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2006 Mitsubishi Raider Compact Pickup Truck
Feels like a Dodge, looks like a Mitsubishi: New Raider pickup looks unique but built on Dakota platform
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New Car Review Of The 2006 Mitsubishi Raider Compact Pickup Truck
Base MSRP Range: $19,180 - $33,920
Base Invoice Range: $18,019 - $31,867
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MSRP As Tested: $35,360
Versions: LS, DuroCross, XLS.
Vehicle Category: Compact Pickup Truck
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: Four-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive.
Standard Engine: 3.7-liter, Single Overhead Cam, 12-valves, V-6, 210 â€' horsepower at 5200 rpm and 235 lb-ft torque at 3600 rpm.
Optional Engine as Tested: 4.7-liter, Single Overhead Cam, 16-valves, 230 â€'horsepower at 4600 and 290 lb-ft at 3600 rpm.
Transmission: Four-speed automatic, Five-speed automatic, Six-speed manual.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 4-speed automatic 17/22, 5-speed automatic 15/20, 6-speed manual 16/23.
Standard Safety Features: Driver and passenger airbags, Rear anti-lock brake system.
Competition: Chevrolet Colorado, Dodge Dakota, Ford Ranger, Honda Ridgeline, Isuzu I-350, Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma.
Review
It's a Dodge Dakota with a funny looking body.
That's how I described the Raider, a compact pickup truck that Mitsubishi introduced for 2006, when people asked what I was driving last week.
Although Mitsubishi claims the Raider "storms the North American import truck market," in reality it's built in Detroit on the same assembly line as its Dodge-branded sibling. It's no more imported than the apple pie in your mom's oven.
There's actually a little more that separates the Mitsubishi from the Dodge, but nothing major. The interior looks different, and the Japanese-brand truck is priced slightly cheaper.
The big difference is all about style.
While the Dakota is obviously inspired by the giant Ram's big-rig look, the Mitsubishi seems to have more in common with the sleek Eclipse coupe. Its smooth profile, particularly on the front grille and fenders, looks sporty and athletic rather than tough and brawny. It seems to be the more youthful and refined of the two.
The same sporty look extends to the interior, where a clean, simple layout appears to be ripped right out of a classy sports sedan. The whole cabin is pleasing to look at, and it's built at least as well -- if not more so -- than the Dakota.
It's also a very comfortable place to spend time. The base model comes well equipped from the factory, and high-end options like satellite radio, leather seats, Bluetooth wireless technology and a stereo that plays MP3s make it stand out from the small-truck crowd. Most of those features are more common in full-size trucks with giant-size price tags.
Two other features give the Raider one of the best cabins of any compact truck: lots of storage space and a nearly silent highway ride.
Little storage compartments and cupholders are scattered throughout the cabin, including deep bins in the doors and a cavernous opening in the center console that's covered by an armrest. And even at high speeds, the Raider has such a hushed ride that it's hard to believe you're driving a pickup. The interior is among the best in its class, if not at the very top.
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