No tusks, no turbo and no pimple
Yes, the new Mitsubishi Colt is ‘just’ a Renault Clio with different logos. But there are certainly differences in terms of design and decoration, and these are most apparent when we look at the cheapest Colt.
Mitsubishi Colt 1.0 Pure – €22,490
That’s funny: the base Colt doesn’t have LED “tusks” under the headlights. Remarkable, because those striking LED strings are standard on the Clio. On the Colt, their place is filled by a simple piece of black plastic, a material that Mitsubishi also uses for the door handles on the Pure. The fact that this is a real basic model is further evident from the steel wheels with – quite nice! – hubcaps. At the back we find something else remarkable: the enormous, unsightly ‘pimple’ on the tailgate is missing. This is found here on more luxurious Colts to house the camera that is neatly incorporated into the logo on the Clio. The Colt Pure works without a camera, so that makes a difference. As for the paint, the choice is once again simple today: plain white is free, the rest costs extra.
The LED flares under the headlights are standard on the Clio, but on the Colt Pure there is simply a piece of plastic here.
If we place the simplest Colt next to the simplest Clio, it is noticeable that there are more differences than just the headlights. For example, the simplest Clio simply has painted door handles and larger wheels. The difference continues inside. Mitsubishi opts for high-gloss black instead of aluminum-colored finish, and even uses unsprayed plastic where possible. The Clio uses more aluminum and that alone makes the basic Clio look less basic than the simplest Colt. There are also some buttons missing in the Colt, which, for example, does not have electrically operated rear side windows. That’s no shame, because at 22,490 the Colt is the cheapest way to get into a ‘Clio’. This car is also more expensive than when it was introduced. The biggest sacrifice is not in equipment, but in motorization. The Colt Pure is the only Colt or Clio in the Netherlands with a naturally aspirated 1.0 under the hood, good for 65 whole horsepower. For the Clio, the 1.0T with 90 hp is the minimum, and for all other versions of the Colt too. This also has consequences for the gearbox: a Clio always has six gears, a Colt Pure only five. When asked about the 0 to 100 time, ‘yes’ is perhaps the best answer, because with 17.1 seconds you really don’t impress anyone…
What else should you miss in a Colt Pure? That’s actually not too bad. It is the only Colt that does not have keyless entry, but does have central locking. Electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors are available, but without electric folding option. Automatic climate control is missing, but air conditioning is standard and while the Colt has to make do without adaptive cruise control, we do find a ‘normal’ cruise control. However, you do compromise considerably in terms of appearance and finish. The simplest Colt, for example, has a hard plastic dashboard, a plastic steering wheel, lacks a center armrest and has a much smaller touchscreen, albeit with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Colt Pure is a real entry-level model by 2024 standards, but one that can easily be lived with. Except for that 65 hp, maybe…
Photos interior: Bochane Tilburg and Ursem Barten Amstelveen
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl