2019 Mitsubishi L200 pickup now on sale in the UK

The new Mitsubishi L200 pickup is now on sale in the UK. The sixth-generation L200 has a range of extra safety technology, updated styling and a new 2.3-litre diesel engine. It starts from £21,515 (excluding VAT) and is on sale now.

Its radical new nose is the most striking change, giving the L200 a far more chiselled appearance. It adopts the latest evolution of the 'Dynamic Shield' grille familiar to Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV owners, but here its lower section is much boxier. This has the effect of widening the L200's nose and wrapping it around prominent front wheel arches, for a seriously rugged look in keeping with Mitsubishi's 'Engineered Beyond Tough' mantra. The bonnet is 40mm taller, and LED lights feature on most models.

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Sitting high off the ground, a slim upper grille and lights sit tucked beneath a flat bonnet with chamfered edges, further emphasising a design that rivals the Volkswagen Amarok, Mercedes X-Class and Ford Ranger for muscularity.

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There's also upgraded go-anywhere hardware, with a four-wheel-drive system that now includes an off-road mode and hill descent control to help negotiate steep slopes safely and slowly. A new 148bhp 2.3-litre turbo diesel engine provides the car’s power, which is said to manage up to 32.1mpg.

Another area to get a major boost is safety; an area in which pickups have often lagged behind cars and SUVs. The latest L200 gets autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot and lane change warnings, rear crossing traffic alerts and a system that can reduce accidents from misjudged acceleration in car parks or confined spaces. Anyone who finds parking a pickup daunting should also appreciate a bird's eye view camera and parking sensors.

Mitsubishi says it has also made "many detail improvements" to ensure its new slogan rings true, whether the L200 is used commercially or by a private owner. These include beefier new brakes across most of the range and larger rear suspension dampers, as well as the decision to switch from a five-speed automatic to a six-speed for "smoother, more powerful acceleration and improved refinement."

The Mitsubishi L200 has been around in various forms since 1978. It was conceived as a no-nonsense working vehicle for tradesmen and businesses, so robustness, simplicity and economy were its chief selling points. However, the last few decades have seen a big shift in buying habits, and every year thousands of private motorists choose the L200 or one of its many rivals, including the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-MAX, Nissan Navara and Toyota Hilux.

Although all of the above are available in basic, rugged specifications designed for a life of hard work, you can also choose versions with all the bells and whistles offered by a typical luxury SUV, and it's this emerging market that has led to the greatest shift in pickup design in the last two decades.

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2019 Mitsubishi L200 prices and specifications

The range starts off with the utilitarian 4 Life models, available in either Club Cab (£21,515) or Double Cab (£22,715) body styles. They feature electric windows, Bluetooth, electric mirrors and remote central locking, with the Double Cab also getting alloy wheels and cruise control. 4 Life is the only model available in Club Cab.

Next up is the Warrior trim, starting from £26,400. It adds car-like luxuries that include a reversing camera, keyless start, LED headlights and two-zone climate control. At the top of the range are Barbarian and Barbarian X trim levels, which both feature the off-road mode, a soft-opening tailgate and rear USB ports. Barbarian starts at £29,300 and Barbarian X costs an extra £2,900, adding many of the safety features mentioned above.

Read our Mitsubishi L200 review or read our guide to the top three used pickups for £9,000 or less.