Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2 DI-DC SG2 3dr Car Review - February 2012

Plenty of tweaking possible on the driver's seat for most people to get comfortable, but unfortunately lacks adjustment for reach on the steering column. Great all-round visibility offered by the elevated driving position is a winner and all the necessary, easy-to-use controls are sensibly located.

The brawny 3.2litre, 4 cylinder, 16 valve, 197 bhp turbo diesel power unit has a 'take me anywhere' capability. The only engine choice in this Shogun model; it dishes out heaps of power kicking out 325lbs/ft torque at 2000rpm. It can propel the Shogun from 0-62 in 9.7 seconds and carry it onto a top speed of 111 mph. However, it's anything but quiet while doing so.

Vibrations quiver through the inside when starting-up and it doesn’t get any quieter when you’re on the move. It's full of grunt though; hook almost anything up to it for towing and it won’t complain either.

The suspension has difficulties on the road, with lots of roll in the corners and an uncomfortable ride on all but the smoothest of surfaces. The manual transmission lacks in precision so the automatic gearbox is the preferred option.

Off-road the Shogun simply scrambles and climbs and makes its way with ease through places and water where some of its competitors wouldn’t have the courage to go.

Side by side with its rivals, the Shogun can’t offer the same level of quietness and comfort on the road. Motorway cruising is punished by the crude and noisy 3.2-litre turbo diesel power unit. At speed, wind and road noise become noticeable too, which could explain Mitsubishi’s fitting of a loud six-speaker stereo unit to try and cover it up. The seats are flat but firm, and heating and ventilation systems provided are both fine.

Internally it’s lacking that sumptuous quality look and feel presented by its more prestigious 4X4 competition, but it’s certainly sturdy enough and comes with M-ASTC (Mitsubishi Active Stability & Traction Control)as standard.

This short-wheelbase three-door model is, perhaps inevitably, less roomy and trickier to get into than the 5-door model.

This 3DR version comes with 18 inch alloy wheels, silver roof rails, silver side steps and body coloured door mirrors and handles as standard kit.

Although the three-door model doesn’t boast the five-door model’s legendary cargo hauling space and third-row seats, it still offers ample passenger and cargo space for its size. The rear door, which is hinged on the side, can be a bit awkward in a small space – so watch out if somebody parks behind.

Truck like toughness and as safe as a tank; Shoguns are designed to last, so reliability should be admirable and it comes with MAP (Mitsubishi Assistance Package) with 24/7 cover in over 30 European countries for peace of mind, as well as Mitsubishi’s normal 3 year unlimited mileage warranty.

All round air bags take care of passenger safety, while an alarm system including immobilizer is included as standard.

It’s not the greenest of cars in its class, being a true off-roader, and with C02 emissions tagged at 207 g/km it falls in category K for VED (Vehicle Excise Duty) £550.00 for the first year and £245.00 thereafter.

The Shogun is listed at £30,099.00 which is comparable to some of its rivals such as the Kia Sorento and Volvo XC60. For that you get a real gutsy 4X4 off-roader full of spirit and rugged durability.

The Shogun offers fair value for money since it considerably beats numerous similar-sized 4x4s in real off-road skills. Level of standard kit is ample, with all models coming with alloy wheels, audio system with MP3-compatibility and cruise and climate control.