About Mitsubishi Grandis
Mitsubishi tried its luck on the minivan market with the futuristic-looking Grandis it showed in March 2003 for the Japanese market.
Step by step, the Japanese automaker started to sell this MPV on other continents and adapted it according to specific markets. Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful, and the automaker had to pull the plug after six years. Its slow sales were not caused by the world financial crisis.
Mitsubishi already had a powerful presence in international markets, and its sports-oriented products were appreciated. It tried to look similar to other vehicles from its range, such as this MPV. Thus, the low front end and the triangular, swept-back headlights seemed too aggressive for a minivan. On the other hand, the grille resembled the one installed on the small-sized Colt. From its profile, the Grandis featured regular hinged doors. In contrast, other automakers already featured sliding rear ones that were more convenient to use for parents taking their children back and forth. At the back, the wide tailgate was flanked by a set of taillights with clear lenses and lower red areas.
Inside, the Grandis provided room for up to seven people, with two folding seats in the last row. The two-tone dashboard design and the high-mounted gear lever on the center stack provided a good ambiance for front occupants. The middle-row passengers had enough leg and headroom, but the last row of seats was mainly suited for teenagers, not full-grown adults.
Under the hood, Mitsubishi installed its 2.4-liter inline-four gasoline engine that lacked in the fuel efficiency sector, especially when mated with the four-speed automatic gearbox. For selected markets, the carmaker offered a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel carried over from Volkswagen that provided a low fuel consumption and could've been paired with a six-speed automatic.