There has been much activity in the pickup sector recently,
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with several new models entering the fray: a case in point is the heavily revised Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian. The Japanese manufacturer has made a habit of naming its range-topping L200 after objects that you'd associate with either strength or brutality. Recall the Diamond, Warrior, Raging Bull and Animal'?
Now we have the Barbarian on test, a direct replacement for the previous Animal flagship and. as Mitsubishi puts it, "caters for buyers who enjoy the versatility of a modern pickup. but aren't willing to compromise on comfort, refinement, performance or convenience-.
The introduction of this model comes at tough time when buyers aren't exactly flocking to the showrooms for a pickup; even less so for the hlinged-up lifestyle versions. Despite this there's a new Volkswagen Amarok. morepowerful Nissan Navara and this L200 Barbarian to choose from, not to mention offerings from Toyota, Ford. Mazda and lsuzu, so buyers have never had it so good.
Before we get entangled in market forecasts and PowerPoint presentations, let's look at the new L200 in detail.
Slatting on the outside. Mitsubishi has tweaked the headlights, which are now edgier than the predecessor's Gone are the chrome surrounds, which makes the L200 look far classier. However, if you do like chrome, don't despair, because the grille, foglamp surrounds, door handles, door mirrors, fuel filler cap, running hoards and rear bar are all chromed.
The L200 range is available with a single 2.5-litre common-rail diesel engine with two power outputs, namely 134hp and a new 175hp variant, which you see here.
Mitsubishi says revisions to the powertrain amount to a "6% improvement in economy and emissions" with official figures of 30.1mpg on the combined cycle and 248g/km CO2. Customers can also choose between five-speed manual or sequential automatic transmissions There are three body configurations — single-, cluband double-cab — and four-wheel drive. ABD and EBD standard across the entire L200 range.
Good news for potential buyers is that ex-VAT pr remain unchanged, meaning the entry-level 4Work Sit Cab still costs £13249 while this range-topping Barba Double-Cab Auto is £22,924.
Productivity
11 is easy to get carried away with the 1200's glitz and glamour and forget that, at the core, it's actually a commercial vehicle. With a load area of 2.2m2 and a payload of I ,045kg, the Barbarian is a versatile pickup that can deliver the goods when called upon.
Our test model came with a protective load area cover, which wrapped over the edges of the pickup providing additional protection to the top of the hi work. One aspect of the L200 we were less impressed was the lack of a roller shutter or canopy top over the bed. This meant camera and roadtesting equipment ha go on the back seat for fear of it getting rained on or st< which is not always practical especially with extra passengers on board. Another gripe was with the tow bar, which reduced ground clearance so badly we managed to knock off the electrical socket in the Reed Towers car park.
However, it redeems itself with a tailgate that's capable of folding down through 180, which makes loading items from a forklift or ramp far more convenient. We found this especially useful when unloading ballast from the rear of he load area because we didn't have to climb in the back. On the fuel runs, the L200 managed a very respectable 35.9mpg on the unladen run, which trumps the 3.0-litre Toyota Hilux Invincible's 33mpg. but falls short of the Ford Ranger's 371 mpg.
With the L200 fully laden. the Barbarian completed the 89-mile Kent test route with figures of 34mpg at an average speed of 67kmih, which again falls right in between the Toyota Hitux and Ford Ranger's Figures of 31mpg and 37.8mpg respectively.
On the road
With power up from 165hp to 175hp. the L200 Barbarian is never short of horses. This was evident on our laden fuel run where it powered up the steep gradients without the driver even noticing.
The new five-speed automatic transmission downshifts and off it goes on a wave of torque, gear changes are direct with minimal lag, and when we felt the need, we knocked it into Sport mode and selected gears manually.
The Barbarian comes with independent doublewishbone front suspension that helps it feel more car-like than truck-like in terms of on-road dynamics. Mitsubishi has tinkered with the ladder-frame chassis by enlarging the cross member for improved riaidity.but we can't see whether or not that's contributed to better handling characteristics. However, we can say that the Barbarian drives with assurance whether laden or unladen, wet or dry.
Mitsubishi makes no hones about the fact the L200 is shorter and narrower than its key rivals, arguing that it's better suited to the European market. We tend to agree because the size of some of its rivals becomes a liability in congested urban areas, while the L200 is nimbler and much easier to steer and park.
Around town the L200's low speed ride is excellent with minimal bodyroll in the corners, but it's an altogether different story at 70mph on the motorway. The vehicle never feels completely settled and tends to pitch up and down quite noticeably when going over bumps and dips.
Cab comfort
With the Barbarian, it's not a question of what optional extras are fitted. but rather what features aren't fitted. Browsing through the spec sheet we found that every conceivable item comes as standard on the Barbarian. Leather seats, automatic climate control, rear electric window. Kenwood integrated satnav and Bluetooth handsfree are all stand ard.The only item we found that could be specified as an option was metallic/pearlescent paint finish.
As you've no doubt guessed, the interior is a luxurious place to be with all these comfort and convenience features, but it's the revised interior layout that grabs your attention.
Mitsubishi has changed the centre console and armrest, which works aesthetically, but not ergonomically. There's only a shallow iPhone-sized tray next to the handbrake lever that's ideal for storing, emit, an iPhone if you have one. The small binnacle below the satnav is only useful for storing a wallet or mobile phone. Deep door binnacles do help to compensate for the lack of interior storage, but we feel the L200 needs more nooks and crannies.
Climbing into the driver's seat, it's easy to settle into a comfortable position. The steering wheel adjusts for rake and reach and the seats can be moved in a multitude of directions to suit any size driver. •