LDV D90 vs Mitsubishi Express

What's the difference?

It’s pretty hard to miss the LDV D90.

Mainly because it is gigantic; it's one of the biggest SUVs you can buy. In fact, I’d say what’s drawn you to this review is maybe you’ve seen one of these behemoths trucking past, and you’re wondering what the LDV badge is all about and how this relatively unknown SUV stands up against popular rivals and other notable newcomers.

To get one confusing thing out of the way, LDV once stood for Leyland DAF Vans, a now-defunct British company which has been brought back to life by none other than China’s SAIC Motor – yes, the same one which also resurrected MG.

So, is this MG big brother worth looking into? We took the recently released diesel version of the D90 on test for a week to seek some answers…

It has been a while since we’ve seen a Mitsubishi Express van on sale in Australia, and the one that has just launched here is a very different offering to its predecessor.

That’s because you could cover the tri-diamond badges on the grille or back door of the new 2020 Mitsubishi Express and be fooled into thinking that you’re looking at a Renault Trafic. Because you are.

The Express is a direct bi-product of the Alliance between Renault and Mitsubishi, and just like the Trafic, it’s made in France, at Renault’s Sandouville plant. 

This isn’t a comparison - the headline isn’t Mitsubishi Express vs Renault Trafic - but the question is: why would you choose one over the other?

You’d be correct in assessing this as an exercise in badge engineering - Mitsubishi calls it “branded product” - but it could well be that you’d choose an Express because Mitsubishi has a broader network of dealers (186 at the time of writing, versus Renault’s 56), not to mention the potential for major fleet discounts and an upstream ute alternative in the Triton that helps the brand “offer the complete LCV solution”. Renault, you could counter, has a smaller and larger van for its own “LCV solution”. 

There’s more to consider, including ownership, safety and value for money - read on for all the details.