Second-hand sense

Mitsubishi Colt

Mitsubishi Colt

By most accounts the new Mitsubishi Colt is a huge improvement over the existing model and that includes styling. This is a very good thing - up to this you could offer a prize to a non-Colt owner who could identify one at 50 metres, safe in the knowledge that it would never be claimed.

I once pressed a Mitsubishi executive to explain why his company's cars were so lacking in character - he eventually conceded that it was probably because Japan had no real tradition of car design. And, of course, we now know why Mitsubishi seemed so reluctant to engage European help as most other Japanese makers have done - the company was practically broke.

Since DaimlerChrysler entered the equation - and that may be a decision it will come to regret - Mitsubishi has been struggling along, making little or no significant impact on the market.

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The current Colt is the epitome of how it went wrong in the first place - a three-door car that's neither fish nor fowl in that it sees itself in the Focus class, but really belongs in the Yaris class. It seems fine when you sit into it, but if you explore the rear you will find it has very limited space indeed.

Ironically, it's a grand car to drive, not exciting but inoffensive. It handles reasonably and makes a good effort at dealing with Irish roads. Overall, however, it's a pretty forgettable experience.

The Colt is also very reliable to drive, scoring highly in claim-free warranty surveys. But it's been around a long time and it looks it. I mentioned the Yaris, which is itself not in the first flush of youth, and the two are like chalk and cheese. While the Yaris looks cute and is cleverly designed, the Colt has little to offer in the looks department.

The cabin is typical of a certain era in Japanese design - full of grey plastic and dull upholstery. However, it's also practical with everything in the right place. Switchgear is functional and easy to use.

The whole Colt package looks every day of its eight years. It doesn't come all that cheap on the second-hand market.

A four-year-old 1.3 model with just 16,000 on the clock is on offer at one garage at 9,250 - more like a Golf price and few cars hold value like a Golf. A two-year-old Colt with 20,000 on the clock at another garage has an asking price of €11,950, which is probably a bit more like it.

The Colt has not featured on the EuroNCAP crash test programme so only limited data is available. However, I wouldn't have a great deal of faith in a car whose design and engineering is as old as the Colt's.

The Colt is not known for major faults - quite the opposite in fact. Some cars did have a problem with the crankshaft pulley but that is pretty much it.