THE supermini sector is awash with offerings from virtually every manufacturer in the world, so competition is extremely fierce.
It's a lucrative market to get into and successful models, especially those from smaller importers to the UK, can boost the company's profile.
Mitsubishi is such a company. It's probably best known for its big Shogun 4x4 range, but also has a dedicated following for its small Colt range.
The latest three-door Colt, which came in at the start of the year, should boost the company's sales even further.
Mitsubishi posted an all-time new vehicle sales record of 36,126 in the UK last year, up 12 per cent on the previous year. This was its fourth consecutive year of growth and the company has doubled its sales since 2000 from 18,089 to 36,126 units.
Designed for the European market, the three-door Colt is a cute looking motor. Compared to the five-door it has a more heavily raked windscreen, lower roofline, wider sills, longer doors and an altogether more purposeful, sporty look. It uses the same wheelbase and track as the five-door but is 60mm shorter and 30mm lower.
There's plenty of room inside for four adults and the sliding back seat is really useful. With two-up, the easily moved seat slides forward to give additional boot space. And this is needed. The boot isn't the biggest I've come across in a supermini.
Power comes from a three-cylinder, 1.1 litre engine which is surprisingly powerful considering it produces just 74bhp. I was expecting to have to constantly change gear to get the best out of the power unit but it has a fair amount of pulling power throughout the range. The 0-62mph time quoted by Mitsubishi is 12.9 seconds, but it seems livelier.
Despite being a zippy unit Mitsubishi claims that you should be able to get up to 52mpg on an average mixed driving run which takes the Colt into diesel territory in the economy stakes.
The five-speed manual gear change is very positive and I liked the stubby gear lever and short throw.
Ride and handling is excellent for a small car. There is a bit of body roll on fast bends and a lack of feedback through the steering wheel, but in general it handles well.
Noise from bumps and rough road surfaces are well suppressed and there's little wind noise at speed.
Driving position is good but I found the bulky front windscreen pillars obstructed the view, especially when looking right at roundabouts.
There's a noticeable improvement to the build quality of the latest Mitsubishia. Materials are sturdier with no flimsy switches or dials as of old. The dash is simple with clean lines with everything within easy reach. Storage space is good with a few cubbyholes and cup holders for odds and ends.
Safety features include anti-lock brakes, twin front airbags, Iso-Fix child seat anchorage points in the rear and electric windows with anti-trap function.
Standard features on the Mirage version I tested include power steering, electric front windows, engine immobiliser, air conditioning, steering wheel remote controls, 16in alloys, alloy pedals, leather steering wheel, electric and heated door mirrors, six-speaker CD/radio, a tray under the front seat and a chrome tailpipe.
In all, this is a compact practical little motor and one which should should be on the shopping list for those looking for a good run-around but capable of being used on longer runs.
FAST FACTS
Mitsubishi Colt 1.1 Mirage 3dr
Price: £9,249
Mechanical: 74bhp, 1,124cc, 3cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 103mph
0-62mph: 12.9 secs
Combined mpg: 51.4
Insurance group: 4
CO2 emissions: 130g/km
BiK rating: 15%
Warranty: 3yrs unlimited mileage, 6yrs paint; 6yrs anti-rust