2005 Mitsubishi Colt Sport review from UK and Ireland

A hole in the drivers seat back, caused by a lack of padding and roughly finished seat frame.

Creaks and groans from the front suspension.

Squeaking from the rear suspension.

Alarming brake fade.

This car should have been amazing. On paper, the figures are superb, the reality less so. Never have I been more disappointed in a modern car, especially from a Japanese manufacturer. Having had Japanese cars for several years now and been completely satisfied and thrilled with their reliability, build quality and sheer dependability, this was quite a blow, and the only reason I can come up with is the fact that they are manufactured alongside the Smart Forfour, and not actually by Mitsubishi. The fit and finish of materials is cheap to be polite, some positively sub standard.

I found a hole developing in my seat backrest within a couple of months of purchase. I reported this to my not so local dealer, who told me there had been a recall issued on this and not to worry as it would be rectified FOC. This has been rectified now, but it has taken nine months of E-mails to the manufacturer and calls to the garage to get it done. Not good.

The suspension sounds like an old Metro, it's dreadful, creaking and groaning its way along.

And being the Sport model, with 107 bhp on tap, the last thing you expect is brake fade. After only about half a dozen presses of tackling at fair aplomb, a windy mountain road in Snowdonia, the brakes seemed to vanish entirely, not exactly inspiring confidence in the responsiveness, had I needed to actually stop.

Chassis not really matching the performance either, way to eager to cock a wheel in the air when cornering, usually one of the driving wheels, resulting in wheelspin and plenty of ensuing torque steer.