Review of the new Mitsubishi Grandis

I remember visiting a motor show a few years back, spotting Mitsubishi's stand and instantly turning to do something more interesting like queue for a cardboard cup of flat cola. Quite how Mitsubishi turned from one of Japan's most innovative car manufacturers to an also-ran is another story altogether, but of greater interest to UK buyers is that the company is on the rise again. Cars like the Evo, the Colt and the latest Outlander models have rekindled interest in this brand and the Grandis MPV proves Mitsubishi are back in the business of building realistically priced desirable cars.

The Grandis name may well be new to the UK but it's a familiar sight on Japanese roads where it has been attached to what we call Space Wagons for some time now. I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions as to why this piece of information hasn't entered the common currency in the same way knowledge of the Mazda Eunos, the Nissan Fairlady or even the Mitsubishi Pajero has. First seen in Europe at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show and in the UK at the 2004 Birmingham Show, this Grandis will certainly create a bigger splash than any Mitsubishi MPV before it.

If you equate MPV motoring with setsquare styling, dull road manners and the resignation that an ever-growing family has dispatched any notion of fun behind the wheel to a distant memory, the Grandis will come as a welcome tonic. Looking rather like an inflated Honda Stream, the Grandis appears to have been squeezed form a tube rather than bolted together on a production line. Some of the detailing, that long rear overhang for example, is by all conventional wisdom deeply unfashionable but walk round the car and it all works very neatly. A full seven seater, the Grandis is powered now only by a 134bhp 2.0-litre DI-D diesel.

"If you equate MPV motoring with setsquare styling and dull road manners, the Grandis will come as a welcome tonic"

This Volkswagen-sourced oil-burner is only offered with 6-speed manual transmission. Sixty takes 10.8s on the way to 121mph. When you learn that the diesel can return an impressive 43mpg, you start to understand why it was such a big miss when the Grandis first arrived on these shores in petrol guise only.

Let's try to get a handle on the Grandis' dimensions. At 4755mm long, it's a good 10cm longer than a Ford Galaxy. It's also a good deal narrower, its wasp-waisted 1795mm width making it less broad in the beam than a Ford Fiesta. That swooping roofline also means that it's low slung, never reaching more than 1655mm off the deck making it low for an MPV. That's about 14cm lower than a Toyota Previa. If headroom in your garage is an issue but you need seven seats, the Grandis is an interesting option.

The Mitsubishi certainly scores over some rivals in terms of sheer space available inside and by the innovative nature of its seating arrangements. Their 'Hide & Seat' concept involves a rear row of seats that can be individually folded away into the floor in a simple operation that takes seconds. No longer will you have to fold and tumble seats, leaving ugly, greasy mechanisms exposed, nor will you need to risk a herniated disc by lugging these bulky units into the garage only for the cat to spend a penny on them whilst you're out.

With the second and third row of seats folded in place, there's 1545 litres of cargo capacity available. Park it in a salubrious inner city neighbourhood and you could almost rent it out as a studio flat. The third row of seats isn't just a crude bench as in most vehicles of this ilk. Both seats can be reversed to provide a rear facing vantage point - ideal when viewing an outdoor event as the rear tailgate provides an excellent rain shelter. What's more, both these seats can be individually reclined for additional comfort.

What's less of a surprise is that the Grandis comes very well equipped. Anti lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution and twin front and side airbags are fitted as standard to all models, although a black mark has to be awarded for only fitting curtain airbags for the first two rows of seats. Two trim levels are offered, Equippe and Elegance, and all include 17-inch alloy wheels, a CD player, keyless entry and alarm, automatic air conditioning, front fog lamps, a rear spoiler, electronic door mirrors and a height adjustable drivers seat with armrest.

Although the Grandis may not be the complete MPV, it nevertheless will prove very attractive to those who need an MPV but don't want to be seen behind the wheel of a bus. An MPV you could even want? Mitsubishi could be onto something here.