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Clear advantage; Stop-start system turns Colt into a fuel-saver with low running costs, writes PATRICK JAMES.


Byline: PATRICK JAMES

BIGGER, more practical and better-looking than before, the new Mitsubishi Colt
For the official British importer of Mitsubishi vehicles, see Colt Car Company.


Today's Mitsubishi Colt is a supermini built by Mitsubishi Motors at their NedCar plant in the Netherlands, using the same underpinnings as its sister car, the now
 ticks most of the supermini A large-scale minicomputer. Note: Supermini is not the same as mini-supercomputer.  boxes.

But the real ace up its sleeve is the new ClearTec version, which delivers the cheap motoring that more and more drivers are looking for.

Thanks to stop/start technology, this Colt won't only deliver more than 50mpg, but also has low enough emissions to fall into the pounds 35-a-year band for road tax.

The stop/start system switches off the engine whenever neutral is engaged - and as soon as you step on the clutch, the engine restarts. This makes the Colt a real fuel-saver in heavy traffic.

Along with features such as low rolling resistance tyres and a revised final gear ratio, it gives the ClearTec an official fuel figure of 56.5mpg.

That's pretty impressive for a lively 1.3-litre petrol.

Buyers also get a more dynamic-looking car than before, thanks to the Colt's new "jet fighter Jet fighter may refer to:
  • Jet Fighter (arcade game), a 1975 arcade game by Atari
  • Jet fighter, a class of fighter aircraft
See also
  • Jet (disambiguation)
" grille.

It has a more angular shape with sharper lines, while the rear end light cluster has been revised to give the car a sportier appearance.

The interior has been redesigned to increase both passenger and cargo space.

The height of the boot floor can be adjusted, and the rear seats slide forward or can be folded to make extra room.

Head and legroom leg·room  
n.
Room in which to stretch the legs while seated.


legroom
Noun

space to move one's legs comfortably, as in a car

legroom n
 is generous and four adults can be seated in comfort.

The interior looks smart and the controls are laid out neatly, but the plastics feel a bit harsh.

There are plenty of stowage STOWAGE, mar. law. The proper arrangement in a ship, of the different articles of which a cargo consists, so that they may not injure each other by friction, or be damaged by the leakage of the ship.
     2.
 areas in the cabin, with various cubby holes and drinks holders.

The ClearTec is based on the CZ2, which is the well-equipped, mid-range model. Standard spec includes alloy wheels, front fog lights, cruise control, remote audio controls and heated, electric door mirrors.

While the 1.3-litre engine is designed for economy, you still get decent performance.

of The five-speed manual gearbox is precise and easy to use and the car handles well.

There is some evidence of tyre and road noise, and the engine can sound harsh when pushed, but the Colt is comfortable and fairly refined at cruising speed.

At just over pounds 10,000, the five-door ClearTec gives you a high-spec car with low running costs.

And, to make it even more attractive, Mitsubishi are improving on the Government's scrappage scheme by extending the pounds 2000 allowance to five to 10-year-old cars.

Factfile: Model: Mitsubishi Colt CZ2 ClearTec five-door Engine: 1.3-litre petrol Power: 94bhp 0-62mph: 10.6 seconds Fuel economy: 56.5mpg combined CO2 emissions: 119g/km Warranty: Three years/unlimited miles Price: pounds 10,099 On sale: NowSee all our reviews and thousands of road can cars www.roadrecord.co.uk @
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Title Annotation:Features
Publication:Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland)
Date:Jun 26, 2009
Words:451
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