Mitsubishi Grandis 2004 News

Not bad eh?A fairly aggressive face, high sides, swooping roofline, curved glass and a quite spectacular rear end complete with bumper to roof LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting. Woohoo.Nice one Olly.Grandis even grabs some fleeting looks from pavement punters who normally wouldn't look twice at people mover.And the inside is even better looking and functional as well. A dust and pollen filter built into the ventilation system also has a deodorising function.This is the sort of stuff Mitsubishi needs to come up with to meet its competition.Grandis joins a growing fleet of new people movers that could rekindle interest in the genre.It's 44 grand which is still stretching the budget but is fairly close to its main competition, Honda's base- model Odyssey and not forgetting the Ford Territory rear wheel drive that are around 39 grand.Grandis has seven seats arranged in three rows with multiple adjustments and configurations in the rear compartment. The back row can be completely stowed in the floor and the middle row slides forward and folds out of the way.Heck, you can even lift the tailgate at the footy or drive in movies (do they still exist), turn the rear seats around and watch grandstand style.Grandis has good performance from its 121kW/ 217Nm, 2.4-litre, four cylinder engine and whizzes along with nary a noise or vibe at all speeds despite its 1660kgs. The engine has variable valve timing to optimise performance, response and fuel economy. An average 10.5 litres/100km is within easy striking distance with mixed driving but that is with only a few on board. With seven, it would no doubt consume more.Drive goes to the front wheels via a four speed automatic transmission that is both smooth shifting and quite adept when you need instant response. A tipshift "manual" function is provided but is essentially superfluous. Money would be better spent on an extra cog rather than the tipshift.The ride and handling package impresses for such a vehicle. It's comfortable and controlled sailing over rough roads without bucking and hanging in there through tight sections. Quite unexpected when you think it is after all, a people mover.There is plenty of luxury and safety equipment including multiple air bags, efficient climate-control air, ABS and electronic brake force distribution.Grandis marks the end of the road for Nimbus and Starwagon.

Sales soared and Toyota went all the way with a chisel-nosed Tarago that was the class act of the field.Every big brand had some sort of people mover for drivers with more than four in the family. Some called them, unkindly, Catholic vans.But they were mostly just converted delivery vans with three rows of seats, built to a price and with little concern for safety, comfort or equipment. A head-on crash meant the driver's legs would be first on the scene.People movers have never really recovered from the backlash against those evil originals, and the rise and rise of four-wheel-drives has also made life tough.Some people just don't want to be seen in a boring, boxy people mover, even if the newest of the breed are morphing into crossover cars that do more with less.The latest Mitsubishi Grandis and the Honda Odyssey point to the future. They're shorter and smoother but still pack lots of positions and choices into the cabin.They could spark a revival, particularly if petrol prices put real pressure on hulking seven-seat four-wheel-drives, but the current sales figures don't suggest that will happen soon.Kia sold 461 of its class-leading Carnivals in July to take its year-to-date total to 3199, but that was nearly half the total number of people movers, only 8579 going on to Australian roads in the first seven months. In contrast, big sixes totalled 103,677.People movers still fill a role, particularly if you really need to carry a lot of people for more than a sprint to the shops.Most carry seven in reasonable comfort. Among the official people movers, only the Volkswagen Kombi is rated as a nine-seater. The pricey Toyota Tarago and VW Caravelle seat eight.Still, people movers have come a long way on safety, comfort, refinement and equipment, and the benchmark Honda Odyssey is set for a huge sales rise very soon.A PEOPLE mover is no longer a box on wheels, nor is it an embarrassment to its occupants.The new Ford Territory is hot, and happily carries seven people if fitted with the rear seat. A Holden Crewman combines work-and-play duties, and the Toyota Kluger is a seven-seat family van disguised as an all-wheel-drive.Families want a vehicle that sits between traditional passenger car and hulking bush basher, and carmakers are rushing to fill the void.In coming years we can expect a rush of crossover vehicles that will blur the lines between traditional market