MITSUBISHI has an enviable reputation for reliability and its products hold their value reasonably well but they are not cheap.
The least expensive Mitsubishi on the market is the entry-level Colt, which costs £7,500 in 1.1-litre three-door form.
By way of comparison a 1.3-litre Suzuki Swift costs the same despite being on a par with the Colt 1.3 Equippe, which weighs in at £9,250.
Mitsubishi would argue that its Colt is more of a mini MPV than a supermini although a 1.1-litre engine with just 73lb ft of pulling power is hardly suited to excessive load lugging.
Better to think of it as a roomy small car and a cheaper alternative to a Renault Clio or Peugeot 207.
The entry-level Colt Red comes without side or curtain air bags, which is a serious shortcoming for families with young children but it does have remote central locking, electric front windows and a single CD player.
There are several trim levels for the various models in the range including Red, Attivo, Mirage, Black, Classic and Equippe whilst the sporty 1.5-litre CZT version gets its own specification.
All models have twin front airbags, Isofix fittings on the outer rear seats, remote central locking, a four speaker CD audio system, colour-coded bumpers, engine immobiliser, front electric windows and electronic power steering but no side air bags.
Attivo trim adds a leather steering wheel and gearshift gaiter, driver seat height adjustment and 15-inch alloys at £8,250. The Equippe grade lifts the price to £9,250 with a 1.3-litre petrol engine plus £500 for automatic transmission.
The 1.5-litre diesel version is £10,250 and includes two more speakers, electric/heated door mirrors and air conditioning. The Colt Mirage starts at £9,250 for the 1.1-litre version and £9,750 for the 1.3-litre. The Mirage has 16-inch alloys, a rear spoiler, red interior trim, red leather-trimmed steering wheel and gearshift, alloy pedals, steering wheel-mounted audio controls and front fog lamps.
The three engines are a 75bhp three-cylinder 1.1-litre unit, a 95bhp four-cylinder 1.3-litre unit and a 95bhp 1.5-litre common rail diesel. The turbocharged diesel version does 59mpg in the combined cycle with a 0-60mph time of ten seconds seconds.
The 1.5-litre turbocharged CZT accelerates to 60mph in eight seconds and has a top speed of 130mph.
Sharing the same wheelbase and track as the five-door models, the three-door versions have a 60:40 split for the rear seats and the one-piece seat cushion also slides.
Fully folding the rear seats opens up 535 litres of luggage space and the front passenger seat backrest can be folded forward to enable long items to be carried.
In summary it is a reasonable package but faces intense competition from a host of worthy rivals including the roomier Skoda Fabia.
Mitsubishi dealers pride themselves on refusing to haggle or give discounts but in this case I suspect they will.
FAST FACTS
Mitsubishi Colt 3dr Red
Price: £7,499
Mechanical: 75bhp, 1.1-litre 3cyl engine driving front wheels via 5spd gearbox
Max Speed: 99mph
0-62mph: 12.2secs
Combined mpg: 51
Insurance Group: 3
CO2 emissions: 130g/km
BiK rating: 15%
Warranty: 3yrs/ unlimited miles; 6yrs antirust; 6yrs paint