Tow car test
Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian X Double Cab
What’s new?
The first thing that strikes you about the new Mitsubishi L200 is the impressive new-look front end – this isn’t the pick-up to choose if you’d rather go unnoticed.
Changes under the skin include a new engine, promising better economy and improved emissions, and a new six-speed automatic gearbox.
The suspension has been revised with the aim of making the L200 more car-like to drive. There’s also a long list of safety kit and high-tech driver aids.
What are we looking for?
Although pick-ups are often approved to tow heavy trailers and caravans, they usually struggle to match the driving experience offered by big SUVS. Is the L200 really more car-like, and where does it fit in the pick-up pecking order?
Towing ability
Mitsubishi offers the L200 in a variety of specifications, from the 4Life to the top-spec Barbarian X we’re testing here. There’s also a choice of manual or automatic transmission – our vehicle is an auto.
The kerbweight of 2035kg provides a beefy 85% match figure of 1730kg. Mitsubishi gives two towing limits: 3.5 tonnes for a trailer with three axles, and 3.1 tonnes for a trailer with a single or double axle.
We matched the L200 to a Swift Fairway Platinum 850 with a MIRO of 1679kg.
Towing an 8ft-wide caravan such as the 850 can be a bit intimidating, but the L200’s considerable width helps. It means that once extension mirrors are fitted, the view down the sides of the caravan is much as you’d expect from towing a standard-width tourer with a regular car.
Such a heavy caravan does ask a lot of questions of the towing vehicle’s engine and transmission. With 148bhp and 295lb ft of torque, the L200’s diesel is a bit short on punch, compared with the 210bhp and 369lb ft 2.0-litre Ecoblue engine in the Ford Ranger, for example.
You do notice the engine’s relatively modest outputs when towing. The L200 pulled the big Swift up to speed, and was able to maintain 60mph on the motorway, but acceleration was rather steady.
Every once in a while, the six-speed gearbox was a little slow to change down, but it shifted gear smoothly and was more help than hindrance in making the most of the available oomph.
The auto ’box made for easy hill starts. Our test took place in dry conditions, and we found the L200 was happy to pull away on a 1-in-10 slope with the transmission set to rear-wheel drive.
In other respects, however, we were less impressed. If you are accustomed to towing with a passenger car, switching over to a double-cab pick-up such as the L200 does take a bit of getting used to.
Despite all the promises of a car-like drive, the steering is very vague either side of straight ahead, and tight turns demand a lot of arm-twirling. To some extent the same is true of most of the L200’s rivals, but both the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok steer more keenly.
Compared with a typical SUV or estate car, the ride is also a bit rough and ready. Like most pick-ups, the L200 has leaf-spring suspension at the back. This is as tough as steel-toe boots, allowing the Mitsubishi to carry more than a tonne in its load bed. But the downside is, it’s rather unsophisticated, and tends to bounce around. It makes for a rather unsettled feel while towing.
In still air the L200 was reasonably stable, but during our test drive there wasn’t much still air to be found. Towing in the tail-end of a winter storm, we found the van moving around and taking the back of the L200 with it. We’re not talking white-knuckle moments, but there was enough movement to require steering corrections and keep the driver on their toes. Slowing from 60mph to 55mph helped keep this in check.
When we arrived at the campsite, the auto ’box and good rearwards visibility made for easy manoeuvring. The 360° camera, standard on the Barbarian X, was also helpful. The electrics sit well clear of the back of the vehicle, so slotting the plug home was straightforward.
By the standards of double-cab pick-ups, the L200 makes a reasonable fist of towing. But some rivals better resist crosswinds, and are considerably more powerful.
Solo driving
In terms of everyday driving, the L200 makes a capable dual-purpose vehicle: tough enough to be a workhorse during the week, and practical enough to be a family car at the weekend.
As while towing, though, there are some compromises compared with a conventional car. Around town, the ride is bouncy, and any sharp bumps are felt with a thump. However, at higher speed, things smooth
‘The L200 is tough enough to be a workhorse during the week, practical enough to be a family car at weekends’
out considerably. What’s more, it’s important to remember that the suspension has been designed to handle heavy loads, and will be more at home with some weight in the load bed.
Without the heft of a large twin-axle caravan to hold it back, the L200 easily keeps up with the ebb and flow of traffic. It’s a shame that the engine is so noisy, though.
Turn onto country roads and the L200 is most comfortable if driven at a cautious pace.
The vague steering doesn’t encourage enthusiastic driving, and there’s lots of lean if you arrive at a corner a little faster than you intend to.
You’re always conscious of the Mitsubishi’s size, and never more so than when driving in town. It’s more than 5.3m long, so you’ll need to look for a big parking space to squeeze into.
In fairness, the L200’s bulk does come with the territory, and any of its rivals will feel oversized on urban streets.
The Mitsubishi has strong off-road credentials. Power can be sent to the rear wheels for good economy, or to all four wheels if the going gets slippery.
There’s also a low-ratio setting for the transmission and a locking centre differential for really serious off-roading.
Space and practicality
Don’t go looking for loads of soft-touch plastics or expect the last word in infotainment. But the L200’s cabin is solidly put together, and the leather seats and LED ambient lighting give the interior a lift.
There’s enough adjustment to the seat and steering wheel to suit short and tall drivers, and we were comfortable at the end of a long day behind the wheel.
In the back, the L200 is wide enough to seat three adults in reasonable comfort, with generous legroom by usual double-cab standards.
The size of the load space, and the payload it can carry, will probably be of more concern to anyone using their L200 as a commercial vehicle. The payload is 1075kg, which betters the Ranger 2.0 213PS auto, which can carry 1024kg.
If you want to keep luggage dry, the retractable load cover fitted to our Mitsubishi is a desirable option. The cover also comes with black sports bars. At £1849.99 (including fitting, excluding VAT), this is a pricey extra, and while the cover locks to the tailgate, the tailgate itself doesn’t lock separately. We think Mitsubishi missed a trick not making the tailgate lockable, but you can buy an aftermarket lock.
There’s a full-size spare wheel underneath the L200, where it can be reached without having to empty the load bed.
Buying and owning
Business users can reclaim the VAT on a commercial vehicle, which gives a list price of £32,525. That’s competitive with the L200’s rivals, especially when you consider how well equipped it is. Barbarian X spec comes with leather upholstery, heated seats and steering wheel, 18-inch alloys, Apple Carplay and Android Auto, a digital radio, dual-zone air-con and a lot more, including a suite of driver aids and safety features.
The official combined fuel economy figure is 36.2mpg. We achieved 22.9mpg while towing. Every L200 comes with a fiveyear, 62,500-mile warranty.