Mitsubishi Grandis (2004 – 2010) Review

Mitsubishi Grandis (2004 – 2010) At A Glance

3/5

+Striking-looking, roomy seven-seater with stacks of kit. Clever design details make it a versatile, practical carrier of people or cargo.

-Not as agile as a Mazda5 or S-MAX but more roomy.

On average it achieves 91% of the official MPG figure

It's longer than a Galaxy, but shorter than a Mondeo estate. So this is a big MPV, a class above the excellent Mazda 5 and head to head against the Toyota Avensis Verso rather then the Corolla Verso.

It looks really good. Long and sleek, rather than tall and boxy. One of the few MPVs you might consider on appearance alone.

 

Mitsubishi Grandis (2004 – 2010) handling and engines

With VAG's 134bhp 2.0 TDI pumpe duse engine hauling 1,710 kilograms, performance isn't scintillating. But it's not slow either. 0-60 in 10.5 seconds and 121mph top speed are a fair bit quicker than the average bus. 6 speeds keep the engine on the boil. And it doesn't display any of the unruly sudden delivery of maximum torque that can spin the front wheels of some lighter VAG cars.

Obviously you can't step out of an EVI IX FQ340 and expect the same sort of handling from a Grandis. But actually a low centre of gravity keeps roll understeer (the enemy of most MPVs) well under control. The steering has reasonable feel, too. So though it's not as agile as a Mazda 6, it's pretty good and doesn't chuck any custard pies at you half way round a corner.

Not exactly cheap, though. With a starter price of £19,699, rising to £23,699 for the DVD equipped Warrior we were in, the Grandis is up there in Espace, Previa and Voyager territory.

But it's far more carlike than any of these. And by proving that a 7 seater with luggage space doesn't have to look or drive like a minibus, it deserves a place on any large family's list.

 

Engine MPG 0-62 CO2
2.0 DI-D 43 mpg 10.8 s 176 g/km
2.4 30 mpg 10.0 s 223 g/km

Real MPG average for the Mitsubishi Grandis (2004 – 2010)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

91%

Real MPG

21–44 mpg

MPGs submitted

20

Mitsubishi Grandis (2004 – 2010) interior

Dimensions
Length 4765 mm
Width 1795 mm
Height 1655–1690 mm
Wheelbase 2830 mm

Full specifications

The practicalities are pretty good too. Like the outgoing Space Wagon, it has a ‘slide across' cab. The gearshift sprouts from the dash, but unlike the Galaxy and C-Max there's no Ford console to lift your legs over so you can easily slide over and get out of the front passenger door.

The rearmost seats, dubbed ‘Hide and Seat' by Mitsubishi are full of tricks. You can flip them up out of a well that then leaves space for luggage, Honda Shuttle style. But they can also be folded to provide a pair of spectator seats under the hatchback for British sporting events when it rains. No backbreaking job, either. The seats are cleverly counterbalanced so all of this is relatively effortless.

When facing forwards, there's toe room under the seats in front and with a bit of co-operation from their occupants, they can be slid forward a bit to give more legroom. And the backrests of the rearmost seats recline, so they are far from the 3rd class 6th and 7th dwarf perches of some 7-seaters.

Access to the rearmost seats is good because the centre row slides all the way forward. But the side doors aren't slide doors. They open conventionally.

 

Mitsubishi Grandis (2004 – 2010) models and specs

Dimensions
Length 4765 mm
Width 1795 mm
Height 1655–1690 mm
Wheelbase 2830 mm
Miscellaneous
Kerb Weight 1645–1710 kg
Boot Space 320–1545 L
Warranty 3 years
Servicing 9000–12500 miles
Costs
List Price £16,637–£23,449
Insurance Groups -
Road Tax Bands I–K
Official MPG 30.1–42.8 mpg
Euro NCAP Safety Ratings
Adult -
Child -
Pedestrian -
Overall -

On sale until December 2009

People Carrier
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.0 DI-D Elegance 5dr £22,499 42.8 mpg 10.8 s
2.0 DI-D Equippe 5dr £19,999 42.8 mpg 10.8 s

On sale until December 2008

People Carrier
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.0 DI-D Warrior 5dr £21,531 42.8 mpg 10.8 s
2.4 Classic 5dr £16,637 30.1 mpg 10.0 s
2.4 Classic 5dr Auto £16,637 - -
2.4 Equippe 5dr Auto £19,280 - -
2.4 Warrior 5dr Auto £21,531 - -

On sale until July 2007

People Carrier
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.0 DI-D Classic 5dr £19,914 42.8 mpg 10.8 s
2.0 DI-D Elegance 5dr £23,314 42.8 mpg 10.8 s
2.4 Elegance 5dr Auto £23,449 - -

Model History

May 2003

Good looking seven-seat MPV launched onto Japanese market

4,755 mm long, 1,655 mm high.

July 2004

On sale in UK priced £18,499-£22,999

Has new 2.4litre 165bhp MIVEC petrol engine and choice of manual transmission or INVECS II 4-speed automatic with sports mode. VAG's 140PS 2.0 litre 16v PD diesel offered as an alternative engine from 2005.

Mitsubishi’s new "Hide & Seat™" is rear row of seats can be individually folded away into the floor in a simple operation that takes seconds. This feature creates extra luggage capacity without the problems of folding, removing, carrying and storing heavy seats. Can also be reclined or flipped back into 'spectator seats' facing out of the rear hatch.

With second and third row of seats folded in place, 1,545 litres of cargo capacity is available. All Mitsubishi Grandis models with come laden with specification and important safety features including ABS, EBD (electronic brakeforce distribution), driver and passenger front and side airbags plus curtain airbags for the first and second rows of seats.

At £18,499 for manual and £19,499 for automatic transmission, Grandis Classic comes with a host of equipment as standard including 17" alloy wheels, single CD player, keyless entry and alarm, automatic air conditioning, front fog lamps, rear spoiler, electronic door mirrors and height adjustable driver’s seat with armrest.

Grandis Equippe, priced at £20,499 for manual and £21,499 for automatic, gains stability and traction control, dual sunroof, cruise control, leather steering wheel and shift knob plus a CD autochanger.

Top specification Grandis Elegance also has leather for £21,999 with manual transmission and £22,999 with automatic transmission.

New 2.4 litre SOHC 16 valve 4 cylinder powerplant equipped with Mitsubishi’s innovative MIVEC variable timing system, developing 165bhp @ 6,000 rpm and 217 Nm @ 4,000 rpm. Top speed 124mph (118mph with automatic), does 0-60 in 9.7 seconds (11.4 Seconds with the auto) and has combined fuel consumption of 30.4mpg or 9.3 litres/100km (28.5mpg or 9.9 litres/100km for the auto). Manual version drives well. Step through driver's cab. Not a direct replacement for Space Wagon.

September 2005

Diesel option added

VAG 2.0 TDI 16v 134bhp diesel option at £19,699 to £23,699. 134bhp at 4,000rpm and 310Nm at 1,750rpm. 6-speed manual gearbox gives a maximum speed of 121mph, a 0-60 dash of 10.5 seconds and, most importantly, a combined fuel consumption figure of 43mpg.

What to watch out for

01-01-0001:

One report of early breakage of clutch release fork, damaging the clutch and necessitating a £750 full replacement clutch. (Clutch kit alone is £400.)

27-06-2014:

Problems reported with EGR and possibly glowplugs of 69k mile 2005 Mitsubishi Grandis with the 2.0 litre VAG TDI engine.