Barbarian at the gates: Mitsubishi L200

What is it?

It’s Mitsubishi’s tough workhorse that’s been around for 40-odd years – and it was chosen as the Best Pick-Up in this year’s Business Van Awards.

The latest version of the L200 was introduced into the UK last summer in a number of trim levels: 4Life Club Cab, Double Cab, Warrior, Barbarian and Barbarian X.

All of them, apart from the entry model, come in 4-door double cab style.

New for this latest – and sixth – generation is a 2.2-litre turbo diesel and upgraded six-speed automatic transmission. Our test model was the top Barbarian X model which comes with all the bells and whistles.

Why would you want a Mitsubishi L200?

• Rugged good looks
• Really comfortable interior for a utility vehicle
• Latest engine is much quieter and smoother
• Good fuel economy

What might put you off a Mitsubishi L200?

• If you like getting down and dirty you’ll ruin those good looks!
• A bit of a monster around town
• Quite a big price for top of the range versions

Our verdict

This brief test planned for a few days turned into something of a marathon with the onset of the Coivid-19 lockdown.

The L200 turned up in early March and is still with us more than a month later – and here for the duration until deliveries and collections are up and running again.

Not that I’m complaining, the striking good looks sit nicely on the drive and it’s a comfortable workhorse to get around in. The only issue is that we’re not allowed out much in it!

Apart from the odd trip to the supermarket, the Mitsubishi has been spending a lot of time sitting on square wheels – although living in farming country has allowed a little bit of off-roading on the way back from the grocery run.

The new 2268cc turbo diesel powertrain, driving through the upgraded automatic 6-speed gearbox delivers 150PS and 400Nm of torque which is plenty for getting about off road and for towing.

In the end, most of the driving was town and country roads so an overall mpg of 36.7 is not too shabby.

Plenty enough power, then, and the auto box provides smooth changes while you can also override that with steering wheel mounted paddles.

The latest L200 certainly looks good with a new clamshell bonnet, narrow LED headlights and LED daytime running lights.

The load area on our test model was finished off with a bed liner and retractable tonneau cover which add just over £2,000 to the price.

The interior is wanting for little and up there with some of the premium cars: leather upholstery, touchscreen infotainment system, smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, DAB radio, air conditioning, mood lighting, Bluetooth, USB ports and parking sensors.

A pretty good drive as well. None of the jumpiness found in many pick-ups thanks to a stronger chassis and new springs. Brakes have also been beefed up.

The four-wheel-drive system provides plenty enough grip to deal with rough terrain. It can also wade through a water depth of 600mm and for those requiring payload the L200 can carry up to 1075kg and tow a trailer of up to 3.5 tonnes.

It is possible to switch between 2WD and 4WD and back again while on the move at speeds up to 62mph.

The Barbarian X also comes with a comprehensive package of safety features including lane departure warning, hill descent control and off-road mode, forward collision mitigation, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert and auto high beam.

Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian X

• P11D Value £33,943 (as tested) excluding VAT
• BiK (20%/40%): £57.16/£114.32
• Engine: 2.2-litre diesel
• Power: 150PS
• Torque: 400Nm
• Max speed: 106mph
• Towing capacity: 3500kg
• Fuel economy: 36.7mpg
• CO2 emissions: 206g/km