Mitsubishi Strada

The cabin of the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada Athlete is attractive though it may not be the best in class. The leather seats are of plain orange color and may look a bit dated compared to its rivals. But the seats have good back support and are comfortable for long drives. A lot of soft-touch materials have been used in the cabin. There’s a fair bit of hard plastics that add to the cabin’s durability.

The cabin itself is spacious. But at the end of the day, the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada Athlete is still a pickup truck. It would be unfair to expect the comfort level of a crossover or a sedan from the Strada. The ride quality is a bit on the bouncier side compared to most of its rivals. That’s because of the stiffer suspension setup. But the independent suspension does its job well of absorbing bumps and thuds. The padding on the seats are good. The backrest is supportive and passengers don’t have to readjust their position during long trips.

Overall the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada is pretty much on expected lines. Midsized pickups are performance-oriented vehicles and don’t have the amenities of a sedan. But it still serves the dual purpose of cargo carrying and being a lifestyle vehicle.  

Passenger and boot space 

The twin-cab 2023 Mitsubishi Strada Athlete has a big cabin space. Five average-height Filipino adults can comfortably travel in the car. The cabin is spacious and comfortable with lots of legroom and headroom. The shoulder room has also increased from the previous model. The three passengers on the rear seat won’t be crying for space. While the seats are comfortable, the ride quality is a bit on the harder side, since the Strada is more of a performance truck. The engine is a bit noisy and Mitsubishi should upgrade the sound insulation. But the engine noise doesn’t impede with travelling comfort. There are a number of usable storage spaces in the cabin. 

The pickup truck’s cargo bed is 1,545mm wide, 1,555mm long, and has a 525mm depth. It’s larger than its earlier version. 

Comfort and entertainment

The 2023 Mitsubishi Strada Athlete comes with dual-DIN infotainment unit and a six-speaker sound system. It supports Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary input. There’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto support. The dual-zone automatic climate control system cools the cabin pretty fast. 

Mitsubishi has updated the exterior of the second-generation Strada. The Strada Athlete 4x2 AT comes with set of LED headlights along with daytime running lights (DRLs). The halogen fog lights are a bit of a downer as they merely light up the path. They don’t serve much purpose as the light gets dissolved in the brightness of the headlights. The headlight’s design is retained from the earlier version of the Strada. 

The 2023 Mitsubishi Strada Athlete Black Series, meanwhile, has blacked-out accents that lend a more menacing look to the pickup truck. It’s also the most attractive color in the entire Strada range. Just like the standard Athlete version, the Black Series gets a tailgate-mounted spoiler along with a sports bar. The car runs blacked-out 18-inch wheels that complement the rest of the theme.

The Strada’s wide shoulders, tall stance, muscular looks and chiseled shape grabs attention. At a time when most cars have sharp limes and bulbous shapes, the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada looks lean and mean. The athletic features are more prominent in the Athlete Black Series. Chrome lovers would be somewhat disappointed. 

What are the dimensions of the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada?

The midsized pickup measures 4,890mm in length, 1,655mm in breadth, and 1,815mm in height. The wheelbase is of 3,000mm. 

What is the ground clearance of the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada?

The Strada has a rather high ground clearance of 180mm. It lends the driver a commanding view of the road.  

Pickup trucks aren’t meant to be fuel-efficient, neither is the Mitsubishi Strada. It returned 8kmpl in city traffic and 19kmpl on the highway. The numbers aren’t really bad for a vehicle of its size.   

What is the fuel tank capacity of the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada?

The vehicle comes with a 75-liter fuel tank. 

Though the suspension is on a stiffer side, the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada does offer a nice driving and handling experience. The suspension is more suited for rough terrain as it makes the wheels to bite the ground at all times. Those driving a midsized pickup for the first time will need some practice to get used to handling a vehicle of such proportions. The turning radius is of course much bigger than hatchbacks. So a little adjustment is required here. The handing itself is fairly smooth. The rebound is quick. The Mitsubishi Strada does manage to strike a balance between cargo hauling and travelling comfort. The engine is seamlessly mated to the transmission. Like most pickup trucks, the engine is a bit slow to rev. Achieving the peak power output does take time. Once it does, there’s no stopping the Strada. 

