Overview and Common Failures
The body and interior
The car body is galvanized and rust only occurs on the edges and in the wheel arches. However, corrosion eats away at the suspension parts, exhaust system, and fuel tank underneath. The plastic inside the cabin is rigid, squeaky, and wears out quickly, with poor sound insulation. There are no major electrical problems, but it is worth checking the operation of the power windows.
The engine
The smaller gasoline engines are quite reliable and cause minimal trouble. The main thing here is to carefully monitor the condition of the timing belt and coolant leaks. The six-cylinder engine is not bad, but it has nuances that need to be taken into account. In the early years of production, the intake valves would come off and fall into the cylinders. Also, this power unit often consumes oil on long distances.
Transmission
There are no major issues with manual gearboxes, but the lifespan of the 5-speed one is short. The Mitsubishi automatic transmission is also reliable and can last up to 300,000 km. When accelerating frequently from a standstill, the differential pin in the automatic transmission's main pair may break.
Suspension
The suspension has average reliability, but its spare parts are cheap and widely available. The struts and stabilizer bushings require frequent attention. The shock absorbers in this model do not tolerate overloads and can quickly fail.
Steering and brakes
Owners have no particular complaints about the steering and braking systems.
