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Dishing the dirt
Mitsubishi Shogun
Mitsubishi has taken its stalwart favourite four-by-four – the Shogun – and given the versatile wagon a hefty injection of 21st century style and road presence to back up its reliable and trusted off-road technology.
Fans of this model, which has a history stretching back three decades, have been eagerly awaiting the fourth incarnation of the Shogun and I know they won’t be disappointed. The chunky Shogun has evolved into – well, a chunky Shogun. It is still recognisable as such, although it has grown a little, as is the in-thing with all incarnations it seems.
It’s amazing how a few well-placed angles and kinks to the bodywork can bring a wagon bang up to date and really make it stand out from the crowd.
No longer is it a run-of-the-mill looking two-tone terrain tamer, which has developed a massive following over the years, but, it has evolved into a beautifully detailed SUV, the design of which is visually striking with its short overhangs, bold wheel arches and ‘Mount Fuji’ grille, all elements which define the purposeful and practical nature of this off-roader.
Mitsubishi doesn’t push the ‘lifestyle’ theme with the Shogun. It leaves that very much to the new Outlander, which is launching next month. However, I think the Shogun has a distinctive ‘premium brand’ feel to it, very much in the vein of the Land Rover Discovery 3.
In fact, the on-road driving dynamics of the Shogun are almost identical to the Disco, from the driving position and handling, to the general feel of the car, through the steering and pedals.
The special interior dynamics are similar too, although the five-door Shogun is more spacious than the Disco. Peering through the almost-vertical windscreen could fool you into thinking this car is Disco’s evil twin.
Customers can choose from three-door SWB and five-door LWB versions. A choice many rivals cannot boast. Both versions are powered by an economical 3.2-litre common rail Euro IV compliant turbo diesel engine; this gives the Shogun its power (373 Nm of torque). Independent multi-link rear suspension aids Shogun’s superb off-road performance.
The new Shogun, although offering a very comfortable and enjoyable drive on normal roads is outstanding when it comes to the rough terrain. And, what better place to try out the wagon’s credentials than the Army’s own playground on Salisbury Plain?
The camo-clad crusaders weren’t so much laughing in their green sleeves as trying to hide their surprise as we pitted the new Shogun against the Army’s training ground. Eat my damp-yet sandy dust was very much the phrase of the day!
These pictures say it all – the Shogun clambered effortlessly up steep hills, straddled deep ruts, played pass the parcel with pot holes and waded unflinching through deep water.
Without hesitation the professional off-road instructors toyed with the tank tracks and cavorted around craters like it was a walk in the park – like Beckham with his ball on fire!
Of course the event was held by special permission and you probably wouldn’t want to put your own new Shogun through such tortuous terrain, but the whole exercise proved beyond doubt that the Shogun is still king of the hill.
Some of my many favourite features include the superb satellite navigation system with computer in the centre console, plus the digital computer readout of the 4x4 system on the dashboard. It shows you how the technology works in a really easy format. The Rockford Fosgate premium audio system, standard on the range topper, is phenomenal if you enjoy good quality music, loud..
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