What extra features does the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada Athlete all-wheel-drive have?

The Athlete all-wheel-drive is the top-level trim in the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada series. The car comes with cruise control and a navigation system as part of the additional equipment.

The 2023 Mitsubishi Strada Athlete comes with an impressive list of driver-assist features and safety equipment. It includes cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry, forward collision mitigation, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot warning with lane change assist, traction control, hill descent control, trailer stability assist, hill start assist, antilock braking, child seat anchor, and multi-around monitor. In terms of safety, the Mitsubishi Strada is among the best equipped cars in its class.

The car has earned a five-star rating for adult occupancy protection in ASEAN NCAP. But child occupancy protection is rather low at 48 percent.    

How many airbags does the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada have? 

The car comes with four airbags. However, there’s no knee airbag

How many cameras does the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada have?

The midsized pickup comes with a 360-degree camera with moving object detection

Value for money

The 2023 Mitsubishi Strada faces stiff completion form other Japanese manufacturers in the Philippines midsized pickup truck segment like Toyota Hilux, Nisssan Navara, and the Isuzu D-Max. But Mitsubishi is probably aware of the few drawbacks of the Strada Athlete, particularly the noisy engine and the stiff ride quality, and has priced the vehicle at ₱1,487,000. The Strada range has a starting price of ₱825,000. The pickup comes with a great safety suite and is a value-for-money car.

Warranty

The 2023 Mitsubishi Strada comes with a three-year/1,000,000km warranty, whichever is earlier, across all trims. It includes cost of labor and parts. An optional, one-year extended warranty is also available.

Are original spare parts of the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada available in the Philippines?

All genuine spare parts of the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada are available at the company’s service centers. Cost of spares are covered under warranty. 

2023 Mitsubishi Strada vs Toyota Hilux

The Toyota Hilux is a direct competitor of the Mitsubishi Strada in the Philippines midsized pickup truck segment. The Hilux comes with a 2.5-liter diesel powertrain which is among the most powerful in its class. The Hilux is known for its great build quality and attractive design. It comes with a rich equipment list. Ride quality of both the Mitsubishi Strada and Toyota Hilux are a bit bouncy because of their stiff suspension setup. Handling the Toyota Hilux is like any other pickup truck. The Hilux has a starting price of ₱861,000.   

2023 Mitsubishi Strada vs Toyota Isuzu D-Max

The Isuzu D-Max is one of the strongest cars in its segment. Like the Toyota Hilux, the D-Max is a direct competitor of the Strada. It comes with a 2.0-liter diesel engine. The Isuzu D-Max is known for its superb off-road capability, commanding road presence, and solid build quality. The D-Max is a great highway cruiser. Though pickup trucks aren’t meant to have cabins like sedans and crossovers, the D-Max’s interior is rather too plain. The vehicle has a starting price of ₱917,000.       

2023 Mitsubishi Strada vs Nissan Navara

The Nissan Navara is probably the strongest and most powerful vehicle in its segment. It’s backed by the Japanese company’s 80-year experience of making some of the best pickup trucks anywhere in the world. The Navara comes with Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility suite of high-tech safety features that includes an around-view monitor. The 2.5-liter diesel motor is powerful and comes with great hauling power. But the hard suspension causes a stiff ride quality. Price of the Nissan Navara starts at ₱1,071,000.   

Is the 2023 Mitsubishi Strada worth buying?

The 2023 Mitsubishi Strada Athlete is an attractive car that has a great road presence. It’s a nice vehicle for those who want a simpler lifestyle pickup void of fancy gadgets. The Strada shines as a performer. The handling is composed within city limits, while on the highway, the Strada returns a very stable performance. The interior is comfortable. It’s a tough and dependable vehicle for cargo hauling as well as weekend camping trips. The all-black color scheme has made the pickup look more desirable. It’s one of the most worthy vehicles in its segment.