Autozine – Autotest: Mitsubishi Colt

Colt has been decisive for Mitsubishi’s success for generations. Colt always followed trends and was therefore the right product at the right time. However, gradually the needs and wants differed more and more from each continent. That is why it is increasingly important to make cars and this is certainly a challenge for the European market. Europe is small when its customers are the most demanding. This makes the investment difficult to recover.

To be able to produce the seventh generation of Colt, Mitsubishi has called on partners. Mitsubishi, Renault and Nissan together form one company. And Renault had the right car: Clio! The Clio has been updated for 2023, making this the perfect time for Mitsubishi to “take over” the model.

A compact car

In this case, adoption is a euphemism for adoption, because except for the logo, Mitsubishi has not modified anything for Clio. Yet the character of the Renault Clio / Mitsubishi Colt is certainly unique. The design seeks to reach the top of the compact segment with a more mature character. The design does not suggest that this is a tough or cheap car. This applies to exterior design and interior decoration.

High-quality materials have always been used (from now on 100% vegan) and the seats are very large for a car in this segment, so the car is also considered large. However, those who like to rest their right foot against the central tunnel may find it too big and high. The rear space shows that the Colt is still a small car. And in part because of the large front seats, rear space is modest.

Equipment

Because the Colt is based on the updated Clio, the equipment is modern and competitive. The infotainment system is important for this. Performance and configuration options are great. The vertical screen is very special, which is especially useful when navigating. Then it is easy to see how the car’s route is going and which is more important than the general description of the roads surrounding the car. Drive here “In Style” version, the clock behind the steering wheel has been replaced with a display. This has the advantage that the driver can choose what information is displayed and when.

“Hybrid storage takes the whole car to a high level, while consumption is very low”

The Colt has also been updated in the areas of safety and driver assistance. This model offers keyless entry, a wireless charger for a mobile phone and support for Apple CarPlay / Android Auto. New safety features include adaptive cruise control (automatically setting your distance) and lane-keeping assist (automatically staying within road markings). During the test it was found that the camera that reads traffic signs often makes mistakes. Because the Colt shares the approval of the existing Clio model, the car does not have to meet the very strict conditions that the European Union will impose from 2024 and therefore the Colt does not interfere and the electronics do not panic if the driver ignores the warnings.

The Colt can optionally be fitted with a roll-out bar, so it’s always there, but doesn’t always spoil the look of the car’s rear.

1.0 turbo

The price list has three sources of power. That starts with the “1.0 MPI” which gives 65 hp. The same engine “1.0 MPI” is also available with a turbo, called “1.0T” and produces 90 hp. Turbo (and other modifications) not only make the gasoline engine more powerful, but also more economical. That’s why MPI-T is more expensive to buy, but cheaper to use.

In practice, the performance of the turbo engine is good. In the city, flexibility is enough and there is no need to keep changing gears. On the highway, the engine speed is low because of the sixth gear, which allows long distances to be covered with comfort. In a route with city traffic and highway kilometers, the test consumption was 6 liters per 100 kilometers, which is high for a car of this size and with this power.

1.6 Hybrid

However, after just a few minutes of driving the hybrid, the 1.0-liter engine looks like a hopelessly outdated relic. The Colt is also available with a combination of a 1.6 liter petrol engine and an electric motor. This is a complete hybrid that does more than just add, as many competitors do (this is not a “mini hybrid”).

As with any other hybrid, kinetic energy is converted into electricity when stationary and coasting, so charging from a plug is not necessary. What is very special is that this hybrid has gasoline and two electric motors. The automatic gearbox has four gears for the petrol engine and two for the electric motors. The Colt Hybrid is always powered by electricity.

The goal of this complex construction is to recover as much energy as possible and then drive an electric car as often and as often as possible. The only downside to this design is that the gasoline engine revs at random times to generate electricity. Then it seems as if the automatic transmission forgets to shift gears. In addition to this constant discomfort, comfort and performance are much better than a conventional gasoline engine. The hybrid drive takes the whole car to a maximum, while the consumption is surprisingly reduced. On a route that’s ideal for hybrids (back roads with lots of start/stop traffic), but with four large adults and their luggage on board, test consumption was a tidy 4.3 liters per 100km.

Road behavior

With a hybrid engine, the Clio offers the peace and performance of a bigger car. That feeling is further enhanced by the chassis. This is very high for a compact car, meaning that the manufacturer did not compromise between comfort and dynamics. Instead, Colt will be able to eliminate the worst conditions on rough road surfaces, ensuring good comfort and the driver always has enough emotions and mechanics to maintain control.

Thanks to “MultiSense” the driver can choose normal, sporty or economical behavior. This applies not only to the engine, but also to the operation. The difference between these methods is clear, and the economic situation also proves to be better.

Finally

The remaining question is: since Mitsubishi Colt and Renault Clio are not different, is there a reason to choose one brand or the other? The answer is in the fine print. Mitsubishi offers an 8-year warranty with Renault 2.

However, the most important factor is brand loyalty. Many Colt drivers have never traded in the last model (2004 – 2014) because they want to keep driving a Mitsubishi. This also relates to business value. The Mitsubishi dealer pays a higher trade-in price for its brand car, which makes the new Colt more attractive to loyal customers than the new Clio.

Conclusion

The seventh generation Mitsubishi Colt is the right product at the right time. It’s like this: after the brand has completely disappeared, it is now trying to recapture the market. In the long run, therefore, completely new models will appear. To be able to offer new cars now, Mitsubishi is calling on partners.

One of those partners is Renault and, along with the Clio, it has a model that fits perfectly into the Mitsubishi range. Mitsubishi Colt has never had a distinctive character, but it was always a versatile car that scored well on all points. Renault Clio is a compact car that has been completely updated thanks to the latest facelift. That’s why the Clio fits perfectly in the Mitsubishi version!