6:05pm Monday 30th March 2009
By Nigel Burton
DO you want to do your bit for the environment but can’t stand the idea of driving a diesel? Do the gruff exhaust note and all that underbonnet clatter set your teeth on edge? If they do, then Mitsubishi may have the solution.
Externally, the Colt ClearTec looks no different from its more conventional siblings.
Facelifted for 2009, the Colt is now a more daring and visually interesting hatchback/mini MPV thanks mainly to its ‘jet fighter’ grille and new headlights which give it a real dose of attitude.
Although the Colt still shares its underpinnings with the Smart forfour there’s no argument which looks the more boring (hint: it isn’t the one that’s designed in Japan).
So what magic has Mitsubishi sprinkled over the ClearTec to bring down the exhaust emissions from 143 g/km of carbon dioxide to just 119 g/km?
The engineers have thrown all the usual green gubbins at the Colt – low rolling resistance tyres plus longer gear ratios – plus a few more goodies like a high-efficiency alternator, which only recharges the battery when it needs to.
Then there’s the automatic stop and go system, which switches off the engine when the car is stationary and restarts it the moment you depress the clutch to move off.
This isn’t a new idea – both BMW and Smart have used something similar for a couple of years – but the Mitsubishi version is notable for its cleverness.
Computers monitors seven different systems before deciding whether or not to kill the engine.
They keep a close eye on the coolant temperature, battery juice, electrical load and the brake pressure. If any are too high or too low, the system disables the stop and go immediately.
In addition, if the steering is more than a quarter of a turn beyond the straight ahead it reasons you're probably waiting at a junction for a gap in the traffic, so the engine stays on. I also discovered that it switches back on if you let the Colt roll forward.
The first time the engine cuts out it is hard not to reach for the ignition key to turn it back on, but you soon get used to it.
Traditionalists who can’t will be glad to know there’s a little button that turns the system off permanently.
It certainly works, though.
In the interests of a thorough test, I took the Colt to Newcastle.
I’d hoped to try it in stop-start traffic conditions but hadn’t figured on becoming part of a massive tailback on the A167.
The traffic jam took 90 minutes to negotiate quarter of a mile, as tough a test of automatic stop and go as you’d like.
The system responded magnificently, cutting power when it needed and restarting the moment I dipped the clutch.
Once or twice the engine didn’t turn off – possibly because the battery needed charging – and it stayed on when I used the air conditioning.
Mitsubishi reckons it is possible to eek more than 50 miles from a gallon, even in heavy traffic, and I reckon they are right.
The fuel gauge barely moved despite the horrendously fuel-inefficient conditions.
There are other good things about the Colt, like the ride, which is surprisingly comfy for a little ‘un, better, in fact, than the £54,000 Mercedes MClass I’d tested the previous week.
The trade off for this cushy drive is a tendency to pitch about in high winds.
On the way back from Newcastle the wind was gusting a bit on the A1 and I had to feed in constant course corrections.
The Colt definitely felt more at home in the hustle and bustle of an inner city.
The new dashboard is an improvement over the old one and, although there are quite a few hard plastics, the overall cabin ambience is good for a car costing less than 10k.
There is enough room in the cabin for a small family, and the split-level boot allows you to stash fragile valuables without a care.
The parcel shelf has no cord to hold it up – you keep it in place by sliding it slightly to the left. I just about managed to stow a week’s worth of shopping, but my son’s scooter had to travel on the back seat.
I must say, though, that the Colt has convinced me that careful application of smart technology can allow a petrol car to give a diesel a run for its money, and at an asking price which makes the Colt a bit of a bargain.
In the UK the Colt has a loyal band of owners. Mitubishi has used the name twice before, but when I think of the word Colt I still think of a firearm, rather than a car.
That said, if you do a lot of driving in town and need to cut your costs, I reckon the Colt ClearTec would be an excellent weapon of choice.
Engine: 1,332cc four-cylinder petrol
Max power: 94bhp @ 6,000rpm
Max torque: 92lb/ft @ 4,000rpm
Max speed: 112mph
0-62mph: 10.4 seconds
Av fuel consumption: 56.6mpg (Govt fig)
CO2 emissions: 119 g/km CO2
Road tax: £35
Equipment: 15-inch alloy wheels, electric windows, air conditioning, cruise control, CD/radio with aux input.
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