2002 Mitsubishi Carisma 1.9DID equippe review from UK and Ireland

I've only had the car for a few months, but so for nothing has gone wrong - (touch wood)

Let me start by saying this car has had some unwarranted bad press. Most car reviews online gave it only 2 or 3 out of 5. I think this is absurd, as this is a very capable car.

Value

As a second hand buy it is very cheap, only cost £4500 for a 2002 model with air con, cd player and alloy wheels. One previous owner with a mere 28k on the clock.

Comfort

This is a very spacious car with a big boot (i have the hatchback version) and plenty of leg room for both front and rear passengers. It also comes with 5 full seat belts. The ride is soft, which as mentioned in another review is good for long motorway journeys, or shorter journeys through town, but isn't as well suited for racing around country roads.

Performance

Coming from a previous 1.4 litre petrol car, this car is in a different league. It's got great pickup from 1700rpm onwards, and cruises easily at 70mph at only 2300rpm. I've never had to change down a gear once on a motorway for hills of any sorts, even with 5 people in the car, and their shopping. It is also a very economical car, even driving around town, it averages 430-460 miles to the tank, which works out around 42mpg according to the on-board computer.

Driving

I've not found the car boring to drive, I find it quite capable, and easy to drive. The gearbox is very smooth, and the steering light - which I prefer, because it makes town driving easier. The only down side is that the clutch is a tad heavy, meaning that stop start traffic can get a bit tiresome on the left leg. Visibility is good in this car, and parking is very easy, although coming from a small hatchback, the turning circle is noticeably larger.

Running costs

This car is quite cheap to run, its very economical, and is in a very low tax bracket. The only downside is that it's in quite a high insurance group (11) which makes it a bit expensive to insure. I've not had to deal with mitsubishi supplies for worn out/damaged parts, but I have heard that they can be on the expensive side.

In summary

On the whole I really like this car, its powerfull, comfortable, easy to drive and very economical. A good allround car, and a bargain if bought second hand.