Staff Writers
20 Nov 2005
3 min read

As I slowed at some South Rd lights in my glitzy gold Mitsubishi 380 VRX, a pedestrian peered through the windows to check out who had bought a piece of South Australia's automotive future. He almost applauded me and I felt like a phony for being a freeloader, not a buyer. After all, there's a lot riding on the 380.

No doubt from the hundreds of centimetres already written about Mitsubishi's new wonder in this newspaper, you already know that.

Let's be honest. Mitsubishi's 380 is a six-cylinder car marketing itself to a suddenly fuel-price-conscious audience. Timing, and other reasons, make this an underdog model launching from behind the eightball. But, in true V6 style, the 380 performs like a mini muscle car, offering more power and prowess on open roads than your average four-cylinder sedan.

Pickup at the lights is responsive and a smooth gearbox would impress the fussiest Fangio.

Leather trim and dashboard features are over and above what is expected of its mid-$30,000 price tag, which cleverly undercuts its Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore rivals.

I was expecting to set heads turning by driving such a rare and new gem, but the 380 just didn't have the wow power to make it stand out from the crowd.

The tail-lights, in my opinion, have a detracting tacky, plastic cheapness. Internally, blue dashboard lights are unappealing and graphics on a large, dash-mounted LCD screen are pretty but pointless.

While I'm nitpicking, the boot is cavernous but the opening to it is less generous and makes loading a pram difficult.

However, easy access to anchor points in the cabin make fitting a toddler seat child's play and there are oodles of airbags to make passengers feel safe.

The only other detraction would be the lack of a rear-window wiper. Recent unseasonal downpours and a steep gradient to the rear window ensured that a clear vision out the back was sometimes tricky.

And fuel economy? The 380's thirstier than some of its rivals, touting a 11.4 litre/100km fuel use, or closer to 12.2 litre/100km for those who drive less smoothly.

Mitsubishi's 380 may just turn the right patriotic heads to buy a family car competitively priced in its class. But for the Euro-car design snobs among us, designers have a lot more work to do.

Love it leave itĀ 

Mitsubishi 380 VRX

Love it

Leather trim.

Sunvisor extensions.

Slick gear change.

Easy-to-access child seat anchor point.

Back-seat leg room.

Zoomy takeoff at the lights.

Leave itĀ 

Aircraft-carrier turning circle.

Fuel economy.

Plastic tail-lights.

Awkward boot entry.

Tacky blue dashboard lights and graphics.

Mitsubishi 380 2005: Ls

Engine Type V6, 3.8L
Fuel Type Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency 10.8L/100km (combined)
Seating 5
Price From $3,410 - $5,390

Pricing Guides

$5,061
Based on 10 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months.
LOWEST PRICE
$2,990
HIGHEST PRICE
$7,999
Staff Writers
The CarsGuide team of car experts is made up of a diverse array of journalists, with combined experience that well and truly exceeds a century. We live with the cars we test, weaving them into our family lives to highlight any strenghts and weaknesses to help you make the right choice when buying a new or used car. We also specialise in adventure to help you get off the beaten track and into the great outdoors, along with utes and commercial vehicles, performance cars and motorsport to cover all ends of the automotive spectrum. Tune in for our weekly podcast to get to know the personalities behind the team, or click on a byline to learn more about any of our authors.
About Author
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.
Pricing Guide
$2,990
Lowest price, based on CarsGuide listings over the last 6 months.
For more information on
2005 Mitsubishi 380
See Pricing & Specs
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