Mitsubishi Shogun The new Mitsubishi Shogun “is the strongest, quietest, safest and smartest Shogun we have ever built” they say. In an era when off-road cars are not known for being the most environmentally friendly vehicles out there, how much does that mean you may wonder. I borrowed a long-wheelbase new Shogun to find out. Well in terms of ‘being kind to the environment’ Mitsubishi claims that the new car has best-in-class CO2 emissions. In fact these are 224g/km for the long wheelbase auto version, which you’d have to say is not going to win any green friends but is a sight lower than the car’s previous figures, which does of course mean that it also has lower road tax; VED band is now ‘K’, which translates as £235 per year, but a whopping £550 for the car’s first year. Fuel consumption is likewise heftily improved over the last model, with that same LWB showing 33.2mpg – a welcome 20% improvement on the previous model. If you do have need to go off-road on a regular basis, then the Shogun will do the business with ease. With seven seats and a vast towing capacity (3500kg) the LWB Shogun is indeed ready for anything that’s put in its path. Moving along to the real world however, what’s it like on the pockmarked tarmac, on which we all these days have to wend our careful way? Compared to most of the off-road genre, it stands up well. All such vehicles are inevitably a compromise between on- and off-road behaviour, so the journey to the school or shops will not feel as secure or comfortable as in a good standard hatchback. The Shogun ride is a tad bouncy, and roll on corners more noticeable than most passengers would like. The roll is actually exacerbated by what on our model were leather seats; the firmer your seat, the more you notice the roll, and leather upholstery is standard on all bar the base Equippe model. Get the Shogun onto the motorway, and it’s in its element. Bends are absent, so one can revel in the sense of security and the splendid view from the high seating position. Here too the big 3.2 diesel (the only engine available) comes into its own with a surprisingly quiet voice; to be fair it’s actually very quiet even at idle, where most diesels do give the game away with a metallic rattle to wake the neighbours. We didn’t test all seven seats, but in five-seat mode, with those two rear seats folded into the floor, there’s loads of leg, head and luggage space for all passengers. Boot space can be increased by folding the middle row ‘rear’ seats (the ones behind the front seats), which is achieved with an easy tumble action, though the front seats will probably have to be moved forward a bit. Folding them results in a capacity of 1790 litres (1120 for the short wheelbase), which is 63 cubic feet, which is a lot. LWB versions have five doors, compared to the short ones’ three. Entry to the rear seats is therefore comparatively easy, though my missus did suggest it might be trickier for those either short in the leg or wearing a short skirt. She thinks of these things; I only think about one of them. Once inside, the interior looks smart, but in common with most off-roaders, and indeed most cars, it’s almost universally black: smart, but uninteresting. Practical touches include the good sized glove box and array of useful pockets for life’s odds and ends. The Shogun is an easy car to drive, and for those who need the ultimate in ease auto transmission is a £1500 option (standard on the top Elegance and Diamond models). The high driving position is the main reason that the car seems so easy to pilot, and a near vertical rear end makes parking easy, despite the considerable length. In fact our Elegance test car was fitted with parking sensors as standard, so slotting it into a tight space was even easier. The base models come with front and curtain airbags, stability and traction control, central locking, electric mirrors, cruise control, air con and lots more, so up at the top of the range you’ll likely want for nothing. It’s not top of the crop for on-road behaviour, but if you really do need a car with up to seven seats that will go anywhere with ease and also take the children to school, the Shogun, with its new lighter, greener fuel stats is amongst the best of answers. Size: LWB: 4.90m x 1.88m SWB: 4.39m x 1.88m Engine: Diesel:  3.2 litres – 200PS Gearbox: 5-speed manual 4WD Consumption: LWB: 33.2mpg, SWB:34.9mpg Price at Aug ’10: £26,499 to £37,999 Full details of the Shogun range available on the manufacturer’s website: www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk Peter Cracknell - August 2010 l l l l Home New Models Industry Green News Odds n’Ends