Is Mitsubishi L200 pick-up worth buying? Let’s read this Mitsubishi L200 pick-up review.
The models 4Life, Trojan, Warrior, Barbarian, and Barbarian X are all part of the L200 line. Since the 4Life is the most practical model, it is the only one that is also offered in Club Cab and Double Cab body styles, while the rest of the lineup only comes in a four-door Double Cab. There is also the limited edition L200 Challenger, which sits between the Warrior and Barbarian models and is a high-spec, value-oriented model based on the Series 5 L200.
Overview
A predecessor that was our favorite pickup in its class was replaced by the sixth-generation Mitsubishi L200. With competitors like the talented Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara, Toyota Hilux, and even the upscale Volkswagen Amarok, this is no easy feat.
A 40-year pickup heritage certainly helps Mitsubishi, and the most recent L200 shows a strong hand in nearly every area. It is reasonably priced, well-equipped, and drives well. It can handle the demands of a difficult life and overcome the majority of obstacles that are thrown at it.
The L200 cannot, however, be purchased brand-new any longer because Mitsubishi has left the UK and the rest of Europe. While aftersales (service, maintenance, and parts) has been absorbed by the business that provides the same services to Subaru owners, dealers may still have some inventory for a short while.
Despite still being largely based on the same underpinnings, the L200 stands out among tough versions of the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok thanks to its striking appearance. Many things have changed, including the suspension, brakes, and engine. The current engine is a 2.3-liter diesel with 148 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque that can tow 3,500 kilograms and return up to 31.1 mpg. It is available with a brand-new six-speed automatic transmission. When there is no cargo to stabilize the load bed, the ride is more controlled thanks to the updated suspension, which also results in less pogoing from the back wheels.
A Double Cab, which has four doors and space for five passengers inside, is a standard feature of all L200 models, with the exception of the entry-level “4 Life” model. The load bed can accommodate 1,080kg of cargo, and it is reasonably roomy. Top Barbarian and Barbarian X trims add luxuries you might not anticipate in a commercial vehicle, like heated steering wheels and leather upholstery. With the arrival of more sophisticated equipment like autonomous emergency braking, safety has also increased.
Pros
- Well equipped
- Competitively priced
- Good to drive
Cons
- Ponderous in town
- Mediocre interior design
- Limited engine range
MPG, CO2, And Running Costs
A MIVEC variable valve-timing advanced common-rail turbo diesel engine, an aluminum cylinder block, and numerous other weight-saving design elements are included in the Mitsubishi L200. It’s a remarkably high-tech component to find in a pickup truck and it offers reliable, if not exceptional, fuel efficiency.
The L200 4Life versions have a 32.8 mpg claimed fuel economy based on WLTP testing. If you choose the automatic, the combined cycle performance falls to 29.1 mpg, which is roughly on par with competitors like the Nissan Navara. We were able to get 31.4 mpg out of the engine in real-world testing. In the 4Life and auto models, the CO2 emissions are 198g/km and 206g/km, respectively.
Although the L200’s 75-litre fuel tank isn’t quite as large as those found in the VW Amarok or Ford Ranger (both of which have 80-litre tanks), long distance trips between fill-ups shouldn’t be a problem.
The L200 was designed to be durable and have low repair and maintenance costs. Mitsubishi provides a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty in addition to a 5-year/62,000-mile warranty to demonstrate its confidence in its goods. However, service intervals are set to occur every 12,500 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first.
In addition, the L200’s 12,500-mile service intervals are more frequent than those of the Ford Ranger, which can travel 20,000 miles between repairs. Mitsubishi’s £750 three-year service agreement isn’t as good of a deal as the four-year plan Volkswagen offers for the Amarok. However, Ford’s maintenance agreement is more expensive, costing £850 for routine maintenance over three years.
Engines, Drive & Performance
Despite having many similarities to the previous Mitsubishi L200, the new model has a very different driving experience. To make it feel more like an SUV than ever, the suspension has been completely redesigned and the turbocharged diesel engine has been replaced.
The 2.3-litre diesel, which is a little bit smaller than before, will sound a little gruff if you’ve just gotten out of a crossover but isn’t too bad for the engine in a pickup. Although 148bhp may seem inadequate for a two-tonne pickup, it is supported by a strong 400Nm of torque that is available at low revs. Due to its easy acceleration and ability to cruise with little wind noise on the freeway, the L200 doesn’t feel out of place at all.
The L200 feels its size in an urban setting because of the steering’s weight and ponderousness, and the automatic gearbox’s jerky shifts. Overall, it’s a decent vehicle to drive, only slightly falling short of the Ford Ranger.
