Mitsubishi Colt Juro < Car review

There's a perky supermini currently available which gives you quite a lot for your money and beats some of the opposition in terms of specification and engine power.

Prices start at £10,499 for Mitsubishi's Colt Juro which offers strong value for money

The Juro is based on the Colt CZ2 however, Mitsubishi has thrown several items off the options list at it including black leather seats, 16-inch alloy wheels and a Garmin portable sat nav system, which includes Bluetooth as standard.

• See more pictures in our gallery to your right

You also get steering wheel audio controls, leather trim for the wheel and the gear shift knob as well as the usual CZ2 fitments of electric windows and front, side and curtain airbags.

Other safety items include ISOFIX child seat anchorage points fitted as standard in the rear which help get the car a 4 star Euro NCAP safety rating – not bad for the level.

It's available as a 1.3 Manual 3/5 door; 1.3 AMT 3/5 door and a 1.3 Manual ClearTec as 3/5 door.

I drove the latter, the fuel-efficient variant, with lower emissions.

Driving experience

It looks quite high and hints at being a bit ungainly but it is very self-assured on the road with fairly firm suspension that only the very roughest of roads will bother.

Steering is well weighted and body movement is minimal. Anti-lock and electronic brakeforce distribution are standard on all models, as is electrically assisted power steering.

The engine is reasonably quiet and appears eager to rev while the ClearTec's stop/start technology is a blessing around town.

Heavy traffic around a congested Shrewsbury made the car delightful to drive and saved quite a lot in fuel terms.

The Colt has some of the best inside space in this sector, giving it that high and wide profile. It has some of the best total legroom among its opposition and you get more versatility thanks to 40/60 split rear seats which can be individually reclined, folded or taken out altogether.

That gives you 645 litres of load space. Backrests on the front passenger seat can also be folded towards the front of the car to take longer items. Even with the driver's seat set back, there's enough room in the back for all but the very tall.

The Colt body structure is built around Mitsubishi's next generation Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) design.

It disperses energy loads during side and rear impacts and controls distortion, enhancing occupant protection and also helping to protect the fuel system during a rear impact.

The Colt's comprehensive safety package includes an advanced dual front air bag Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) with occupant sensors and ISO-FIX child seat anchorage points fitted as standard in the rear.

With the improvements to technology and safety the insurance group rating for the Colt Juro is rated 16E across the whole range.

The Colt Juro has a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty together with a pan-European roadside assistance package.

Service intervals are 12 month/12,500 mile (whichever comes first) and Mitsubishi's extremely competitive Service Plan (MSP), covering the first three scheduled services can be purchased for just £375.

This special edition offers a great value for money proposition together with an after-sales package that offers worry-free motoring.