Test drive Mitsubishi L200 Single Cab 1995 - 2005 pickup
Pickup time
What's new in Mitsubishi L200, and who may need itWe are not America, we don't like pickups. Although we need them now than the Americans. Because it doesn’t fit with us, and in their vast body, most often only a shoe box. We load this to the eyeballs unfortunate cars with building materials, potatoes or tomatoes and barely go to the market or to the country. And they will ride without cargo, but on the usual car. But still slowly, but the situation is changing. Here is the Rolf, the official distributor of Mitsubishi in Russia, has already sold a good one and a half hundred pickups in 12 months.
Impressiveness and functionality
The 2002 model year’s car differs from the previous version, primarily the front desk. The bumper has become more massive and makes up a single whole with a powerful protection of the motor compartment. The radiator grille has also changed. All this taken together gave the pickup of impressiveness and aggressiveness. When looking in front, you will never say that you see a pickup. Rather, an SUV with a good genealogy. However, so it, by and large, is. L200 was created on the basis of Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, which is well known to the Russian buyer.
The generic features are also traced in the cabin, although, of course, the decoration of the pickupa is more simple and functional. But here there is no hint of cheapness: everything is done soundly and solid. And, most importantly, all controls are located, as they say, in place. The seats, however, are harsh, but they are equipped with adjustments that allow you to take a convenient position. All glasses and mirrors are equipped with electric drives and heating, there is air conditioning (in a more expensive gasoline version, the climate control system). In general, the car seems to remind that it was created not for idle pastime, but for work.
And the L200 is capable of much. The engines remained the same, but now they cause less harm to the environment. There was no point in changing anything in the time-tested company Super Select 4WD branded system. It allows you to turn the rear -wheel drive car (position 2HI) at a speed of up to 100 km/h into all -wheel drive (4HI) and vice versa. Of course, there is a reduced gear (4LO) for trips on deep off -road.
L200 with a 2.5 -liter turbodiesel engine and a capacity of 100 hp was taken to the test. And this is not a slow pickup. Excellent torque provides good dynamics and allows you to confidently stay in the left row. However, the element of the L200 is still not city streets, but laughter and off -road. In addition, the car was originally calculated for commercial operation, which, of course, affected comfort. The suspensions are hard, the back is a seal, not a spring, like Pajero Sport. And if the cargo compartment is empty, it will decently shake on the irregularities of the road. But it is worth it to plunge the pickupa, like holes and potholes you almost do not notice.
By the way, everything is done so that the loading is convenient. The lid of the trunk is thrown down, as expected, down. If you order a hard roof for a cargo compartment, then in this case there will be no problems with the luggles. But the pickup will turn into a full -fledged SUV with a giant cargo compartment. And he can take a ton on his shoulder.
L200, do not forget, an excellent rogue. I experienced this in the suburbs when I started me with some kind of cottage village under construction. There was a rise there, which I decided to take from the course, without switching to a reduced gear. It didn’t work out, the engine stalled. Nevertheless, you need to remember the relatively small power and more often switch the gears. So, I stopped exactly in the middle of the ascent. He started the engine and already in the first gear calmly crawled up. But under the wheels was not asphalt, but dirt mixed with snow. In general, you can go to L200 anywhere and with anything. The clearance is more than 20 cm and the huge passages of suspensions allow you not to be afraid of either pits or hillocks. In general, a very suitable car for builders or, say, hunters.
The price of L200 with a diesel engine is -21,690 dollars. With gasoline about 26 thousand. There are competitors in the Russian market (Nissan, Mazda), but there are very few of them. Gazelle, perhaps, does not count ...
Vasily Starikov
