Mitsubishi Trucks
Truck Reviewer
Mitsubishi trucks have been available on US markets for about 30 years, but have never quite developed the same following as other pick up manufacturers. While the car division was certainly capable of drawing a crowd, the Mitsubishi truck offerings came down to one basic vehicle choice.
The Mitsubishi truck offering was well styled and looked rough and tough for its class. As a small pick up the Raider could be compared easily to the Dakota. It had different exterior styling but once you took away aesthetics the lines were merely hiding the same basic truck underneath. The cabin gave the driver and passengers ample room and the towing capacity was on the higher end of average. The 4.7 V8 engine was eventually downgraded to V6, which turned away consumers.
The Mitsubishi truck went through a slow but steady downgrading process as each new model year was released. With fewer options and less power the truck eventually faded off the charts and consumers didn’t consider it to be even close to competitive. The 2007 model year is considered to be the best of the Mitsubishi truck line when it comes to standard equipment, outfitting, and power. The transmission came as a manual 6 speed, which many consumers preferred, but the automatic option only left you with 4 gears.
With standard rear wheel drive, the Mitsubishi truck was also available with the 4 wheel drive option. The 6.5 foot truck bed was accessible through two rear opening doors, which made access easier and helped to tip buyers on the edge. The rear doors helped to increase the available space for hauling by allowing objects to intrude through the cabin. This represented a convenient albeit unsafe option for weekend warriors. As the Mitsubishi truck line was phased out, the power windows, heavy duty cooling, cruise control, keyless entry, 16 inch alloy wheels, power windows, power locks, and bucket seats were slowly phased out as well.
Heated seats, increased clearance, skid plates, and the limited slip differential were part of the 4 wheel drive package that initially had consumers highly interested. Eventually, the interest waned as other competitors began stocking more into their trucks as standard equipment.
The company hit a few snags even with its car and truck line intact. Over a period of time there were questions raised regarding the safety issues involved with Mitsubishi. Just before the 2000 model year release there were investigative interests into the company’s handling of certain safety issues that finally resulted in the arrest of a former president of the car company. Having given the order to cover up some of the potential safety issues, the company faced an uncertain future.
Since then the manufacturer has paid great attention to detail and has reconstructed its approach to the car industry. This has led to a greater return than many had initially expected and it’s quite possible that the new leadership will bring Mitsubishi trucks and cars back into favor with the US markets. Careful marketing and attention to detail will be all telling over the next few years.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