segments.The Territory is already doing the job of an old-fashioned Falcon, albeit one dressed up in a macho body with a high-rider seating position, a classy finish and plenty of equipment and versatility. Luggage space is tight with the third row of seats up, and access to those seats could be easier, but it is a winner with families.The Crewman, the Cross8 in particular, is aimed at part-time parents who want family wheels with a bit of excitement. The upright back seat isn't all that comfortable, but the person making the buying decision – and using a Crewman for work – will be sitting up front.1. Honda OdysseyLowdown: Attractive body and Honda quality boosted by a top-value price.Verdict: The smooth new Honda shows how people movers should be done.Plus: Refined, classy, good looking.Minus: Not a huge amount of space.Rating: 18/20THE newest member of the Honda family is more quality stuff from the company that gave us the pace-setting Accord Euro. It comes with only seven seats, but that's no real handicap because the 2.4-litre engine has 118kW of power and impressive response. Letdowns are suspension that thumps over bumps, child-seat anchor points in the ceiling block the rear view, and loss of the V6. But to cap the action and really rattle its rivals, prices open at $38,790 and the fully loaded luxury model is $45,290.2. Chrysler VoyagerLowdown: The incredible hulk of the people-mover class is the one to buy if you have a big family and equally large budget.Verdict: An American "minivan" that's great for heavyweight hauling.Plus: Roomy and versatile, with V6 power.Minus: Costly, and not the best right-hand-drive conversion.Rating: 17/20THE American carmaker says this is the Rolls-Royce of people movers. There's space for seven with innovative roll-out rear seats and armrests in the front. The 3.3-litre V6 is punchy, if a little thirsty. Also available in a long-wheelbase model and all-wheel-drive. Prices start at $53,490 (SE model), step up to $59,090 for the long-wheelbase machine and go all the way to $78,590 for the fully loaded four-wheel-drive.3. Holden ZafiraLowdown: The innovative Holden was developed in Europe for three-row family work and Opel's original has been smartly tweaked for Australian sales.Verdict: Not the biggest of the bunch, but a good drive for smaller families.Plus: A good drive with impressive quality.Minus: Poor space in the tail, second-row bench has to slide forward for access to back seats.Rating: 16/20THE Zafira is close in concept to the now-dead Mitsubishi Nimbus, with a compact body that has Tardis-style third-row seating. It has excellent suspension tuning and good punch from its 2.2-litre four. The price is pretty nice, too, at $32,890, and the TV commercial with a youngster sketching on a baby is one of our favourites.MITSUBISHI GRANDISRating: 16/20Price: $43,990Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinderSMOOTH lines, nicely built and well equipped, but hit hard when the Odyssey arrived. Definitely worth a look for those dollars.MAZDA MPVRating: 15/20Price: $50,665Engine: 3.0-litre V6THE multi-purpose vehicle has been left behind by the zoom-zoom models in the Mazda family. Quality is impressive and it drives nicely, but few people seem to want a Mazda people mover.TOYOTA AVENSISRating: 15/20Price: $43,100Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinderNICE to drive with good access for kids in back, but minimal luggage space with third row up. Too costly for what it is, and shows Toyota doesn't really care about people movers in 2004.TOYOTA TARAGORating: 15/20Price: from $52,460Engine: 2.4-litre fourTHE faded former champion. Still has a great name. Desperately needs a V6 engine to justify prices that go up to $72,620.VOLKSWAGEN CARAVELLERating: 15/20Price: From $59,990Engine: 2.8-litre V6BOTH Volkswagens are in a run-out situation, with no turbodiesels left. The new turbodiesel T5 could be the pick for long-distance families.HYUNDAI TRAJETRating: 15/20Price: From $32,990Engine: 2.7-litre V6ONE of the newer models in the Hyundai family, and punchy with its V6 motivation. The price is good but it shapes as a big-box deal for people who are more worried about practicality than quality.VOLKSWAGEN KOMBIRating: 14/20Price: $39,990Engine: 2.5-litre four cylinderTHE Kombi has a great name and drives better than you'd expect, with austere but quality finishing. Not as flashy as some.KIA CARNIVALRating: 14/20Price: $29,990Engine: 2.5-litre V6THE easy sales leader but doing it on value. Is much like its Hyundai twin but with a little more equipment and a price that makes it a real winner.MERCEDES-BENZ VITOArriving early next yearPrice: TBAEngines: TBATHE Vito people mover will be available in two models, with the upmarket version getting leather seats and all the fruit. Worth a look.

