REVIEW | Mitsubishi Destinator a family-friendly car with an action-hero title

Toyota’s executives are probably the only ones of all the Japanese brands who sleep without interruption these days. The rest are all figuring out how to maintain a competitive advantage over the growing influx of Chinese rivals at play.

Nissan recently sold its long-standing Rosslyn plant operations to Chery, while importers like Honda and Subaru somehow get by on dwindling sales volumes. Add Mitsubishi to that list too.

Not that these brands lack competent products — but it is tough for them to match Chinese pricing and proliferation of standard equipment that was once limited to higher-end models. Then there is the case of variety afforded.

But where brands like Mitsubishi do have an upper-hand is in the area of proven reliability and well-established aftersales standards. It often likes to tout that as many as 65% of customers still choose to service their vehicles at the main dealer even after the warranty and service plan have expired.

Among Mitsubishi faithfuls, it seems to be a case of, “if you know, then you know.”

Late last year we spent time with the Outlander Sport, a compact crossover with expressive styling and decent road manners. Building on that basic recipe is the Destinator, which has a longer wheelbase, beefier looks and seating for seven.

That name sounds like it would be better used for an action film starring Jason Statham. You can almost hear the sound of explosions and fists meeting flesh on hearing “Destinator”; seemingly a mash-up of “destination” and “terminator” — my inference, not Mitsubishi’s official line.

The brand has not axed its older medium-sized seven-seater, the Xpander, which remains part of the line-up from R365,995. The Destinator costs upwards of R489,990 for the GLS and R569,990 for the top-shelf Exceed grade. We tested the latter.

Warranty is of a five-year/unlimited mileage duration; the service plan is limited to five years or 75,000km.

Mitsubishi categorises the Destinator as a sport-utility vehicle, and at the price band, similar seven-seat rivals include:

• the Changan CS75 Pro (from R449,900);
• Jetour X70 (from R454,900); and
• Mahindra Scorpio-N (from R489,999).

The former two offer all the typical Chinese vehicle trappings (screen-intensive cabins, soft-touch veneers and Eurocentric imitation styling). The Indian Mahindra’s ace is a tough ladder-frame chassis, plus a torque-rich diesel, which will appeal to buyers with off-road ambitions and towing applications in mind.

But there are also seven-seater rivals classed in the crossover category, like the Hyundai Alcazar (from R499,900) and Kia Carens (from R399,995). These are both shorter and have lower ground clearances than the Mitsubishi.

The Destinator is a road-biased creature with front-wheel drive, though its 214mm ground clearance should be fine for light gravel. Having spent a great deal of time with the Outlander Sport, my biggest criticism related to the normally aspirated 1.5l, which made quite a din when pressed.

Like the Outlander Sport, the Destinator uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT); but thankfully the 1.5l motor is turbocharged. That makes a big difference on paper (120kW/250Nm versus 77kW/141Nm) and in the real world, where the extra grunt hustles the 1,500kg Mitsubishi with conviction.

With the Outlander Sport, you find yourself driving with the right pedal flattened to hold pace through changing elevations. The boost of the Destinator means easier progress and crucially, a quieter experience, since the engine is not constantly screaming. There are various driving modes, including options labelled Gravel and Mud, but there was no reason to deviate from the default Normal.

The vehicle had 2,527km on its odometer, and the long-term fuel economy read 8.6l/100km. “Could be better,” was my initial thought, but referenced against the lighter, less powerful Outlander Sport (7.2l/100km as tested); this is not a terribly big jump for a car that does have added heft and fuelling requirements associated with a turbocharger. The Changan CS75 Pro we tested in February, which also has a turbocharged 1.5l unit, returned 8.8l/100km.

Now onto what the Destinator is all about: space. This is a substantial vehicle from the outside, measuring a length of 4,680mm; a height of 1,780mm and width of 1,840mm.

A note on the luggage compartment capacity. Two sets of figures were provided by Mitsubishi. One set is calculated on the premise that the owner is loading the vehicle up to the top of the seat-back; the second set factors in loading to the headlining.

With the third row of seats erected, boot space is limited to 141l (185l to the headlining); which is fine for about four grocery bags abreast. That third row is best for small children and their short legs.

A grumpy teenager of medium height seemed to struggle with legroom when relegated to the back. The middle row is more spacious, with fore and aft sliding seat adjustment. Boot space with the third row folded is 494l (or 844l to the headlining).

With both the second and third rows folded, 819l is offered, or as much as 1,668l if you were to load the vehicle up to the headlining.

From the driver’s seat, the Destinator offers most of what is required — acceptable infotainment, a camera system, a virtual cluster, climate control, a sunroof as well as a handy air-conditioned centre console.

But it lacks the niceties of certain Chinese picks. The Changan CS75 wowed with heated seats, for instance. However, the perception of durability is stronger in the Mitsubishi. Although the Destinator may not have premium-aspiring soft-touch trimmings, it does feel properly screwed together, in that typically Mitsubishi way.

The Exceed gives you blind-spot warning and rear cross traffic alert; both grades have six airbags as standard. It scored five stars when it was tested by ASEAN NCAP.

For buyers needing additional space, the Destinator is a well-rounded product backed by the proven credentials of an established legacy brand.