularly and not having technology all around made for quite a different and pleasurable drive.

All in all, the Mitsubishi L200 Single Cab was certainly one of a kind, and here at Sussex Business Times, we look forward to reviewing more vehicles of its kind in issues to come.

 Engine capacity: 2.4L

Transmission: 6-speed manual

0-62mph: 12.2 seconds

Max speed: 105 mph

Retail price (OTR): £21, 883.80