While Mitsubishi's new Grandis will never be a volume seller it will hold a special place in the company's history.This is the first model of the rest of Mitsubishi's life in Australia. The settling of the Mitsubishi rescue plan and Australia's part in the future guarantees at least a medium-term survival for the local operation. With that resolved the Adelaide-based company has hit the ground running with the Grandis."Grandis is the first all-new global identity product for Australia and it is the first MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve lift and timing Electronic Control)engine in Australia," Mitsubishi Motors Australia president Tom Phillips said at the launch this week."It is the first of our new models this year and while it will not sell in huge numbers it is the catalyst to start some serious brand building."In a market of about 1000 sales a month, the Grandis has been set the task of claiming a 10 per cent share, doubling the sales of the long-serving Nimbus it replaces.Mitsubishi's Chris Maxted explains: "This market is changing, it is evolving and people are not using this type of vehicle in the traditional people-mover sense. They are being used not necessarily because buyers need the seven seats – most have two to three kids – but because of the flexibility. They are a lifestyle choice to serve a variety of weekly needs.¿Maxted says research has shown that more than a fifth of buyers in the segment own large family cars such as Commodore and Falcon while a further 15 per cent are moving up from the medium-car segment as their family grows.The Grandis evolved from the fuel cell Space Liner concept from the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show, the first indication of designer Olivier Boulay's vision for Mitsubishi's family look. A seven-seat low-slung van, it features a "wave" pattern dash with the automatic shifter mounted as part of the centre console. Drive is from a 121kW 2.4-litre four with performance ramped up by Mitsubishi's clever MIVEC technology, which allows a single camshaft to function at three loads, two at low speed below 3500rpm and one at high speed above that range.Mitsubishi's manager of the special projects centre, Rob Chadwick, explains: "It is impressive technology which is not terribly complex yet is very efficient at providing additional performance without an appreciable penalty in fuel economy or emissions."Safety has been high on the design criteria for the Grandis and testing in Japan indicates class-leading performance. "Internal tests to J-NCAP standards returned a six-star performance, the highest available," Chadwick says.That rating is not harmed at all by the standard inclusion of six airbags, including curtains – a first in the people-mover category.The Grandis will be on sale from the end of next week in two models – the Grandis at $45,710 and the Luxury Pack, with alloy wheels, dual sunroof, privacy glass, wood grain and leather trim and extra speakers for an additional $3745.How it drivesIf Mitsubishi's Grandis is an indicator it is a case of back to the future for people movers. While the Grandis is still a substantial hunk of metal – being a genuine seven-seater will do that to a car – the overwhelming impression is one of a large car rather than a small truck.Driver seating is lower than in the previous generation of similar models and the position of the steering more in line with sedan cars than an upright bus position.Seating is comfortable and supportive with most of the controls coming easily to hand, particularly those mounted proud on the waveform console. The radio is more difficult to reach and the lack of even the most basic steering wheel-mounted controls is a shortcoming.The car-like feel of the Grandis translates well to the driving dynamics. There is no hiding the fact that the car is tall and mass is moving around but the overall impression is one of stability and reasonable predictability.The 121kW from the 2.4-litre engine, reached at 6000rpm, puts it at the head of the class for four-cylinder people movers but more important is the fat torque curve.While maximum urge of 217Nm is available at 4000rpm much of that is on tap from about 2000rpm right through to peak power – the major benefit of the MIVEC technology. The INVECS II four-speed automatic showed a reluctance to kick down in full-auto mode but can be driven in tiptronic sports mode when it can be run right to redline without electronic interference.With the three rows of seats deployed there is precious little luggage space available, a common problem in this style of cars, but the seating itself is very flexible.The third row folds completely flat under the floor while the second row folds and slides forward to provide enough room for a couple of bikes and luggage as well.The seats are split 50:50 in the third row and 60:40 in the second to provide the option of a two-one-one seating pattern and room to carry a longer load.