| Ratings |
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| Overall: |
 
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| Comfort: |
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| Performance: |
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| Quality: |
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| Appearance: |
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| Comments |
Favorite feature: |
Power, ride and handling. |
Least favorite feature: |
Cup holders. |
Advice to buyer: |
Don't write the Diamante off without driving it. |
Detailed review: |
Over all, I am very pleased with the Diamante. The engine has plenty of power to make driving this 'family car' exciting. I find the ride and handling to be exceptional, even on icy roads, and the heated seats (part of the winter driving package) make those early morning commutes bearable. The interior of the car is well designed. Visibility is good with no real blind spots, and the sound system is more than adequate. Four “good sized” (I am over 6 foot and weigh 260 lbs.) adults fit comfortably inside. The leather seats, moon roof and programmable remote system (for garage doors and gates) are also very nice additions that come standard with the LS.
While I have not owned my Diamante long enough to comment on reliability, a colleague of mine has had one for 5 years and it is still going strong (having survived two teenage drivers) with over 138,000 miles. He liked his so well, he bought one for his wife.
My only complaints are minor. The cup holders stink. Anything larger than a small cup of coffee does not fit securely anywhere. Also, the remote controls for the stereo are not very convenient to use. I find it easier to use the knobs on the radio. Finally, while the Diamante is very sleek looking, I personally like the curb appeal of the Audi and Lexus better(however, not enough to justify the extra cost).
I looked at the Lexus ES 300, Audi A6, Toyota Camry and the Mercedes M class. While you cannot go wrong with any of these cars, in my opinion, you get the most bang for your buck with the Diamante. In reaching this conclusion, I did take into consideration the fact that the resale on the Diamante will, in all likelihood, not be as good as it would be for the other models. However, I tend to own my cars for many years and to drive them into the ground. As a result, resale value was not as important to me. Also, the zero percent financing offered by Mitsubishi was hard to beat.
If your ego can handle having to repeatedly respond to “Diamante, who makes that?,” a question rarely asked if you buy any of the other cars I considered, the Diamante is well worth a look.
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Also considered: |
2002 Audi A6
2002 Lexus ES
2002 Toyota Camry
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Vehicle purchased: |
2002 Mitsubishi Diamante
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| About This Reviewer... |
Location: |
Denver, Colorado |
Other vehicles owned: |
2000 Ford F250
1997 Dodge Caravan
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Review submitted: |
December 14, 2001 |
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