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MM Retro-Write-Up: Mitsubishi Expo LRV/Plymouth Colt Vista Wagon/Eagle Summit Wagon
Mitsubishi Expo LRV
Eagle Summit Wagon
Plymouth Colt Vista Wagon
I never actually owned one, but, although it was certainly not a vehicle for driving-enthusiasts, in the early 1990s, one of the most useful designs I ever came across for versatility and space-efficiency in a fairly small package was a group of Mitsubishi-derived Triplets, which were essentially the same vehicle....the Mitsubishi Expo LRV. Since, at the time, Mitsubishi still had very close ties with Chrysler, two of Chrysler's American-market divisions also sold it...........Eagle, as the Summit Wagon, and Plymouth, as the Colt Vista Wagon. (Some references also have Dodge selling the Plymouth version of it as the Dodge Colt Wagon, but don't recall seeing any under the Dodge nameplate). As I recall, the Expo LRV and the Eagle Summit Wagon came in a choice of FWD or car-based AWD, but the Plymouth version, for some reason, was only marketed with the FWD.
The vehicle I am describing is the smaller Expo LRV, which came in a shorter length/wheelbase and seated 5 instead of the larger Expo's 7. The current Mitsubishi Outlander crossover SUV (which I got a look at, last summer at a very unusual brand-new Mitsubishi franchise not far away in Manassas, VA, but did not test-drive) is a descendant of the 30-year-old Expo LRV, but sits a little higher off the ground, and lacks the horizontal-operation door...its doors are conventional. I say horizontal-operation instead of sliding, because the mechanism differs from the usual minivan's roller-track...John Davis, in Motorweek's review below, has a good close-up video of its operation. The more recent (and somewhat similar) Kia Rondo, which I also liked for its versatility and space-efficiency, also had conventional doors. I was disappointed when the Rondo was dropped, as I had recommended it to people on more than one occasion....the lady who took the notes at our condo-board meetings had a black one, for years, that she really liked, eventually trading it for a black Nissan Rogue.
The Expo LRV was designed and produced at a time before Mitsubishi started getting a reputation for below-average quality and reliability, (particularly from the Diamond-Star plant at Normal, IL), and it showed. As I remember it, it used solid materials inside and out, especially for its low-price class. Shutting the conventional doors produced a solid thunk...the horizontal-operation door was especially smooth in its operation. Its instrument panel was not particularly well-adorned, but the basics were there. There plenty of room inside, with a very tall roof, the vehicle's trademark...as the old saying goes, you can't get more space-efficient than a box. One thing I didn't like inside, though, were the pint-sized horn-buttons on the steering-wheel spokes (the ones on my Saturn SL-2 were even worse)...but that was common during that era, as it was simpler and cheaper, and most manufacturers had not yet worked out a way to integrate the air-bag cover in the middle of the steering wheel with the horn-control. Toyota, as I remember, was the first manufacturer to do it, but I could be wrong on that.
As I said in my opening remark, driving the Expo LRV (and its two brothers) was not an experience for aggressive drivers or those seeking a sport-oriented ride. Although I didn't really push it (and got some clear warning signs on a sharp corner), it was obvious that trying to do so with too much gusto could get you fairly quickly into the ditch....with no guarantee of being right-side-up.
First, you didn't have much engine.....also slightly larger powerplants were available on upmarket versions, base models had a normally-aspirated 1.8L in-line four that was expected to carry up to 5 people and their luggage. So, in general, you had more Whoa than Go. Second, although the suspension/chassis/tires were clearly comfort-oriented (a feature I usually like), the one I test-drove, I remember rolled like a beach-ball on corners on significant steering-input. It felt almost like a clone of the Buick Roadmaster. The high roofline, which helped its space-efficiency, and raised the center of gravity significantly compared to lower-height vehicles. But, this was not intended to be a sports car.....and was designed in a time when everything else on the road didn't try and be one, either, like they do today. I also liked the way these vehicles were painted. They offered some interesting colors and hues that many other automakers didn't, and the paint-jobs, unlike those done at the Diamond-Star-plant, were well-done.
