Test Drive: Mitsubishi L200 Sportero

I've always been a fan of Mitsubishi cars & trucks, up until recent style changes. After the CK4 lancer-era of mitsu's, the change to more unorthodox exterior design put me off. It seemed like Mitsubishi gave up on conventional styling and ran with a more space-age, futuristic look. It may have appealed to younger buyers who don't have the exposure to older-generation cars with classic looks, but IMO it didn't do much to revive Mitsubishi's slumping car-sales in the late 90's / early 2000's.

Which brings me back to the 2009-2010 Mitsubishi L200 Sportero (a.k.a. Triton). Space-age design is obviously bred into this generation of Mitsubishi's venerable pickup truck. Gone are the boxy, rugged and masculine looks of the 1990's era workhorse, replaced by an aggressive looking front which channels the spirit of the Evolution Lancer and a very modern interior (probably more modern that it should be). The curvy, egg-shaped design is a bit unsettling but settles down by the time you get to the tray.

This time, I didn't get to test-drive a brand-new L200 from the dealership, instead I test-drove a friend's relatively new (early 2010) Mitsubishi L200 around the Savannah and up to the lookout on Lady Young road.