Mitsubishi 380 GT 2006 Review

7-day Test

Mitsubishi's 380 couldn't come soon enough for the beleaguered Australian subsidiary. But it also couldn't have come at a worse time in the Australian big car market. With petrol prices riding high and the large sedan market led by Commodore and Falcon on the slide Mitsubishi's 'make or break' car arrived amid tough times.

Right from the word go the 380 struggled on the showroom floor and the lofty sales targets of 2500 per month were not met -- nowhere near. Now with Series 2 're-pricing' Mitsubishi has all but admitted it got it wrong which is a great shame because the 380 deserves much better.

But the customer is the big winner here because the 380 GT is now selling from $44,990 down from $47,990. (There is a slight catch because the formally standard sunroof is now a $2000 option -- but if you can do without it you'll save a total of three grand).

The GT is the model 'with the lot' and is touted as being the sportiest in the line up. It has an image problem though. It is beaten in a straight line by the base model 380 ES priced from $27,990. With less equipment and the same engine…well you do the maths.

A top line model like the GT needs the bragging rights of a higher output engine but in a tight business case the accountants in Adelaide decided against it.

That said the 175kW/343Nm 3.8-litre V6 is a beauty. Creamy smooth and strong it pulls the car along capably. The five-speed auto is well matched too and in combination stop-start city traffic and open road cruising is a treat.

The steering is well-weighted and direct, with a tad of kickback on uneven surfaces. The independent suspension -- in combination with 17-inch alloys and low-profile rubber -- is noticeably firm and on rough surfaces the ride is a little jiggly but the upside is that in harder driving situations the car holds on tenaciously. You can't have everything.

The interior is very well equipped with leather, high quality plastics and classy instrumentation. It's comfortable too -- even in the back cues -- and we liked the electronic adjustment on the driver's seat. The boot can swallow bags of shopping or plenty of luggage for a week away.

So why buy the GT? Well it does have everything. Five-speed INVECS II Smart Logic auto with Sports Mode and manual tip shifting, six-stack CD with MP3 compatibility, climate and cruise control, power windows, mirrors and driver's seat, reversing sensors, traction control, ABS, front and front-side airbags, 17-inch alloys, Dunlop SP Sport tyres, big bore exhaust, mesh grille, boot-lid spoiler, carbon fibre-look and leather interior. It's incredibly well equipped, superb value and it's no slug on the road either.

The 380 GT is a great car produced at a not-so-great time in Australian automotive history. Let's hope it's not consigned to it before due time.