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AUTOMOTIVE NEWS SERVICE
USED CAR REVIEW

MITSUBISHI MAGNA, VERADA
 1991-2005

By EWAN KENNEDY
15 August  2005

Magna is a bold attempt by Mitsubishi to tackle the traditional Aussie six-cylinder models, as well as to take on the large four-cylinder cars. The plan began 20 years ago and Magna has been moderately successful in the meantime, though it has to be said that in recent years its popularity has faded somewhat. These Mitsubishis have grown in size over the years and the latest models are very close to the big sixes in interior space and engine performance.

Both the Magna the and its luxury brother, the Verada, have a well deserved reputation for being smooth, quiet and very refined and are worth considering if you don’t need a full-sized family car. 

Body types are four-door sedan and five-door station wagon. The on-sale dates of the wagons often trailed the launch of sedans by several months so be sure to know what you’re buying when looking at the model numbers.

Rear-seat width isn't quite as large as that in Commodore and Falcon, but the Magna seat is nicely designed and can handle three adults in reasonable comfort. Luggage room is superior in Magna/Verada because it uses front-wheel drive so there isn't a large differential under the boot.

The big Mitsubishis have reasonably good handling for family cars, particularly in the second series models of 1991 onwards. The third series cars, launched in April 1996, and still current, albeit with some significant updates, have a sportier feel, with more precise turn-in and more willingness to change line mid corner. There is some slight loss in comfort because of this increased handling ability.

Engine performance from the old-style four-cylinder 2.6-litre engine used until April 1996 is better than you might expect from a car of this size. However, the later four-cylinder models with a 2.4-litre unit are better if you want extra get up and go. Four-cylinder models declined in popularity over the years and were pulled from the Magna range in 1999.

The 3.0-litre V6 engine, released in the Verada in 1991 and the Magna in 1993, was joined by a 3.5-litre V6 in some variants in October 1996. The bigger engine gradually spread to the rest of the range. In the late-model Magna Sports and VR-X the 3.5 engine has additional power over the standard unit.

Magna is offered with a five-speed manual gearbox, but the great majority come with a four-speed automatic transmission. Tiptronic was fitted to this transmission on Magna Sports models from September 1997. An advanced five-speed automatic transmission with sequential shifting is fitted to the sporty variants sold from August 2000 and is likely to eventually be used in all models.

Mitsubishi offers the extra traction of all-wheel-drive in some variants. This not only further improves safety, but also gives the Mitsubishi’s a real sporty feeling. It hasn’t been a great success and may not make a particularly good used-car buy. Having said that, the all-wheel-drive variants are a real pleasure to punt hard and fast.

These cars are spacious in their underbonnet area so servicing is relatively easy. Spare parts prices are generally reasonable and we seldom hear of any real availability problems.

As always, it makes a lot of sense to use a workshop manual if you plan to do anything that’s more complex than basic servicing. Always call on the services of a professional mechanic for safety related items. 

Insurance charges are usually moderate and most companies charge much the same for four and six-cylinder engines. Some increase the premiums for the Sports model if the driver is young and/or inexperienced.

Mitsubishi Australia has announced that the Magna name will be discontinued with the introduction of the next model in October 2005. It will be replaced by a car simply called the Mitsubishi 380, the number being derived from the enlarged engine capacity of 3.8 litres.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Automatic transmission problems have long dogged these Mitsubishis, but troubles are less frequent in newer models than in older cars. Watch for an automatic that shifts gear when it doesn’t need to, or which suddenly shifts into neutral of its own accord.

Be sure the engine starts quickly, and idles smoothly from the moment it kicks over. Look for smoking at the exhaust, especially after the engine is worked hard after it has been idling for a while. Check the paint and bumper bar around the exhaust tailpipe for an oily film.

Look and feel the front tyres for uneven wear which can indicate front suspension problems. It might simply be that a wheel has been bumped out of alignment, but play it safe if there's the slightest doubt.

Make sure the brakes pull the car up in a straight line and that ABS, if fitted, sends a pulsing back through the pedal on very hard braking. 

Rust is seldom a problem but in a few cars it gets into the bottom edges of the doors, bootlid or tailgate, and fuel filler flap.

Look for signs of damage to seats, carpets and other trim caused by careless use. Don't forget to check the boot as well as the cabin. Examine the top of the dash panel and the rear parcel shelf for faded, or cracked, plastic caused by constant exposure to sunlight.

CAR BUYING TIP
Look for simplicity in a car if you want to save money by doing your own repairs. It also makes sense to buy a car for which a comprehensive service manual is available.

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