Mitsubishi Shogun Review
Published: 16th July 2009
Mitsubishi Shogun
I like that Mitsubishi has decided to stick with boxy body that sets the Mitsubishi Shogun apart and is, at the same time, a declaration of its off-road competence. The chamfered front end allows better forward visibility and with the rake of the windscreen, goes some way to improving the aerodynamics compared with the previous versions, but the drag coefficient is still quite high and the slabby Mitsubishi Shogun is prone to the effects of side-winds.
However, it doesn't cause the large vehicle too much trouble, or for that matter, slow it down. The top speed is 110mph, whether the 5-speed automatic or the 5-speed manual gearbox (plus sequential shift) is chosen. It takes 12.9 seconds to reach 62mph from standstill and surprisingly, the SWB versions are not very different, having the same top speed and 0.7 seconds quicker in the sprint.
Similarly, the size doesn't make that much difference to the fuel consumption figures with those for the Mitsubish Shogun test car posted as; 21.6mpg (urban), 31mpg (extra-urban) and 26.7mpg for the combined cycle, while CO2 emissions are measured at 280g/km.
The 3.2 DI-DC engine produces 160PS at 3,800rpm and 281lb ft or 381Nm of torque at 2,000rpm, which is what you need for adventures away from the beaten track.
It seems somewhat strange that you would have leather upholstery in a rugged off-roader but it works for the likes of the Range Rover or the Volkswagen Touareg and, it has to be said that many Mitsubishi Shoguns will never venture far from the tarmac, which is a shame.
The ladder-frame underpinning goes a long way to defining the robust nature of the Mitsubishi Shogun but the off-road capability comes from the AWC or All Wheel Control system and Mitsubishi's Super Select 4 II transfer box. So, clearly this is no so-called, 'soft-roader'. Indeed, it is fitted with a centre differential lock and has a separate transfer box with four driving modes: 2H is, in effect, rear-wheel-drive; 4H is full time four-wheel-drive for normal road use but in slippery conditions. 4HLc locks the centre differential so that all four wheels have drive, for soft snow or sandy conditions and the 4LLc has much the same effect but is the go-anywhere, low ratio setting for serious off-roading across rocky or very soft terrain.
