Perhaps not Mitsubishi's smartest idea: at the press introduction of the new Colt, they displayed all previous generations in a meadow. Six pristine examples of cars that you remember 'from the past', which once drove around everywhere and each had its own identity; from the angular original Colt from 1978 to the mischievous little ball from the 2000s built by NedCar. And then next to it number seven… a Renault Clio with a modified snout.
You can question it, but it's very simple: for now it's either this Colt or no Colt at all. Mitsubishi is short of models in Europe and cars borrowed from 'the alliance' are an efficient way to quickly fill the gaps in the range without incurring high development costs. You will earn that back if you sell hundreds of thousands of cars per year, but Mitsubishi does not do that here.
Playing borrowed money with Renault is not a bad thing
Perhaps the next generation can be given its own face earlier in the development, but for now you have to make do with this Cliolt. Is that bad? Not really, because the basis is unchanged – and that means that the Colt, like the Renault, is a great thing. The Mitsubishi nose doesn't even look bad on him.
We drive the version with the 1.6-liter hybrid powertrain, which previously caused a stir at Renault due to its construction: four gears for the fuel engine and two for the electric motor. So a lot of sleight of hand takes place while driving, but the only thing you notice is that the petrol engine sometimes suddenly starts at times when you had not thought it was necessary.
The four-cylinder is not very quiet, but the flexibility with which it joins the drive work is again achieved. Moreover, the electric motor appears to be able to do it on its own a fair amount of the time, even on steep slopes or when accelerating abruptly from a standstill.
The interior of the Mitsubishi Colt is somewhat dark
Inside the Colt everything is dark and the door panels look a bit bare, even in our top version. Fortunately, there is a small strip of mood lighting on the center console. Renault drivers will recognize the graphics on the two screens, from the navigation to the 'My Sense' flower. All information is neatly presented; you see the charge of the modest battery filling up when you brake.
The automatic gear lever has a B position for more regeneration, but there is no option to shift gears yourself. Awkward when the engine stays at higher revs, which sometimes happens. It also makes your attempts at sporty driving less sporty, while the Colt with its electric push moves forward quite quickly and can be thrown into a bend without forcing you straight out of your seat on bad road surfaces.
The Colt is cheaper than the Clio
Compared to the Clio, the Colt has a number of advantages, such as a 1,000 euro lower entry price in the Netherlands – for a turbo-free basic version with a five-speed gearbox that Renault does not supply. Mitsubishi also gives us a much longer warranty: eight years compared to Renault's two. On the other hand, the full version tested here is more expensive than that of the Clio.
And what you might see as a disadvantage is the fact that you're driving around in a car wearing a mask. Equally, if the assumed identity of your mode of transport does not interest you, you can now potentially score a nice deal in the Mitsubishi showroom.
Specifications of the Mitsubishi Colt 1.6 HEV Instyle (2024)
Engine
1,598 cc
four-cylinder hybrid
145 hp @ 5,600 rpm
148 + 205 Nm @ 3,200 rpm
Drive
front wheels
2v + 4v automatic
Performance
0-100 km/h in 9.3 s
top 174 km/h
Consumption (average)
4.3 l/100 km
96 g/km CO2 A label
Dimensions
4,053×1,798x
1,439 mm (lxwxh)
2,583 mm (wheelbase)
1,360 kg
39 l (petrol)
301 / 979 l (luggage)
Prices
€31,490 (NL)
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