Mitsubishi Colt 1.3-litre Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Mitsubishi Colt 1.3-litre range
Prices: £9,599-£10,599 - on the road
Insurance Group: 5
Emissions: 119-143g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 11.1s / Max Speed 111mph
Fuel Consumption: (urban) 38.2mpg / (extra urban) 58.8mpg / (combined) 48.7mpg
Safety: Front airbags, ABS with EBD.
Dimensions: Length/Width/Height 3810/1695/1520mm

Colt 1.3-litre: Affordable Quality

Our Rating: No Rating Available

Mitsubishi has never been known as a car company that produced little city cars that delivered high performance at little cost. They have mostly made their name on the bigger things like commercial vehicles, 4x4s and crossovers. Those facts make it rather odd that the car company has suddenly hit the world with the Mitsubishi Colt 1.3-litre supermini that not only takes on the rivals, but defeats them on many levels.

Of course the Mitsubishi Colt 1.3-litre was able to jump many of the competitors out of the gate due to the fact that it was designed by the same division of Daimler Chrysler that gave the world the Smart line-up of cars. In fact both the Colt and the Smart cars were made in the same Dutch factory. Both cars shared a lot of the same technology which would leave buyers to make a choice of what branding they wanted in their driveway. Luckily for the Mitsubishi side of things the Smart car is no longer being produced leaving consumers no choice at all.

Under the bonnet of the Mitsubishi Colt 1.3-litre is a petrol that produces 95bhp which is decent power for such a little car. Total measurements on the car come in at just 3,870mm in length, 1,550mm in height and 1,695mm in width sat on top of a 2,500mm wheelbase. This combination coupled with the wheels being placed far and wide allows for maximum usable interior space as well. The Colt boasts the best legroom of the class thanks to the seating configurations. It also comes standard with a 40/60 split back seat that allows for more stuff to be carted around when needed. The passenger seat can also be folded forward to help with longer items as well.

The Mitsubishi Colt 1.3-litre petrol is also offered with the what the car maker calls ClearTec technology that includes a diesel particulate filter on the oil burning models, LED lights to save power, low resistance tyres and the Automatic Stop/Start system that cuts the engine off when stopped at a light or stuck in traffic.

Mitsubishi has equipped the car with a suspension system that allows for a relatively smooth ride along most normal street surfaces. Take the car into a part of the city that is pockmarked with potholes and there is some jiggling about that occurs. This smooth ride is accomplished with a MacPherson strut system upfront and a low volume torsion beam in the rear. Steering is also nimble and allows for plenty of control. The Colt 1.3-litre is equipped with disc brakes in the front and drums in the back and includes an anti-lock setup on all models.

Overall the Mitsubishi Colt 1.3-litre is an excellent car for people looking for an inexpensive supermini to take on their daily commutes or an affordable trip out of town. The car does not come with any of the short comings that often befall economy class cars.