Mitsubishi Grandis is for the family on the move

By DAVID LINKLATER

Mitsubishi New Zealand is aiming to offer more people-mover for your money with its new Grandis seven-seater.

The replacement for the Nimbus competes with the midi-MPV brigade on price at $39,990, but with an overall length of 4765mm it's around 400mm longer than the likes of the Holden Zafira or Volkswagen Touran, with consequent advantages in interior space.

The svelte looks of the Grandis are derived from the company's Space Liner concept of 2000 (also pictured).

It's the second Mitsubishi to showcase the brand's new styling direction. Colt was the first.

"This is a high-profile vehicle for Mitsubishi Motors, which is being introduced to markets around the world, from Europe to Australia and to North America," says Peter Wilkins, Mitsubishi Motors general manager of sales and marketing.

Power comes from a 2.4-litre MIVEC four with 121kW and 217Nm.

It's mated to a four-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift mode.

At low ranges, the engine uses a low/medium-cam profile that creates valve timing with a small overlap for maximum fuel economy and low-end pickup. Above 3600rpm it switches to a high-cam profile with larger overlap.

The gearlever is dash-mounted to free space along the flat floor. The second-row seat squabs can be set at three different angles for individual comfort, while the 60/40-split seats can be independently tipped up and folded all the way forward to maximise cargo space.

The third-row 50/50-split seats can be reclined, tilted back or folded up and stored away under the floor, creating a larger luggage space.

Another feature of the third-row seats is their ability to tumble backwards to become rear-facing, for use at picnics or sports events. The back becomes the squab and vice versa.

There are drink-holders for each row of seats and strut-supported aircraft-style trays in the backs of the front seats. A feature of the interior is the headlining material that absorbs everyday smells, formaldehyde and other chemical odours and breaks them down into water and carbon dioxide.

Solar-control glass protects passengers from ultra-violet and infrared radiation. The automatic air conditioning has roof-mounted vents in the rear, with a separate control panel for the rear seats, mounted above the second seat.

There are front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger and curtain airbags for second and third-row seat passengers. Dash and steering wheel-mounted airbags at the front are supplemented by side airbags that deploy from the backs of the front seats.

The side curtains are contained in the side pillars and are designed to activate in side-impact accidents.

However talented the Grandis proves to be, it will have its work cut out in the $40k people-mover market. Kiwis have not taken to the genre nearly as enthusiastically as other markets - the segment has accounted for less than 600 sales in the past 12 months, with at least 10 different models fighting for a slice of the action.

Top-seller has been the Holden Zafira with nearly 20 per cent of the class total, closely followed by the Renault Scenic and Honda Odyssey.

Honda New Zealand is preparing to launch an all-new Odyssey in June. Expect it to rival the Grandis closely on both size and price.