All-wheel-drive, a smooth 24-valve V6 teamed with a 5-speed tiptronic style gearbox and a solid, aero-efficient body; we could be talking about a top-line Audi here, but Mitsubishi Australia's new AWD Verada brings all this sophistication for a modest $46,460 plus ORCs. That's only a $4000-odd ask over the price of a 2WD Verada Ei (on which the AWD version is based).
In previous tests, we've established that the Mitsubishi Verada is a full size luxury car capable of transporting you with a minimum of noise, vibration and harshness; in day-to-day duties it is a very comfortable vehicle. So where does the new AWD system fit into the scheme of things? Well, the truth is, in light use the AWD system is most noticeable for its negative attributes. Acceleration is noticeably behind a comparable 2WD model - thanks to around 130 kilograms of extra weight, a tad less power and torque and a greater amount of driveline loss - there's more vibration (most noticeable under load) and fuel consumption is slightly increased.
For many new car buyers, these factors will be difficult to see past - especially given the extra cost - but there are some tremendous advantages to be enjoyed if you drive reasonably enthusiastically from time to time or conditions become challenging...
The Magna/Verada chassis has always been a brilliant open-road handler but has struggled with understeer through tighter corners and round-abouts; in these situations you must keep easing off the power to tighten the cornering line. The Quadtec AWD, however, is much more balanced with far less mid-corner push and the ability to power away from the apex quite early. It's an extremely stable car that can be driven very fast point-to-point without biting the driver for any small error. Interestingly, the standard 215/60 Bridgestone Turanzas don't offer a huge amount of grip when fitted to 2WD models but they perform much better in the AWD model - cornering loads can be more evenly distributed, making better use of the available adhesion. If you want performance grade dry road adhesion, though, you'd want the Grid II tyres on the Magna Sports AWD.
And the advantages of the Quadtec AWD system don't end with handling...
Australian Magna/Verada AWD models are equipped with a significant upgrade brake package. The front discs have been upsized by 18mm (to 294mm) while the rears have been changed from 258mm solid discs to 284mm ventilated discs. The brake pedal was slightly soft in our test car, but there was no doubting its stopping power and stability - EBD, recalibrated ABS and the inherent stability of AWD combine to provide excellent driver control during braking.
Steering - using a power assisted rack-and-pinion arrangement - feels just like other Magna/Verada models; it's quite indirect at straight-ahead.
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The Australian Magna/Verada AWD System
The Magna/Verada Quadtec AWD system is not merely a copy of the all-paw system used in the Japanese market MMC Diamante.
An Australian market body is used as the platform and is fitted with a Diamante floor pan section, firewall and fuel tank. A new aluminium front cross-member, steering rack and knuckles and a revised exhaust system is also required. The ABS system - working with those larger brakes - is also recalibrated.
Mitsubishi Australia has managed to retain the local suspension design incorporating MacPherson front struts with lower A-arms and a five-point multi-link independent rear end. Note that the AWD models also get revised springs and dampers and a rear swaybar, which was previously exclusive to 2WD Magna Sports/VRX and Ralliart models.
The new rear differential is a mechanical plate type that's the same as that found on the Lancer Evolution 6 RS. The tailshaft, transfer case, centre drive coupling (of the viscous variety) and open-centre front diff are also common to the Lancer Evo 6; the heavy-duty Evo parts necessary to handle the toque of the 3.5-litre V6. Note that the centre viscous coupling provides a 50/50 front-to-rear torque split in normal conditions - the same as the conventional Subaru AWD system.
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The AWD Verada is the slowest model in the 3.5-llitre V6 line up thanks largely to its 1643kg mass and driveline losses - stalled up off the line with two people onboard and half a tank of fuel we hand timed 0 - 100 km/h sprints in 9.4-seconds. Pretty slow for a 3.5 Mitsi. The low-to-mid range torque kick, however, is quite strong so the car never really feels lacking in normal driving - only when you have to move in a hurry you realise it's no rocket. One thing we noticed when zapping from the traffic lights is the lack of steering reaction that is experienced in 2WD models.
The hereditary Magna/Verada 6G74 3.5-litre V6 breathes through SOHC, 4-valve per cylinder alloy heads, uses a 9.0:1 compression ratio and, because of the necessary rework of the exhaust, generates 1kW and 6Nm less than the rest of the 3.5-litre range - 154kW and 310Nm at 5000 and 4000 rpm. It's still a beautiful sweet engine, though.
The INVECS II Sports Mode 5-speed trannie - standard on all Australian AWD models and common to the Lancer Evolution 7 GTA - is also a pearler. Leave it in Drive and tootle around gently and its upshifts are virtually seamless and made at quite low rpm (the engine has the low-down torque to cope). Bump the selector into its sports mode, however, and you can enjoy full +/- style control over the ratios; a gear indicator in the instrument cluster lets you know at a glance where you are in the 'box. Upshifts are made by pushing the selector forward - the opposite to current Ford Falcon models.
