By Christopher Tracy
Our search for a family camper continues with the Mitsubishi Delica. Not the boxy, badass 3rd generation that many of us are familiar with as amazing Overland builds, but the now available for US import, curvaceous 4th generation.
The measurables are there for the 4th gen Delica. Seating for seven, turbo diesel four-cylinder, traditional four-wheel-drive system, and the passenger variants are named “Delica Space Gear”.
Same Reliability, Better Aero
The 4th gen is considerably more aerodynamic than the boxy 3rd gen. The engines and transmissions of the 4th generation are based on the rock-solid construction of the Mitsubishi Pajero. The 3rd gen’s drivetrains are also Pajero-based. The 4th generation vans have a monocoque construction and retain their full off-road capabilities without the body on chassis of the 3rd gens.
The transfer case has high and low range gearing and a locking diff. The transmission is either a five-speed manual or a three-speed automatic with overdrive. I’d want the manual.
The Space Gear comes in both long (118.1 in) and short (110.2 in) wheelbases. The trim specifications in Japan ranged from XR, XG, Exceed, Super Exceed, and Royal Exceed.
The downside of the 4th Generation Delicas is still the right-hand-drive driver’s position. This is not great for drive-thrus. Since the main reason behind this search if a vehicle large enough to haul the entire family, this becomes a moot point. Your front seat passenger can handle the exchange of money for coffee/food/etc.
The Pajero-based powertrain makes this a great worldwide travel vehicle with plentiful parts availability. In the US, it’s a different story. With fewer and fewer Mitsubishi dealers in the US, parts availability will become an issue. Unless Fuso dealers can also access Pajero/Montero parts too.
A Real Possibility
A major point in the Delica’s favor is the functional hood scoop for the turbo diesel intercooler under the hood.
This is one of the few vehicles that I’ve actually brought up to my wife about finding one. I’ll let you all know how the search goes!
Jeff Glucker
These have started popping up all around me here in the San Francisco area. I saw two 3rd gen Delicas in 24 hours in the city recently and then another possibly 4th gen one up on the northern coast about 150 miles. It’s possible someone is importing them in bulk?
(I didn’t think to look where the captain’s chair was.)
i know a guy who bought one from a Delica specialist in Pennsylvania, which imports gobs of them in every configuration imaginable. super cool van.
Any chance a bunch of them are ones previously imported to/ran in Vancouver? They’ve been common there and on the island for years (I have a friend that jokes the non-conformists are all driving Caravans).
The other advantage of the newer model over the previous L 300 cabover is safety. This video is of the last, considerably strengthened, Australian market model.
Earlier models are much weaker.
The later variant.
If you don’t want your legs to be the crash zone, you want the engine in front. Even Toyota with the Hi-Ace van have moved this way.
New gen 6 model semi replaces the gen 5 model, (which remains available at a lower price.)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Toyota_Hiace_H200_511.JPG
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/2019_Toyota_HiAce_Commuter.jpg/1280px-2019_Toyota_HiAce_Commuter.jpg
Depending on what sort of off-roading you want to do, these are pretty narrow, as in I’m not sure if they are wider than 1.7m. It doesn’t help yet but the next generation addresses that, at the cost of being much less off-road capable.
Here is one from my area … https://nmi.craigslist.org/cto/d/beulah-1991-mitsubishi-delica-starwagon/6898992156.html
If my copilot is neight455 or neight301 (same family, later models), the coffee/food/etc. would end up on the floor or in between the drive thru window and the car more often than not.
You need to contact these guys and import from Japan: youtube.com/user/PacificCoastAuto/videos