When we drove the Mitsubishi Grandis a while ago we came away feeling slightly let down and underwhelmed by its inability to live up to the hype Mitsubishi had burdened it with. The Grandis was being marketed as an exciting drive and very much a dynamic MPV but lacked the fun, talent and ability to deliver. So, having driven the 'sporty' 2.4-litre petrol version and coming away slightly cold it wouldn't be fair to assume that this diesel version would fare any better in that respect.

With this in mind we approached the DI-D Grandis from a very different angle with no expectations of a thrilling ride, but more of the likely purchaser's mentality; practicality and versatility are the keywords here. The Mitsubishi Grandis is a big car, with a huge interior and generous seating for seven adults. The high roofline affords good head room that further accentuates the feeling of spaciousness.

Luggage space isn't huge with the third row of seats in place but the boot is deceptively deep and there are cubbies all over the place in the cabin, although some of them are an odd shape. Needless to say with the third row taken out the load space is greatly increased and utilising the full load lugging ability makes the Grandis into a highly effective van.

The two-litre turbodiesel engine is rated at 134bhp at 4000rpm and 228lb.ft of torque at 1750rpm. It does an admirable job of pulling a fully laden Grandis around; according to the manufacturer's figures it is actually quicker than the 2.4-litre MIVEC version against the clock. It is probably better suited to the task as well, the extra torque coming in very handy in more circumstances than the revvy MIVEC engine would. It is vocal at higher revs but such excursions around the tacho are reserved for the first two gears. On the move it copes well though.

Economy is better as well, mid thirties mpg being the norm, a figure that would no doubt be higher if sixth gear wasn't so curiously close to fifth and a little too short for quiet motorway cruising. For the majority of the time the Mitsubishi Grandis is a quiet and comfortable family wagon, aided by a generous list of standard equipment.

Air conditioning, all electrics and an RDS stereo/CD player are the essentials in a family wagon and ABS with EBD, a multitude of airbags and an alarm take care of the safety and security elements.

Pricing is very competitive but is reflected in the feel and appearance of some of the interior materials and the dash. Taken into consideration with the equipment list and warranty the price looks more of a bargain.

In conclusion then, the Grandis, contrary to what Mitsubishi would like, shouldn't be considered as a dynamic MPV; but that's no bad thing. Thought of as a conventional MPV it is capable enough to compete with its rivals. Practical, roomy and relatively cheap to run and buy the Mitsubishi Grandis is a good all-round package worthy of consideration against more popular rivals such as the Renault Espace and Peugeot 807.