Faults:

When new, problems with brake shudder under load. Had new disks fitted which reduced the problem slightly. It's fine now.

A new water pump was fitted by the garage when the drive belts were replaced at 100,000km, but I wasn't aware of a problem.

New battery after four years, but that's normal, especially in a cold climate.

General Comments:

This car has never let me down. It has been up and down just about every mountain in Switzerland and back to the UK many times.

It's not a performance car, but the 2.0 engine is adequate and economical.

The gearbox is a little crunchy sometimes, but it's original, as are the clutch and the exhaust system!

The seating arrangement has allowed various combinations of passengers and loads to be carried, without the headache of having to remove the rear seats. The fold-down rear seats are so easy to use when carrying extra passengers.

The central locking could have included a remote control, but that's a wish not a fault.

Faults:

Brake judder under load.

Excessive tyre wear.

Paint blemish - dealers/Mitsibushi not interested! Eventually I put up with it.

Metallic paint work scratches VERY easily and paint panels suffer easily from minor "car park" knocks - a complete opposite to the VW Passat which is bomb-proof (now that's my dream car!)

General Comments:

I had very high expectations for this car - particularly after talking to owners who had owned more than one.

Personally I have not been that impressed - yes it is a good reliable car with excellent performance - if you can afford the fuel.

Dealer service has not lived up to expectations and can be expensive (shop around). It EATS tyres - my second set is nearly through!

In summary:

A very well designed vehicle, practical and easy/relaxing to drive - particularly on long drives.

Let down by fuel consumption and dealers attitude - however this is certainly not as bad as Vauxhall's.