Mitsubishi Grandis automatic 2004 review

So the TV commercial says, anyway. All cars now, it seems, have to be "sexy". Even those designed specially for those who have "been there, done that".

I don't know about making me want to start a family. Actually, I do know. I don't want another family. I already have my "little people". Now I just need to move them – plus all their mates who invariably tag along.

This is where the Grandis comes in very handy. It's a seven-seat people mover. But not your average box-shaped, slam-the-sliding-door kind of van. It's still long and wide – hence the name, I guess – but it's been slicked up with sleek lines, cool lights (even on the side mirrors) and a pointy front end. The dash is all swirls and waves. I'm sure it's very feng shui, but it's huge. This is the Mr Big of dashes.

There's no hope of reaching the front window. It's one of the few times that wheel-mounted radio controls would have come in handy. Pity there weren't any.

A few funky additions to the Grandis are the pull-up tray tables in the back of the front seats. You could be forgiven for thinking you're in a plane – except there's much more room in this people mover.

And the gearshift lever is plonked right in the middle of the dash. Now that's cool.

On the practical side, the Grandis is powered by a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder with a four-speed auto transmission. It puts out (see, there's another reference to sex) 121kW at 6000rpm with 217Nm on tap at 4000rpm. In Girl Torque, that means there's plenty of oomph to get you up any hill ... even with half the footy team on board.

Parking is a daunting prospect ... it's a long way to the back window when you're looking in the rear-view mirror. But it's actually quite easy, thanks again to the light steering and a tight turning circle. All those parental chores like ferrying the kids to footy become easy thanks to a versatile seating plan.

Bucket seats offer all the comfort you need up front. The second row of seats splits 60/40 and also reclines – just in case the kids need a quick kip on the way to the game. The third row of seats, which splits 50/50, is optional. Either sit them up for the tag-along tacklers or leave them folded flat and take advantage of all the room for footy bags, boots, jackets and other paraphernalia you might need.

And when you're at the big game ... flip the rear seats to face out, lift the back hatch and watch in comfort and out of the rain.