Local sales of the new Mitsubishi Destinator have officially begun at dealerships nationwide. The newcomer is a seven-seater that competes with the likes of the Jetour X70 and Ford Territory in a crowed medium-to-large crossover SUV segment.
It launches with two trims: the entry-level GLS coming in under R500,000 and the higher-spec Exceed costing R80,000 more. We drove the latter model exclusively at the media launch held on Monday.
With a 4,680mm length, a lot of standard kit and an eye-catching design the Desinator looks like a decent choice. The 1,780mm height also makes it one of the tallest in the niche, which bodes well for lanky passengers and loading space.
The seats in the Exceed are leather upholstered but cloth covers the pews in the lower-specced GLS. The rear seats feature manual 40:20:40 split adjustability. The seats also have tilting backrests and fold down. The legroom in the last row isn’t much for adults but young children will fit in snugly, with the associated difficulty of entry and egress with seven-seaters.
The boot is small when all the seats are up, but the cargo space that’s created by folding away the last row can accommodate family-sized luggage. Clever little spaces have been created throughout the cabin to hold odd items, and the electric tailgate has hands-free operation.
A 12.3-inch main display seamlessly merges with an eight-inch digital driver’s display in the top model. The thick dashboard is made from quality plastics.
Amenities include dual-zone climate control, wireless android Auto and Carplay, panoramic sunroof, and a Yamaha sound system for the Exceed trim, seat back tables for the middle row and 65 colour ambient lighting. The standard spec also includes USB charging ports and a rearview camera.
Power comes from a turbocharged 1.5l four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a continously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels. There’s no all-wheel drive (AWD) derivative.
The 120kW and 250Nm output felt fast and sprightly enough. Spirited driving elicits the typically droney CVT noise, though. The company claims fuel consumption of 7.2l/100km but the short drive in the Muldersdrift area didn’t provide enough of an arena to get a handle on this assertion.
The route gave plenty of insight into the pliancy of the suspension. Mitsubishi knows a thing or two about crafting a finely balanced chassis, and the Destinator is well-equipped in this regard. The damping irons out road imperfections and absorbs gravel roads with aplomb, with good noise insulation and no rattles or squeaks.
In the corners it wallows a bit but feels safe and poised, while the 214mm ground clearance means farm roads and mild obstacles should be a doddle. It’s also equipped with active yaw-control that debuted in the Lancer Evo model.
Drive modes include Normal, Wet, Gravel, Tarmac and Mud but the lack of an AWD system will be worrisome for encounters with the latter mode.
Safety systems include blind spot warning, multi around view monitor, tyre pressure monitor, rear cross traffic alert and advanced driver assistance systems.
The Mitsubishi Destinator is sold with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and a five-year/75,000km service plan.
Pricing
- Mitsubishi Destinator GLS - R489,990
- Mitsubishi Destinator Exceed - R569,990
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