Faults:

Nothing so far. Really, nothing.

General Comments:

Bought this one after endless investments related to the reliability of my 2003 1.8 Dynamic Stilo. Couldn't get it to start reliably every time, swapped it in for the Colt.

Engine:

- The 1.3 ClearTech is reliable, good in the city, moderate on highways (90-110km/h, after that it gets too loud in the coupé). According to the onboard computer, average consumption is 8.2 litres/100km, and that's because I'm a bit heavy on the gas pedal; if you're a cheapskate and drive like a grandpa, I'm sure you can get that down to like, 6-6.5 litres/100km. So that's really good. Also, the only thing I've had to do so far is change the oil and filter, everything else is tip top.

Comfort:

- This is the weakest link for me, as someone who drove a Stilo, which is a synonym for comfort compared to this one. The quality of plastic in the Colt is meager, like Mitsubishi really tried to save as much as possible on this point; unfortunately, it just spoils the feeling for a driver completely. A far cry from ie Polo, Golf, Peugeot 206, Renault Clio, Toyota Yaris or whatever may fall into the same category. Except for the wheel and the gear stick, everything else just reeks of a budget solution. Very bad design when it comes to compartments, knobs, isolation in the doors and the rest of the car.

Space:

- It's okay for a driver, 4 people can ride in it without much sacrifice for the front passengers in regards to the leg space for the front passenger and driver. The boot is quite small and will not really be useful for anything else than grocery bags. I've transported smaller sorts of IKEA cabinets with folded back seats, and that's about it as far as practical goes.

All in all, if you're looking for something with cheap cost per km when calculating repair costs, maintenance, mileage - it's nice. Beware of higher consumption that comes as soon as you hit the gas pedal a bit harder. Also, the second hand value drops like the stock market in 2008. So it's a good buy if you plan on having it for like, 2 years or more. Pretty cheap to acquire too.

However, if you want some comfort in your ride and prefer something with a bit more car in it, go for the VW Polo, it's a 10 times better buy.

Faults:

Nothing - yet.

General Comments:

More comfortable than the Barina/Corsa.

Quieter than the Barina/Corsa.

Feels bigger than the Barina/Corsa.

Very basic bells and whistles. The retracting side mirrors are good. The privacy rear glass I guess is OK. Air conditioning, electric windows and central locking are now seen as basic necessities.

No boot light. Have to fiddle with the ignition key to get radio and windows. No display, thermometer or consumption. No ashtray, lighter or mag wheels.

But it pulls 2000 revs at 100 KPH, and is very quiet on asphalt roads. First tank gave 5.3 litres to 100 KM. The CVT is excellent.

Sadly Mitsubishi have made all but the basic warranty "non transferable". It's as if Mitsi don't have faith in their product.

Faults:

Nothing so far.

General Comments:

After reading some very negative owner reviews on the net, I purchased this car with some trepidation. I can only think that the people that think this car is jerky etc. must be used to an automatic gearbox as opposed to the automatic clutch that this car has. If you have driven a manual for some time (like me), then do not worry, you will soon get used to the Colt AMT.

If you drive it like a manual whilst in auto, ie lift your accelerator foot slightly between changes, then it swaps gears as smoothly as any other car. When using the manual option, you do not even have to lift your foot, just push forwards gently on the stick, it does not jerk or lurch at all.

I have found that if a quick getaway is needed (like from a busy roundabout), it seems faster using first and second in manual, then slipping into auto once away from any problem areas.