It has the tools to perform well off-road thanks to its selectable four-wheel drive, high and low gearing, hill descent control, and locking central differential. This is important because, in contrast to the majority of SUVs, many pickup trucks will actually be used on muddy construction sites and farmer’s fields.
Load Space And Practicality
The L200’s overall dimensions are a little smaller than those of many of its main competitors, especially in terms of width, and the Series 6 is slightly smaller than the Series 5. It is, however, one of the most useful pick-ups available.
With dimensions of 5,225 mm in length and 1,815 mm in width, the double-cab truck is 134 mm and 45 mm narrower than a Volkswagen Amarok and an Isuzu D-Max, respectively. Despite this, it doesn’t really reveal anything about capacity. On the other hand, the Toyota Hilux is a little more useful.
The well-known double-cab L200 has an open load bay at the back that is 1,470 mm square and 475 mm deep. The load bed has six load lashing points and grooves that enable it to be divided into separate sections for the cargo. On more expensive models, a step is carved out of the rear bumper, and a new tailgate mechanism is made to stop the gate from opening and falling over when the lock is off, which is a common hazard on other pickup truck models. Additionally, Barbarian derivatives have a soft-opening tailgate with a gas strut that lowers the door gradually as opposed to slamming it open.
The maximum payload capacity for the 4Life club cab is 1,080 kg, for manual double-cab models it is 1,045 kg, and for automatic versions it can reach 1,075 kg. Most importantly, pick-ups qualify for lower commercial vehicle company car tax rates when their weight exceeds the magic 1,000 kg mark. Only with a three-axle trailer can owners who need to move more cargo attach a braked trailer up to 3,500g in weight. A commendable 750 kg can be towed unimpeded.
To meet most needs, Mitsubishi offers a range of load bed covers. Both the common roll-top cover and hinged hard covers that open on gas struts can be specified to fit trucks with or without roll hoops. Truck tops can expand the load area, but they also make it more difficult to see out the back. For this reason, it’s helpful that the majority of L200s come equipped with a reversing camera as standard.
Interior & Comfort
It’s fair to say that the L200’s interior is a bit of a mixed bag, but Mitsubishi has made efforts to improve the experience for both drivers and passengers. A more comfortable ride is provided by the new suspension system, but some interior features fall flat. At least many luxuries are available, such as a heated steering wheel.
Mitsubishi L200 Dashboard
Since the majority of the fifth L200’s interior has been carried over to the newest model, anyone who is familiar with it will feel right at home. Along with a number of apps and a 360-degree camera view, it also has a touchscreen infotainment system with a somewhat dim screen. Additional information is provided by a new color display between the instrument dials, and the dashboard’s switches are clear and simple to use.
Equipment
Starting with the practical 4 Life models that come with electric windows, Bluetooth, alloy wheels, and cruise control, there should be a version of the L200 to suit almost everyone. Additional comforts are added with the Warrior trim, such as a rearview camera, keyless entry, LED headlights, and dual-zone climate control. With an off-road mode, 18-inch wheels, a soft-opening tailgate, and illuminated door sills, the Barbarian trim is comparable to the Ranger’s Wildtrak trim. The Barbarian X adds a 360-degree parking view, leather seats, and a heated steering wheel.
Options
Picking the trim level with the kit that suits you is the best course of action when there are so many trim levels available, especially now that you can’t order an L200 straight from the factory. However, there are a number of genuine accessories available, including chrome roll bars, tow bars, and hard tops for the load bed.
Reliability And Safety
Although Mitsubishi tried to give the most recent L200 SUV appeal, it was still designed to be tough first and foremost. Due to the Series 6’s close similarities to the Series 5, which received a four-star Euro NCAP safety rating in 2015, the L200 provides at least as much occupant protection in a crash as its competitors. While the most recent version has not undergone Euro NCAP testing, the addition of automatic emergency braking has raised the bar for fundamental safety and assistance features.
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The rest of the lineup’s standard safety features are adequate for the pick-up class, and the L200 offers a number of cutting-edge active safety features that are typically found on passenger cars but haven’t quite made it to the pick-up market yet.
Individual wheels can be braked by the stability and traction control system to correct understeer and oversteer while directing power to the wheels with the most grip. Seven airbags, a variable speed limiter, and Trailer Stability Assist—a stability control system addition that modifies its responses when a trailer is attached—are all included as standard equipment. On Warrior trim and higher, lane-departure warning is standard (although it defaults to on each time you start the truck and is a little too sensitive to road markings, so the beeps can become annoying), and hill descent control is standard on Barbarian trucks. Choose a Barbarian X L200, and the “Safety Pack” is included as standard. This has a 360-degree camera, automatic high beams, corner sensors, blind spot warning, and rear cross traffic alert.
