Mitsubishi Colt 1.3 Juro AMT 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The Colt’s 1.3 litre 4-cylinder engine is brisk rather than powerful. It delivers 94bhp at 6,000 rpm, and 92 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. This translates to a top speed of 112 mph, which is sufficient for a car of this class, and a 0-62 mph time of 12.0 seconds flat. The engine needs to be worked hard to give its best.

The Colt provides a competent rather than exciting drive as the steering is neither sharp nor cumbersome. Unlike the rest of the range, this model features a 6-speed All-Shift automatic gearbox. The ride is perfectly acceptable but refinement is an issue with the 1.3-litre engine making its presence known. Visibility could do with improvement.

The Juro comes with alloy wheels, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, cruise control and a stereo with MP3 connectivity as standard, giving it a good range of kit. The car also comes with steering wheel-mounted stereo controls, front fog lights, satellite navigation and leather seats. A metallic paint finish available for an additional cost.

The car has an uncomplicated exterior design which is attractive but fails to match some its sleeker rivals. The interior is well put together but the plastics look and feel cheap.

The Colt 1.3 Juro AMT 5dr offers plenty of head and leg room for four tall adults but the boot space is disappointing when the seats are up, with just 186 litres when the seats are up and 609 litres when the seats are folded down.

There are concerns regarding the reliability of this model. According to the 2011 JD customer satisfaction survey, owners rated its mechanical reliability, as well as exterior and interior quality, as below average and that will gives buyers real concerns over investing in this model.

The interior is fairly practical when it comes to operating instruments as the dash is well-organised with large buttons that are easy to use. The steering column only adjusts for height and not reach but seat height adjustment is standard throughout the range.

The Juro matches its rivals for safety equipment and provides six airbags, stability control, deadlocks, remote central locking and an immobiliser as standard fittings. This gives drivers some confidence but the reliability concerns are still an issue.

The Juro AMT is priced at £11,499 which is reasonable for the equipment on offer but fails to match the specifications of its nearest rivals.

In terms of affordability, the car is a decent prospect for first time buyers and families looking for an affordable small family car and long term ownership. Resale values are strong and fuel efficiency is moderate at 48.7 mpg. Road tax and insurance costs should be affordable under brackets D and 16 respectively.

However, the Colt’s questionable reliability record must be taken into account and although the carbon emissions of 125g/km help to make the car cheap to run, the maintenance and repair costs could be too high to reconcile.