So Mitsubishi hits the mark with Colt

Berlin – For 50 years he was a fixture among small cars and banks for Mitsubishi. The Japanese have never sold more cars than the Colt. That’s why the surprise was even greater when they pulled the dealer from the market in 2012.

Now they’ve found out in Tokyo that was a mistake – and they’re back with the seventh generation Colt. It costs at least 17,590 euros and competes with cars like the VW Polo, Toyota Yaris or Peugeot 208.

This stranger is an old friend

Three diamonds are emblazoned on the front radiator grille and the Mitsubishi lettering extends across the full width of the trunk lid. But the 4.06 meter long five-door car looks suspiciously familiar to the keen observer.

No wonder: Like its big brother the ASX is based on the Renault Captur, the Colt is a Renault Clio in disguise and only the brand logos, letters and LED signatures make the difference.

The developers apologize because it had to be done quickly so that the predecessor was not completely forgotten and customers were not completely wrong in the competition. And it seems nothing more has been possible in the year that has passed since the decision to cooperate was made.

The right choice

But nothing more is needed. After all, they made a good choice on the basis of Colt: It is not for nothing that the Clio is one of the best-selling small cars on the continent. Here and there, with a wheelbase of 2.58 meters, there is enough space in all seats and behind that there is 391 liters of trunk space.

And above all, there is an unusually luxurious ambience: where many small cars still scare customers with their gray dirt made of hard plastic, here eyes and fingers are struck by elegant plastics and smooth surfaces.

With digital instruments and a vertically mounted touchscreen on the center console, this brings a premium look that Mitsubishi’s original models have yet to offer.

Mitsubishi also benefits from the alliance with Renault when it comes to equipment and, like the Clio, offers modern technology: the infotainment goes online and with road and traffic assistant, the Colt automatically sets its distance and lane on the highway, follows the car in front and at least gives the driver permission for a few seconds for free.

Under the hood, only tentatively in the future

As much as Colt is at the forefront in terms of materials and environment, it is venturing into the future. As is often the case in this cost-driven segment, Mitsubishi also has a hard time with the electrification. The first small electric car – based on the upcoming R5 from Renault, but this time more customized – will therefore not arrive until 2025 at the earliest.

Until then, the hybrid will have to do the trick, something only Toyota and Honda offer in this class. However, this increases the price by around 5,000 euros. The 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 69 kW/94 hp is connected to two electric motors – one as a traction aid, one as a dynamo that temporarily stores energy in a 1.2 kWh battery.

Electric driving is only possible for a few hundred meters, but that’s enough to reduce typical consumption to 4.2 liters and CO2 emissions to 94 g/km. And Stromer helps a lot when running at traffic lights.

With an output of 105 kW/145 HP, the hybrid Colt accelerates like a bullet. Because the speed slows down again after the city sign, it ends up taking 9.3 seconds to reach 100 km/h. But patience is worth it. Top speed is 180 km/h and as easy and nimble as the Colt is in the city, it feels grown-up on the highway. It tracks relentlessly, leads with confidence and is comparatively quiet.

As an alternative to the hybrid, Mitsubishi also offers two conventional gasoline engines. All have three cylinders with a displacement of one liter. The naturally aspirated engine is happy with 49 kW/65 hp, and the turbo registration of the car shows 67 kW/90 hp. It also enables a speed of up to 180 km / h and, in the worst case, the normal consumption is 0.9 liters and 12 g / km higher than the hybrid model.

A young man with character

It looks good, it’s well-equipped, it drives well and, with its hybrid, it ventures further into the future than most competitors: the Mitsubishi hits the mark with the Colt.

The fact that it is not an individual personality, but only an assistant to Clio, does not prevent it. After all, that doesn’t mean he has little character.

Data sheet: Mitsubishi Colt 1.6L Hybrid