How Does The L200 Perform In The City?
Due to the L200’s narrow body and ability to quickly change directions, rural roads and urban areas are a delight in pickup terms. Ruts at higher speeds produce a fair amount of noise and body movement, but nothing that is so severe as to throw you off your course, and the front two-piston brake calipers and large discs allow for powerful, easily controlled braking.
You feel so directly in control of the L200 that there is little question as to where the limits are, in contrast to the detached feeling of some pickups.
Although unpleasant ruts can shake passengers, a pickup’s body roll is relatively low, so they won’t be violently thrown around in sharp turns. Even without a load in the back, the low-speed ride is actually quite good, with sharp bumps being well-isolated, and the typical pickup hop at the back occurring in only a small number of circumstances. But as you start to go faster, this will come back.
Finding a 5.3m space for parking is not difficult. Large mirrors aid in judging the back, which is marginally easier to see than in the previous model thanks to squared-off tail lights.
Although the reversing camera on the less expensive Warrior models should be sufficient for most drivers, the 360-degree camera and front and rear parking sensors on the top-of-the-line Barbarian X are useful. Although the rear does need to be watched in tight turns due to the relatively long front overhang, this is typically the case with pickups.
What Is The L200 Like Off-road?
Due to a set of mechanical elements that haven’t undergone much change, the L200 already had good off-road performance. However, a few changes have made things more accessible and convenient. All models benefit from raised side-steps that are wider and flatter underneath. These features improve breakover clearance, increase sill protection, and make it simpler to step into the cab.
A sturdy front guard, some plastic engine and gearbox protection, incredibly strong chassis rails, a robust front suspension, and protection for the propshaft coupling and transfer case are all present underneath. Even the AdBlue tank, which is located directly behind the vehicle and is encircled by the under-run bar and spare wheel, is well-protected.
Although it is accurate on the road, the low-geared steering has little kickback and is simple to hold on rough surfaces. However, because there are so many turns between locks, it is easy to lose sight of what is directly in front of you. As you can keep both hands on the wheel while changing gear, the paddleshifters are especially useful when driving off-road.
A set of off-road modes that adjust the throttle sensitivity, gearing, and traction assistance for various surfaces are included in higher-specified models in addition to the standard low-range transmission setting. Hill descent control is also an unusual feature of these vehicles and operates at speeds up to 12 mph that the driver chooses, as opposed to a fixed speed set by the manufacturer. The combination is very impressive; however, the proper diff-lock and low-range mode must be chosen beforehand.
The L200 has sufficient control for expert off-roaders and enough capability and technology for novices as well.
Which L200 Gearbox Is The Best?
We see no reason not to choose the automatic, especially given how useful the manual override is—either through the gearlever or large, simple paddles. Also impressive is the car’s engine braking.
If you choose a manual transmission, the shift will be slow and tedious, though refinement has improved.
How Does The L200 Perform When Driving On A Highway?
The six-speed auto’s gearing keeps things under control once you reach cruising speed, despite the fact that the 2.3-litre engine works harder than the 2.4-litre engine from the previous generation. When traveling at 40 mph, there is a sweet spot for wind, engine, and road noise. If you increase speed gradually, the engine noise is kept to a minimum.
The gearbox is quick to change, so even slight inclines will cause a drop from top gear. However, if you’re heavy with your right foot it’s surprisingly vocal. Wind and road noise at 70 mph are acceptable for a pickup, but not as refined as some competitors.
Despite previous generations’ inability to conceal how light the back is when empty, the L200 is now remarkably stable and relatively composed under hard braking. Although the reprofiled, flatter, and larger mirrors actually give a great view of the road behind, the blind-spot monitoring on Barbarian X models is effective.
Conclusion: Mitsubishi L200 Review
The L200 is the gold standard for pick-up affordability, which contributes to its success as an alternative to a traditional car. Competitors who are better geared are more expensive. Spend less, but refinement, handling, or off-road capability will suffer. That’s still the case, though there’s been a realignment of trim levels – not all of which are helpful…
For instance, the Barbarian X is required to have the 360-degree camera, blindspot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and low-speed ultrasonic mis-acceleration system that prevents running into objects from a stop. It also comes with a lot of extra bling, including LED foglights and interior mood lighting, as well as genuinely comfortable seats, a heated steering wheel, and all-around parking sensors.
Despite the trim changes, the 2019 Mitsubishi L200 is still a better pick-up and a better car than the outgoing model, though some of the old model’s lively, sporty vibe has been lost.