Mitsubishi Strada 2020 Philippines Review: The Zenmaster

The Mitsubishi Strada traces its roots from the annals of Philippine motoring history and was previously locally known as the Mitsubishi L200, it was a staple in Filipino families’ garages, farmhouses and market places. You could check the latest Mitsubishi Strada Price List on Philkotse.com 

It was lauded for its hauling capabilities but more importantly, it had a strangely comfortable, car-like disposition inside the cabin which was lacking from its workhorse rivals. The 90’s Mitsubishi L200 was practical and dare I say, sporty at the same time.

The Mitsubishi Strada is a staple in Filipino families’ garages, farmhouses and market places

Today, the 2020 Mitsubishi Strada is experiencing a resurgence of sorts, currently thriving in its fifth-generation. After intense competition for the past decade or so from all fronts and every brand in what is known as the “truck wars”, the Mitsubishi Strada is poised to take over the iron(block) throne and the mountain top of the pick-up trucks.

Keep reading our full-scale Mitsubishi Strada 2020 Philippines review to explore more about its specs, features, price, etc...

The Mitsubishi Strada has been refreshed at the beginning of the year and shed a lot of my gripes from the pre-facelifted model. For one, it now mirrors Mitsubishi’s current design language with a large imposing Dynamic Shield design language which is much like its Montero Sport and Xpander stablemates.

In our opinion the implementation on the 2020 Mitsubishi Strada exterior is the best one as it features more right angles on the edges of the chin that integrates seamlessly onto those large front fender bulges. Speaking of which it is those large, angular wheel arches that set the 2020 Mitsubishi Strada apart from the competition. It shrouds those large 18-inch wheels quite adequately but is massive enough to inspire you to put something bigger in.

It also gets rugged, heavy-duty roll-bars in the back, asserting its sporty, off-road aspirations. The rear tail lamp is also quite interesting as it mimics the Montero Sport’s design but again, is implemented in a way that it doesn’t go all out and look like eyes crying out blood. It is interesting enough not to be fussy.

The Strada mirrors Mitsubishi’s current design language of the Montero Sport and Xpander

Overall, the new Mitsubishi Strada exterior breaks the mold of what a modern truck should look like, there are only so many ways you can customize a 3-box design vehicle and Mitsubishi decided to make a futuristic looking truck but still give it a sporty and rugged demeanor. Is this the best looking truck of the bunch? I certainly think so.

If you are already familiar with the Montero Sport interior from our previous Montero Sport 2020 expert review then you wouldn’t find anything much to surprise you on the 2020 Mitsubishi Strada interior. It features the same dashboard which is logically laid out with physical buttons for the Automatic Climate control.

The Centerpiece of the infotainment system is the large 8-inch touchscreen in the middle with navigation support built-in. The only downside to the infotainment system is that it lacks modern smartphone integration like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which is a real shame.

The cabin is splashed with great leather material, soft-touch plastics, and the worst piano black finish

Another point of contention is the materials used in the Mitsubishi Strada interior. It uses high quality leather on the seats, that beautiful, chunky steering wheel and soft-touch plastics adorn the dashboard, but the piano black inserts on the dash and door panels rain on the interior’s parade. It may look good when brand new and clean but are highly susceptible to fingerprints and smudges.

So much so that even looking at it funny will cause to give hairline scratches all over. Fortunately, you can always wipe them clean but at the end of the day, you will be THAT guy who brings a bottle of glass cleaner and microfiber cloth in the car just to keep the gloss black parts happy. Don’t get me wrong, it is a beautiful interior, I especially love the black-faced gauges and with red and carbon fiber trim, it’s keeping them clean that brings out the OCD in me.

>>> For further reference, read the comparo between the Strada and its current rivals: 

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The Mitsubishi Strada 2020 is powered by a Direct Injection 2.4-liter MIVEC Diesel engine that makes 178 hp and 430 Nm of torque. These power outputs are nothing to sneeze at but while bigger in comparison to its rivals, particularly the Ford Ranger, it still fails to match the American Rival.

Paper figures don’t tell the entire story though. Thanks to Mitsubishi’s 6-speed automatic transmission, power and torque are sent to the wheels more efficiently and with gusto.

This is because those torque figures come in quite early on in the power-band, giving you power on demand much earlier. You also get to select your gears thanks to a sports mode where you can use your Mitsubishi’s best-in-class Magnesium alloy paddle shifters right on the steering column.

You will also enjoy how linear power delivery is across the band, there are still some drop points but thanks to a well-engineered and balanced engine, all you feel is smooth acceleration uncharacteristic of typical diesel engines.

