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The What Van? Road Test: Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian X (2019)
Date: Monday, September 21, 2020 | Author: Steve Banner
Engine and gearbox
Relying on AdBlue to meet the emissions regulations, the L200’s new four-cylinder turbocharged and intercooled Euro-6d diesel produces its maximum power at 3,500rpm. Maximum torque of 400Nm – down from the 430Nm produced from the 2.4-litre engine – bites across a 1,750rpm to 2,250rpm plateau.
Push the automatic transmission’s selection lever to the right and you can engage manual mode. Once that is accomplished then you can change gear using paddles mounted on each side of the steering column.
Four-wheel drive is simple to engage. All you need to do is twist a knob on the console between the front seats. It gives you the choice of two-wheel drive (2H), four-wheel drive with a high range of gears (4H), and four-wheel drive with a locked centre differential and either a high (4HLc) or a low (4LLc) gear range.
Next to the knob is the off-road mode selector, which can be deployed when you resort to either 4HLc or 4LLc. It allows the most suitable engine, transmission and braking characteristics to be selected depending on whether you are driving over gravel, mud, snow, sand or rocks.
There was one minor quality control issue that concerned us. Even when the passenger seat belt was firmly engaged the seat belt warning sign on the dashboard failed to extinguish unless we vigorously shook the seat belt stalk. It happened again and again – not what you expect in a £30,000-plus vehicle.
Driving
A keyless start (an arrangement we still worry about on security grounds) means that all you need to do to fire up the engine is press a button on the dashboard assuming you have the key fob on you. If you have it with you then all you need to do to lock or unlock all the doors is press a small button on either the driver’s or front passenger’s exterior door handle.
The L200’s door handles and mirror casings have a rather cheap, low-grade-plastic feel to them, which belies the Barbarian X’s upmarket aspirations.
For a big, heavy pick-up the L200 handles surprisingly well, clinging on doggedly through bends and showing no tendency to break away.
In its latest incarnation Mitsubishi’s popular load-lugger gets new dampers and springs plus a stiffer chassis, and the package has undoubtedly benefitted its on-the-road behaviour. It seems to have improved the ride too.
The six-speed gearbox wins top marks, offering a smooth change plus an efficient kick-down should you need to overtake quickly. A bit more power wouldn’t come amiss though, and it is a pity that Mitsubishi has gone backwards in this area. In-cab noise is well controlled, aside from a slightly harsh engine note heard under acceleration.
Switching to manual makes the L200 a bit more biddable during
low-speed manoeuvring, and may make you feel more confident when you go off-road.
When we did so, the bone-dry conditions meant the main problem we encountered was clouds of dust as we trundled up and down arid, rutted, farm tracks and across almost-dry stream beds. It coped with the, admittedly not terribly demanding, terrain in 4H, without the need to resort to the other 4x4 settings.
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