I attached a video-review that Motorweek's John Davis did, which shows and describes some of the vehicle's features a little better than I can. I would have also liked to see what Alex Dykes (Alex on Autos) thought of it, but I don't think he has ever driven or reviewed it.
And, as Always, Happy Car-Memories.
MM
__________________
Mitsubishi Expo LRV
Eagle Summit Wagon
Plymouth Colt Vista Wagon
I never actually owned one, but, although it was certainly not a vehicle for driving-enthusiasts, in the early 1990s, one of the most useful designs I ever came across for versatility and space-efficiency in a fairly small package was a group of Mitsubishi-derived Triplets, which were essentially the same vehicle....the Mitsubishi Expo LRV. Since, at the time, Mitsubishi still had very close ties with Chrysler, two of Chrysler's American-market divisions also sold it...........Eagle, as the Summit Wagon, and Plymouth, as the Colt Vista Wagon. (Some references also have Dodge selling the Plymouth version of it as the Dodge Colt Wagon, but don't recall seeing any under the Dodge nameplate). As I recall, the Expo LRV and the Eagle Summit Wagon came in a choice of FWD or car-based AWD, but the Plymouth version, for some reason, was only marketed with the FWD.
The vehicle I am describing is the smaller Expo LRV, which came in a shorter length/wheelbase and seated 5 instead of the larger Expo's 7. The current Mitsubishi Outlander crossover SUV (which I got a look at, last summer at a very unusual brand-new Mitsubishi franchise not far away in Manassas, VA, but did not test-drive) is a descendant of the 30-year-old Expo LRV, but sits a little higher off the ground, and lacks the horizontal-operation door...its doors are conventional. I say horizontal-operation instead of sliding, because the mechanism differs from the usual minivan's roller-track...John Davis, in Motorweek's review below, has a good close-up video of its operation. The more recent (and somewhat similar) Kia Rondo, which I also liked for its versatility and space-efficiency, also had conventional doors. I was disappointed when the Rondo was dropped, as I had recommended it to people on more than one occasion....the lady who took the notes at our condo-board meetings had a black one, for years, that she really liked, eventually trading it for a black Nissan Rogue.
The Expo LRV was designed and produced at a time before Mitsubishi started getting a reputation for below-average quality and reliability, (particularly from the Diamond-Star plant at Normal, IL), and it showed. As I remember it, it used solid materials inside and out, especially for its low-price class. Shutting the conventional doors produced a solid thunk...the horizontal-operation door was especially smooth in its operation. Its instrument panel was not particularly well-adorned, but the basics were there. There plenty of room inside, with a very tall roof, the vehicle's trademark...as the old saying goes, you can't get more space-efficient than a box. One thing I didn't like inside, though, were the pint-sized horn-buttons on the steering-wheel spokes (the ones on my Saturn SL-2 were even worse)...but that was common during that era, as it was simpler and cheaper, and most manufacturers had not yet worked out a way to integrate the air-bag cover in the middle of the steering wheel with the horn-control. Toyota, as I remember, was the first manufacturer to do it, but I could be wrong on that.
As I said in my opening remark, driving the Expo LRV (and its two brothers) was not an experience for aggressive drivers or those seeking a sport-oriented ride. Although I didn't really push it (and got some clear warning signs on a sharp corner), it was obvious that trying to do so with too much gusto could get you fairly quickly into the ditch....with no guarantee of being right-side-up.
I attached a video-review that Motorweek's John Davis did, which shows and describes some of the vehicle's features a little better than I can. I would have also liked to see what Alex Dykes (Alex on Autos) thought of it, but I don't think he has ever driven or reviewed it.
And, as Always, Happy Car-Memories.
MM
__________________