Mitsubishi Magna

Mitsubishi say that the Magna AWD is a gripping drive! But can you believe the advertising? In this case we can say yes, indeed, you can definitely believe the advertising. As soon as you're out on the road, this car tells you in unequivocal terms that it is a gripping drive! Immediately the exceptionally fine attributes of this car make it very obvious that the car is going to be a mighty fine experience.

The Next Car team traveled to Perth to road test Mitsubishi's all-wheel-drive Magna VR-X. This is the sporty model of the Magna range. Whilst the current shape Magna is now into its final year or so, the all-wheel-drive version shows, quite clearly, that the Magna is a car which the market needs. Driving the all-wheel-drive model spoils you beyond belief.

The area chosen for our drive was the south-west of Western Australia. We were to travel some 2,469 kms in just 11 days. We drove from Perth to Busselton via Harvey and Bunbury. Then from Busselton we would drive to Denmark via Nannup, Manjimup and Rocky Gully. Then in the next week, the Next Car team would visit the Stirling Ranges and Albany before returning to Perth via Mount Barker, Kojinup, Katanning, Wagin, Narrogin and Armadale. What a great drive this would prove to be!

On sealed highways the Magna AWD proved it was way ahead of its two-wheel-drive competitors. You just cannot compare two-wheel-drive larger locally-built cars with the Magna AWD. Quite simply, they are not in the same league. Never have been and let us tell you, they never will be. Such is the impressive manner in which the Magna AWD attends to business. Then on unsealed roads the Magna AWD did just as we expected it would....... it demonstrated its clear superiority. We did scores of kilometres on several of the many unsealed roads of the west. The Magna impressed every time. In fact, the Magna AWD makes driving a real pleasure.

We cannot say the Magna is a powerful car, because it isn't! But the power from the 3.5 litre V6 is certainly quite ample for the target market. Hot shot drivers are more likely to be looking towards one of the other local 6-cylinder sporty cars. But for those who aren't seeking back-breaking acceleration then the VR-X AWD is certainly an attractive option. It looks good, it has reasonable equipment levels (but certainly not overdone with luxury) and it has the excellent QuadTec all-wheel-drive system and high-performance brakes.