Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian Review & Road Test Part 2

The Mitsubishi L200 with it's better than half-decent, car-like interior

In part 2 of our review and road test of the Mitsubishi L200 double cab pickup we look to see if its commercial abiulities compromise its appeal.

The downside is the same as the upside – it’s a commercial vehicle. The taxman isn’t daft, and if he really thought we’d all pile in to the L200 – or any other double-cab pickup – they’d soon be taxed differently. Because however hard Mitsubishi tries the L200 is not great to drive. Or at least it’s not great to drive in any normal sense.

That said – and despite the back end of the L200 having all the suspension sophistication of a hay cart – it is a hoot to drive. You can fairly tank along having a ball playing cowboys or builders and if you’re on your own it’s a giggle. And you can make decent progress too, and all without breaking your spine.

But for passengers and children it’s perhaps not quite the same fun. The kids in the back tend to get chucked about, which starts off as funny but ends in tears. And she who must be obeyed in the front doesn’t see the funny side after the first few miles. And certainly not after the first set of tears from the back seat.

But you can’t deny the practicality of the L200. Its flat pickup area will squeeze a wardrobe on without blinking; stow anything you might buy at the flea market or boot sale (and get you out of the muddy field after) and cart back bricks, sand and cement for the new garden project (just don’t stick what you’ve bought at the back of the pickup – it makes it sink and splay as you fishtail up the road if you’re at all heavy booted).

Which pretty much counterbalances the bouncy ride argument for not having one. And in truth the ride is not madly bouncy unless you drive as if you’re being chased by a tornado. Unfortunately that’s my default setting. But the moans all but disappeared with some sensibly judged speeds on decent roads.

The L200 is even OK in the local DIY superstore car park. Despite seemingly going on forever (I mean it’s long, not that it talks a lot), the L200 is only as wide as anything else on the road, so it fits in to a standard parking space. Well, it fits width-wise but tends to poke out in to the road. So don’t bother trying to find aparallel parking space unless it’s a drop off zone for commercials, although you can squeeze in very tight spaces with the help of the very good reversing camera.

So it’s a marginal buy as a company car for private use. There’s good and bad on both sides of the argument. But what about the L200 as a proper commercial vehicle? Fortunately, we have a building company in the family (well, John does). So we sought expert opinion.

The response probably explains why the Mitsubishi L200 is the best selling pickup. ‘Best double cab pickup I’ve driven’; ‘Great for picking the boys up on the way in’; ‘Inside scrubs up a treat even on a wet day’; ‘Michael (the accountant) was happy to get in it to go for lunch’ and ‘It carts stuff around as well as anything else’.

It was a bit much to expect joined up thinking from a builder, so we gratefully accept the pro’s verdict in a series of staccato phrases. Which have been edited for your consumption. Joking apart, as a commercial vehicle the luxuries seem to make the L200 appealing to the professional without detracting from the basic abilities of the L200 as a workhorse.

That it can also appeal to the savvy taxpayer looking for a rugged leisure vehicle for the whole family – where the taxman makes an accidental contribution – is just a bonus.

Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian Quick Specs

Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian Auto full specification, data and price

Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian Photo Gallery

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