Test drive Mitsubishi L200 Single Cab 1995 - 2005 pickup

On the beach in camouflage

Acquaintance with updated Mitsubishi all -terrain vehicles in an unusual environment
Japanese automakers have a tradition - every fall at least a little, but to update their model range. The current velvet season is no exception.
The northern coast of Denmark: fishing villages, endless sandy beaches, dunes, overgrown with barbed grass and stunted sea buckthorn. It is very windy here, and the weather changes every fifteen minutes. What can you do - dictate its North Sea and Atlantic. There are in these parts the town of Alborg (Alborg), and next to it is a military training ground, where we have to try outgrown. So to speak in combat conditions.
The updated machines of 2002 model year are four: Mitsubishi Pajero, Pajero-Sport, Pinin and an all-wheel drive pickup L200. Changes - from cosmetic to quite serious. The most interesting metamorphoses have occurred with Pajero-Pinin. By the 2002 season, a parquet, or the city version of this car appeared. The creators decided, in addition to the all -wheel drive with the Super Select 4WD transmission and the rear self -locking differential to build a simplified version of Pinin - with a constant all -wheel drive and an center differential, blocked by VISKOFTA. It is planned to supply both versions of a small all -terrain vehicle to the Russian market. They will differ in engines and additional equipment. A 1.8-liter 114-horsepower engine of the previous generation is installed on the SUV. It is less demanding on the quality of fuel than the more fresh, two -liter GDI.
The Pajor-Sports popular with us acquired the brake forces distribution system combined with the ABS: it allows the maximum use of the brakes depending on the load of the car and road conditions. The V6 gasoline engine (170 p.) Now satisfies the toxicity of Euro III. And from the central console, Pajero-Sport is now managed by the climate control system-it has replaced morally outdated air conditioning.
The L200 truck has acquired a new 115-horsepower 2.5-liter diesel engine with an adjustable inlet of the turbine. Unfortunately, it has not yet been decided whether it will be delivered to Russia or not. The reason for the doubt is the increased requirements of the new diesel to the quality of the fuel. But we will soon see an updated front panel with a much more expressive combination of devices.
Finally, the most expensive in the family is Mitsubishi Pajero. Here, the changes affected mainly engines - now they all satisfy the requirements of Euro III, in addition, the company adapted motors to Russian operating conditions. The remaining changes are cosmetic: the e-fighting of the front seats was added, a large 4.5-inch liquid crystal screen appeared, which displays all additional information and the terms for the maintenance.
 
Combat Four
Pajero-Pinin. To begin with, a small mileage on asphalt. It seems that not only the design of the transmission has changed: the rolls of the body decreased, the suspensions have become denser and shorter. As a result, the small all -terrain vehicle acquired control accuracy, pleasant integrity and elasticity, more characteristic of passenger cars. In general, now this is the right SUV, like most of his fellow competitors. The engine, however, has fed fighting qualities and, alas, at times annoyingly heard in the cabin. Nevertheless, it has a traction, which allows you to easily move and hold a fairly high pace of movement. Some inertia of the car is felt only with dynamic driving at high speeds. Here you have to twist the motor to the whole coil. At these moments, his annoyingly-humane character manifests itself especially vividly.
Here is the landfill. Somewhere to the side with a roar, four combat aircraft rush - there is its own daily work. We have a track that goes into the forest, and the instructor’s parting words before leaving for the track. The city Pinin is quite easy, if not frivolously, he leaves off -road and, to my surprise, without much difficulty overcomes the intricacies of holes, pardon, protracted sand descents, lifted with deep ruts. The only thing that works at the limit is pendants. On the off -road, their short -circuit reminds themselves of the same and then with the hanging wheels and plaintive tapping of the traffic limiters of the collection.
I am transplanted in Mitsubishi Pajero. This one seems to slide through all the hueks, only sometimes noticing them. After Pinin, it is soft, comfortable, but ... not interesting- somehow too detached from the driver.
Pajero-Sport in these conditions is much more active. He clearly reacts tougher to all irregularities, but he steer much more precisely, sometimes allowing even to polyghat in soft sand.
On the snack - pickup L200. I must say, the new diesel was very suitable for off -road. He is burdened, dynamic, easily forgives errors in choosing a transmission. As a result, managing a truck on this highway is almost easier than everyone else.
 
On the beach and ... by water
Now a short throw into the dunes. I remain faithful to the truck - the engine appeared so interesting. On the asphalt, its character does not change, moreover, the car easily retains behind the colleagues that rushed forward. Of course, the L200 is not the most high -speed car, after 120-130 km/h, its reactions on the road become quite smeared, the noise of dissected air becomes annoying, but generally rides fun and with a spark.
It is not interesting to frolic on a wide strip of flat wet sand on large SUVs. For them, this is so, seeds. Therefore, I move to Pinin again.
SUVs are usually uncomfortable in the sand: he immediately begins to smell of a burning clutch, and the right hand is looking for ... the absent lever of the demultiplier. Pinin withstands several cruel experiments to the hard four. He willingly climbs the dunes, easily moves on loose sand. And only the insidious swamp, formed from a leaking stream, stops the rogue. To his honor, he, having settled it, hardly gets into the will.
For sweet organizers offer a small trip by sea. Again, reminders that they do not swim for the riotes - and go. Pinin, as an adult, confidently plow the North Sea, sometimes losing the soil under the wheels on the waves, but then, having shifted by a meter and a half, he finds it again. The air intake does not overwhelm, although at times the water rolls through the hood. Only at the end of the experiment, a mournful whistle of wet drive belts is heard.
Large all -terrain vehicles are easier to cope with the task, you can even polyghty. But from this, losses appeared in their ranks in the form of bent and torn license plates. The water was not so soft.
That's it, it's time for the cars to park, and we will get out the results.
Of the new products of the coming year, Pajero-Pinin seemed the most interesting. Even in the parquet version, he retained some family features of large SUVs and at the same time did not lose his individuality.
As for the older brothers Pinin-they are still good, each in their own way. Well, environmental and cosmetic changes have benefited them.
Pajero-sport modernized brakes and engine.
Mitsubishi L200 has acquired a new engine.
All Mitsubishi turned out to be quite waterproof.
Parquet Pajero-Pinin is not bad on off-road.
 
Text / Sergey Voskresensky
Photo / Sergey Voskresensky and Mitsubishi company
 

A source: The magazine "Driving"