When you're exploring the very high limits of the chassis and working the 'box manually, fuel consumption can reach upward of 17-litres per 100km - in more sedate driving, however, we saw an average of around 13-litres of ULP per 100km. Mitsubishi quotes 12-litres per 100km in urban conditions. Note that the AWD's touring range is slightly less than 2WD models since it is slightly thirstier and the new fuel tank (necessary to accommodate the rear drive system) is 70-litres versus 72-litres.
Interior packaging and space utilisation remains virtually unchanged from when this particular series Magna/Verada was released in 1996. There's plenty of front occupant space and rear space is quite good, except that headroom is relatively low; a trade-off of to achieve clean aerodynamics. In the case of the AWD, the necessary tailshaft hump doesn't eat too much into rear foot space.
Our test car was decked out in a tasteful two-tone fabric trim, which gave the cabin quite an airy ambience - oh, and there are plenty of those timber highlights that seem to sell cars in this segment. NVH levels are very low when the vehicle is being driven gently, but - under load - it's not so impressive. Compared to 2WD Magnas and Veradas we've tested previously, the AWD Verada (and the Sports AWD model tested elsewhere) suffer increased vibration and noise, which ruins the otherwise very sweet V6. No complaints about ride quality though - it's always compliant and composed.
Like similarly sized Camry, Falcon and Commodore sedans the Verada's boot is enormous and its full 460-litre capacity is very accessible and useable. The rear backrests are fixed, but a fold-forward ski-port allows you to fit long, skinny parcels through the cabin.
Verada is Mitsubishi speak for luxury Magna and that means you get standard power windows and mirrors, an electric driver's seat, digital climate control, cruise control, speed alert, trip computer, auto lights-off, map and courtesy lights, shiftlock, remote central locking and an alarm/immobiliser. There's plenty to keep you occupied. The double DIN tuner/cassette/4-stack CD sound system is easy to use and the 10-speaker arrangement is clear and crisp - the rear 6 x 9s can also push quite a bit of bass. The extra $4000-odd you pay for the Verada AWD also gets you a chrome gearshift surround - woo-hoo! - while options include leather trim, sunroof and Nardi leather/timber steering wheel (as fitted to our test car).
Occupant safety is certainly enhanced by the AWD system, but don't overlook the standard twin airbags (optional side airbags must surely be due), seatbelt web clamps and the aforementioned ABS and EBD. Rear quarter visibility is not particularly great, however, and the overall bulk of the car is increased thanks to the Verada's US-spec bumpers.
The only build quality issues on our test car were found inside the cabin. The centre dial that opens the centre vent was stuck in a middle position (as we've found in previous Magnas) and the passenger side airbag cover was poorly fitted. We also noticed an occasional clunk from the front suspension, but our test car did appear to have led a tough 10,000-kilometre life. Such a clunk is something we'd expect to be covered in Mitsubishi's 3-year/100,000 kilometre warranty.
Released in 1996, the TE-series Magna body remains very aerodynamic and handsome but - thanks to the number of private, fleet and government models getting around - it's not exactly unique. The Verada looks a little classier than basic Magna models, though, with full colour coding, fog lights, chrome door handles, grille and rear trim and a power aerial. Distinguishing the AWD variant are 10-spoke 'shadow chrome' 16 x 6 alloys (yet another ugly wheel from Mitsubishi) and AWD badges on the boot and front guards. Nothing flamboyant here.
So what do we say when people ask if the $4000-odd extra is justifiable over the 2WD Verada Ei?
Well, the more you really
use the car the more it shines through. If only want a luxurious car to tootle to the shops and back there's no real advantage. If, however, the car will be driven in more challenging conditions (slippery mountain roads or dirt tracks, for example) or you're inclined to give the car a squirt every now and then, it really is a bargain. We can only imagine - given the extra traction and larger brakes - the AWD model would make a much better tow vehicle. Competition? Well, at the time of writing there are no other vehicles to directly challenge the big luxo AWD Verada. The closest challengers are the Audi A6 3.0 quattro (at $100,000 odd), the smaller and less powerful Subaru Heritage sedan (at around $42,000) and Volvo S60 AWD (at nearly $70,000). Needless to say, if you want a big luxury AWD sedan the Verada AWD has it in the bag - but bring on the competition!
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Why You Would...
- Brilliant stability and traction in all conditions
- Excellent braking power and stability
- Very comfortable, quiet and refined at light-to-medium loads
- About half the price of the nearest comparable European vehicles
Why You Wouldn't...
- Poorer NVH at high load (compared to 2WD models)
- Noticeably slower and thirstier due to extra weight and driveline losses
- Not as much rear headroom as Camry, Commodore or Falcon
- When will Mitsubishi's quality control department fix that centre vent control???
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