Continuing Tartan Tarmac’s series of pickup reviews, we recently had the latest Mitsubishi L200 Warrier for a few days.
Mitsubishi brought out the Series 5 L200 a couple of years ago now but it has recently had a refresh, with all models now having Euro 6 spec engines. The Warrior Double-Cab is in the top half of the range, only exceeded by the Barbarian top model. In specification terms, there was nothing missing from the car that would make you conclude you need the higher model, but if you are like most pickup buyers, purchasing the car through a company, then the extra ÂŁ750 won’t make a lot of difference.
One of the main talking points for the L200 are its looks. If previous pickup models could be accused of being too square and boxy then Mitsubishi can certainly be commended for redressing the balance. There are curves and swoops as far as the eye can see. the way the body is separated from the cargo area is certainly distinctive and the headlight treatment in this latest revision is very striking, but seems to be attracting fans and detractors in the same way Marmite does.
It is important to note that I didn’t get a chance to test the car with a big load, so the rear leaf-spring suspension was never really compressed. Nevertheless, I think the 17 inch wheels are just too small in those huge exposed arches.
Inside the car, all is well. I found the seats to be remarkably comfortable. Perhaps they were just a good fit for my shape, but I could name far more expensive vehicles that were less comfortable. I drove the L200 on a couple of very long trips and the accomodation was great.
Ergonomically, there are a couple of question marks. Mitsubishi aren’t alone in using a bought-in double-DIN media and navigation unit, but they always seem less integrated with the car. In this case, I found reaching through the steering wheel to press the button in the middle of the instrument binnacle to cycle through the modes of the simple computer, a bit of a retro throwback.
I was also amused to find the same 2WD/4WD indicator that was in my much loved 2001 Shogun!
The media unit itself was reasonably comprehensive and I got used to it quickly enough. I was delighted to find it had a proper volume control knob, unlike a lot of touch-screen equipped vehicles these days. The steering wheel controls also worked well and could actually be reached by normal sized thumbs.
The up to date 178bhp engine was one of the highlights of this car. It pulled well at various engine speeds and I quite liked the slightly grumbly exhaust note. Its nice when all diesel vehicles don’t sounds like taxis or Transit vans.
Speaking of sound, the vehicle I had on test had a rather unwelcome whistle of wind-noise, but I presume that could be tackled under warranty.
Economy was also the best of the various pickups I have recently driven. None of them ever seem to get close to manufacturers’ claims, but I did get over 40mpg on one drive and was safely achieving mid-thirties on longer trips.
Living with the car was very interesting for me. I have had a series of 4×4’s since 2001 and at times abused them so much with various DIY/building projects that I have thought about whether a pickup would be more appropriate. The realities are that pickups are long, very long -see above photo. Yet you can’t put anything long in them. Unless you have a good quality top for the load area, you also cannot secure anything out of sight. Even if you do, it is going to rattle around the cargo space like dice in a cup unless you can tie it all down. However if you need to move a big old dirty square thing, or are fed up trying to protect the beautifully carpeted interior of your SUV or estate from all the car parts or fire wood you carry around, then its ideal.
Its a case of horses for courses….of course.
I’m surprised to report that driving the L200 was a bit of a disappointment. The engine was good, but I found, as did a couple of my colleagues, the L200 to be a dynamic disappointment. It was imprecise on the road. Keeping it straight in a motorway lane was much more difficult then it should have been for a car designed to work all day. Perhaps it was the combination of a very torquey engine and a manual gearbox, but I got so fed up of lighting up the rear tyres that I switched it to four wheel drive mode and left it there, regardless of conditions or economy. I also found the ABS to be engaging more than I expected. Again I would point out that I was running the L200 unladen, and it is designed to carry a load around, but it was still disappointing and didn’t compare very well to other pickups recently driven.
On the plus side, it feels nicely proportioned from the driving seat compared to most others. It is in fact 5-13cm narrower than the rest of the field, with very little difference in capacity.
In summary, I think the L200 will be an economical to buy and economical to run choice by comparison to a lot of its rivals. It comes with a good warranty and a modern drive-train. It is comfortable and well-equipped. The looks aren’t for everyone and it’s not the most relaxed-driving long distance cruiser, but it does the job well.
PRICE: ÂŁ23,549 CV (ÂŁ28,258 inc tax, ÂŁ430 for metallic paint)
ENGINE: 2442cc, 4 cylinder, common rail diesel with turbocharger
POWER: 181 PS
TORQUE: 317 lb ft
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 111 mph, 0-62 mph 10.4 secs
CONSUMPTION: 39.8 mpg (offical combined)
CO2: 186 g/km
TT Rating: 
