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12/11/2011, 02:50
Car Review By MURRAY HUBBARD
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On our weekly jaunt on the Pacific Highway from the Gold Coast to Brisbane to swap road-test cars we get to see which are the vehicles of choice for the thousands of grey nomads circulating Australia at any given time. Naturally, this has quite a bit to do with our test car this week, Mitsubishi’s new Challenger 2WD.
While there are many 4WDs towing vans - and camper trailers almost the exclusive domain of 4X4s - there is another category again: Australia’s own cars, Commodore and Falcon, also doing the ‘around-Australia thing’ towing vans of all shapes and sizes. It is this niche market that Mitsubishi is hoping to crack by releasing a 2WD variant of the the Challenger.
Challenger has a number of advantages over both Commodore and Falcon for those with grey hair and a penchant for seeing this great country first hand: Firstly the Challenger is diesel-powered meaning better economy when towing than either of the petrol sixes found in the local makes. Secondly, the Challenger has a massive boot space with built-in 12 volt system for the refrigerator. Thirdly, Challenger has the same ride-height as the 4WD variant meaning the driver sits high giving a better driving position for long-haul stints at the wheel.
The next advantage is probably the most important. The maximum braked towing rate for a Falcon is 2300 kg with an automatic, while the manual versions vary between 1200 kg and 1600 kg. Commodore has a towing rate of 1600 kg for the 3.0 litre auto and between 1600 kg and 2100 kg for the 3.6 litre manual and auto respectively. It’s no secret Australian caravaners like to keep some towing capacity up their sleeve, so those using the Falcon and Commodore are limited in the weight and size of the van they tow. The new Challenger 2WD retains the 3.0 tonne towing rate from the 4WD variants.
So, how do you tell a Challenger 2WD from a Challenger 4WD? Even Mitsubishi have trouble with this as the envelope in the glove compartment containing the vehicle’s documents revealed it to be a 4WD. Oops. A glance under the front of the car failed to reveal a front diff or transfer case and certainly no axles leading to a hub. The Challenger 2WD looks identical to the 4WD, including the ride height.
BODY STYLE
Think of the Mitsubishi Triton turned into a wagon. This is the genesis of the Challenger since day-one and the 2WD variant is a sibling to the Triton 2WD aimed at tradies not requiring 4WD capability. The same can be said for Challenger, but in the segment of car owners wanting a towing vehicle built for the job and perhaps even 4WD owners who don’t use 4WD often enough to justify the entry price, plus the extra fuel consumption associated with 4WD capability. The Challenger is a good-looking wagon. Our test Challenger came with the Mitsubishi ‘convenience pack’ which adds 17 inch alloy wheels, upgraded radiator grille, fog lamps, rain and light sensors and roof rails. On the inside this package adds side and curtain airbags, leather steering wheel with audio controls, privacy glass, climate control and six-speaker sound system. This will set you back $3640 on top of the vehicle's bottom line of $36,990 plus on-roads for thre manual and $39,490 for the auto as tested..
POWERTRAIN
Challenger uses the same 2.5 litre, four cylinder, DOHC 16 valve common rail diesel with intercooled turbocharger as found in Triton. It is available as either a five speed manual or five speed sports mode auto. Fuel consumption is claimed at 8.2 litres/100 km from the manual and 9.6 litres/100 km from the auto. These figures are for a vehicle not towing a van, so expect some increase if you hook up your home-away-from-home behind the Challenger 2WD.
SAFETY
Mitsubishi recently launched its 2012 upgrade of many models including the new Challenger 2WD, with the standard inclusion in most vehicles of a reverse camera, with the screen located in the rear view mirror. We believe this was a great step forward not just for passenger cars but vehicles like the Challenger, Pajero and ASX given the number of children run over by vehicles being reversed by their parents. The technology is great but does not mean children are automatically protected. Think of it like a swimming pool fence - you must keep your eyes out for little ones even with the fence in place.
In addition Challengers gets the same safety package as the 4WD version: driver and front passenger SRS airbags, ABS brakes, power brake booster, stability and traction control, emergency brake assist and a raft of other protective measures.
INTERIOR DESIGN
The same as the 4WD Challenger apart from the deletion of the 4WD shifter. The cabin simple yet practical with basic features. The instrument binnacle contains three chrome circles with tachometer, speedometer and fuel and temperature gauges. There’s a basic trip computer, audio and cruise controls on the steering wheel. There’s a USB connection in the glove compartment and AUX connections in the bin under the centre arm rest. With the Challenger having a high ride height Mitsubishi have retained the grab handles above each door. The seats are covered in hard-wearing materials while the door inners are plastic with a cloth insert across the top near the window. The seats are a little to firm for our liking and rear pew head room could be tight for six footers.
The rear seat is a 60/40 split fold and tumble which dramatically increases the already large cargo area. The spare wheel is located under the body with a wind-down mechanism located inside the cargo area and is easy to access,and more importantly, wind down should you have a puncture. The cargo area also has a conventiently placed 12 volt outlet, handy for a refrigerator or extra lighting. The cabin has a lot of handy storage spaces including bottle and cup holders.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
Those accustomed to driving a car will find the Challenger a little agricultural. There’s a bit of body roll with the high-riding body, and the handling is not as comfortable as say Pajero. The 2.5 litre engine is willing and has excellent torque for towing but will not break any speed records. We like the five speed auto which gets the best out of the engine and uses INVECS 11 Smart Logic to read the driver’s input and driving style. The driving position is excellent and affords open forward vision. We also like the rear view camera being located in the rear view mirror, the obvious place to look when reversing. The front seats are softer and more comfortable than the firmer rear seats.
MODEL RANGE AND PRICING*
Challenger 2WD
2.5 litre auto $36,990 (as tested $40,730)
Challenger 4WD
2.5 litre 5-seat man. $41,490
2.5 litre LS 5-seat man $44,990
2.5 litre LS 7-seat auto $49,390
2.5 litre XLS 5-seat auto $54,490
2.5 litre XLS 7-seat auto $56,390
(*Pricing does not include dealer or government charges)
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: standard
Air Conditioning: standard
Automatic Transmission: optional
CD Player: standard
Central Locking: standard
Cruise Control: standard
Dual Front Airbags: standard
Front Side Airbags: optional
Stability Control: standard
Traction Control: standard
SPECIFICATIONS ()
ENGINE:
Capacity: 2.5 litres
Configuration: in line four
Head Design: DOHC
Compression Ratio: 16.5:1
Bore/Stroke: 91.1 mm x 95.0 mm
Maximum Power: 131 kW @ 4000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 400 Nm @ 2000 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: rear
Manual Transmission: five speed
Automatic Transmission: five speed
Final Drive Ratio: 3.917
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4695 mm
Wheelbase: 2800 mm
Width: 1815 mm
Height: 1790 mm
Turning Circle: 11.2 metres
Kerb Mass: 1910 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 70 litres
Towing Ability: 3000 kg (kg with braked trailer)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: independent double wishbone with coil springs
Rear Suspension: 3-link coil spring
Front Brakes: ventilated discs
Rear Brakes: ventilated discs
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: N/A seconds
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: diesel
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 9.6 L/100km
STANDARD WARRANTY:
10 years/ 160,000 km |
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