| Week at the Wheel | Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian |

Inside & Out:

Mitsubishi's L200 is no wallflower. Among its workmanlike rivals it stands out for having some styling flair: the pod-like double-cab is at odds with the usual boxy norm. For 2010 the L200 gets some improvements inside and out. They're subtle though, the changes limited to improved materials, a new centre console and steering wheel and revised fog lamp housings and front grille. It still looks fresh regardless, and the key revisions are exhibited elsewhere anyway.

Engine & Transmission:

The L200 is a work vehicle first and that's evident in its simple drivetrain and general lack of refinement. For this 2010 model there's a new five-speed automatic borrowed from the Shogun, while the 2.5-litre turbodiesel gets a boost in power to 175bhp - its 258lb.ft of torque making it a useful machine for towing. The automatic shifts cleanly enough, but when cruising it's a bit prone to hunting between gears. Even equipped with the automatic the L200 is relatively environmentally friendly, with a combined consumption figure of 30.1mpg and CO₂ emissions of 248g/km.

Ride & Handling:

You pay for the L200's ability (in the rough and to haul and carry) with relatively crude ride and handling. Comparing the L200 to a regular car or SUV is to do it a disservice though, as it's really a working machine. Compared like-for-like to its competition it's one of the better pick-ups to drive. It's unlikely you'll ever take it for a drive for the hell of it, but if Armageddon comes - or you want something that'll do pretty much everything a Land Rover Defender does and more - then the L200 makes a lot of sense.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

Equipment levels and pricing are typically good value thanks to Mitsubishi's usual 'throw lots of kit at it' policy. The Barbarian model is one of the more lifestyle-orientated models so comes with car-like levels of standard equipment. There's a music server system with integrated satnav, air conditioning and cruise control as standard, while reversing is made easier thanks to a camera in the tailgate and displayed on the centre console screen. All for money that makes a Land Rover Defender look preposterously expensive. Key for 2010 is the economy and emission enhancements, the L200 benefiting from Mitsubishi's drive to cleaner motoring - the L200's 30.1mpg and 248g/km (or 34.0mpg and CO₂ 218g/km for the manual model) improving by around 6 percent over the 2009 model.

Overall:

The Mitsubishi L200 is pretty crude, but then that's what the pick-up marketplace is all about. SUV-rivalling aspirations are ambitious - even if the double-cab does give it real four-seat capacity. However, if you're in the market for a working machine with car-like levels of equipment, sensible pricing and excellent hauling and carrying capacity then the L200 is well worth considering.