Mitsubishi L200 – the ultimate pickup?

A Pickup Truck without the Muck? The new fashion for pickups in 2019…

The cars we all drive on a daily basis go in and out of fashion almost as much as the clothes we wear.

Disagree? Well, just think of the massive trend for those wonderful wedge-shaped bodies of the 1980s that was epitomised in the movies by James Bond’s Lotus Esprit and Marty McFly’s DeLorean.

Then fast-forward to the early noughties and the very different vogue for bulky 4x4s. They became so popular that from 2007 bull bars on new cars in the UK had to comply with strict safety standards to be legal.

As we make our way towards 2020, there’s a definite trend for the pickup truck. It’s probably got something to do with the strong influence of US culture coming in through cinema, music and, perhaps most of all, the numerous TV series we’re all so gripped by.

Whatever its roots though, pick-up trucks are incredibly fashionable at the moment and every manufacturer seems to be getting a piece of the action. We take a look at the latest offering from an old hand and then consider the model from a newbie to this area of the car market.

A pickup in the hands of a master—Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi is an old hand when it comes to the fine art of manufacturing pickups. The Mitsubishi L200 pickup has recently been awarded Best Pickup 2019 and it’s well deserved given that this vehicle is the product of 30 years’ experience.

With impressive off-road capability and a 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine that means you can tow over three tonnes, this vehicle doesn’t mess about. It looks good too, with some nice lines and soft edges. (There’s no place just now for any of that hard-edged ‘80s styling mentioned in the intro!)

An Italian newbie to the pick-up market – Fiat

Further proving the point that a pickup truck is very much the car to be seen in at the moment is the fact that Fiat has also created one.

The stylish Italian manufacturer is better known for its nippy, chic little models such as the Punto than for anything on the scale of a pickup truck. However, in spite of the lack of pickup precedent here for this long-established Italian manufacturer the Fiat Fullback has had some very good reviews in the motoring press.

In part this is because the Fullback and the Mitsubishi pickup share quite a number of mechanical parts, including the engine itself; but the Fiat is really aimed at the family market.

As such, it comes with such finery as keyless entry, alloy wheels, DAB digital radio and cruise control, as standard. It doesn’t have quite the charm of a Panda or a Fiat 500; but, in all fairness, we’re talking about a car at the other end of the spectrum here: a different beast.

As more and more manufacturers tune into the latest motoring fashion and compete for top sales, it’s going to be great fun watching the inevitable transformation of the humble pickup truck. Watch this space…!