Thanks to Mitsubishi’s 6-speed automatic transmission, power and torque is sent to the wheels more efficiently and with gusto

The best part about the Mitsubishi Strada 2020 is that it benefits from Mitsubishi’s long reputation of the rally and off-road racing heritage. It has Mitsubishi’s vaunted Super Select 4WD-II system that changes the Strada’s driving characteristics. It gives you drive modes from snow/mud, gravel, sand and ever rock with a simple dial. This system adjusts everything from throttle response, shifting characteristics and the ability to adjust Stability Control and ABS.

The Mitsubishi Strada is capable of hard offroading and pleasant highway cruising

Mitsubishi knows that to achieve the best possible performance from a sports truck, horsepower and torque are simply a part of the formula. Power management, Steering, and Suspension, as well as weight balance, must work in tandem with the engine.

Thanks to a small turning radius and Hydraulic power steering the 2020 Mitsubishi Strada handles like a much lighter vehicle. Fuel Economy is also on the “not-bad” end of the spectrum. Averaging around 7-8 km/l in the city according to tests, you get the best of both worlds in terms of power and efficiency. Here I was wondering why pick-up trucks are so popular in the Philippines.

>>> You might like to read: [Philkotse pick] Top 4 pickup trucks you should consider in 2020

As far as safety features are concerned Mitsubishi put out all the stops for the 2020 Strada. It has standard features such as 7 airbags, Anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution and ISOFIX seat anchors, but Mitsubishi didn’t stop there.

They gave the Strada a slew of other advanced safety features such as Forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and emergency braking system as well as Ultrasonic Misacceleration Mitigation to avoid the dreaded Sudden Unintended Acceleration that supposedly plagued Mitsubishi vehicles the past decade.

Passenger and Vehicle Forward Collision Warning is present

All these safety features make marvel at the fact that the Mitsubishi Strada is a few ways away from the old L200 of old and I’m glad that features that used to be available only on the upper crust luxury models have found their way to even the lowly pickup truck.

The TRAIN law which took effect in 2018 effectively increased the prices of cars in the market across the board, save for the mighty pick-up truck. That said, this favor well for the Mitsubishi Strada as with a starting price of PHP 1,165,000 you can get your hands on one of the most capable cars in the Philippines today.

The entry-level PkLUS model omits the advanced safety features and the swanky 18-inch wheels to keep the price down but you do get the same performance and experience. If you want to pamper yourself though you can go for the GT model and live out your fantasies of driving a Dakar Rally Strada or Pajero with the perks of Super Select 4WD.

Model	Price
Mitsubishi Strada GLS 4x2 AT	₱1,300,000
Mitsubishi Strada GLS 4x2 MT	₱1,225,000
Mitsubishi Strada GLS 4x4 MT	₱1,445,000
Mitsubishi Strada GLX Plus 4x2 AT	₱1,240,000
Mitsubishi Strada GLX Plus 4x2 MT	₱1,165,000
Mitsubishi Strada GT 4x4 AT	₱1,670,000

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Q: How is the fuel consumption of the Mitsubishi Strada?

The Strada's average fuel consumption is 7 - 8 km/l.

Q: How high is the Mitsubishi Strada?

The car is 1,795 mm with a high ground clearance of 220 mm.

Q: How many Mitsubishi Strada variants are there?

The Strada comes with 10 variants.

Q: How many engine options does the Mitsubishi Strada have?

There are 2 engine options for you to choose from: one is a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel power plant that features Blue Power technology, and the other is a 9-liter turbo-diesel power plant.

After spending time with the Mitsubishi Strada, I realize far Pickup trucks have come from being the reliable workhorses they were back in the nineties. They can still haul like nobody’s business and wade though the deepest floodwaters and slog through the toughest terrain but can also become a lifestyle vehicle if ever you do so choose.

The 2020 Mitsubishi Strada offers the best balance of power, handling and looks among all the available models in the market today and would not blame you to crown this as the king of trucks.

The 2020 Mitsubishi Strada offers the best balance

The Pickup truck wars may not have a clear winner but its comforting to know that Mitsubishi still hasn’t lost a step in their truck game and can come at anyone who dare challenge them.

Looking for a great deal on the Mitsubishi Strada 2020? Head on over to Philkotse.com’s listing where you can find the Strada and many other cars for sale from our trusted dealers. Also, keep your eyes glued to Philkotse.com for more news, reviews, and insights on everything about cars.