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Walkaround
Mitsubishi designers have chosen to give the Diamante Wagon an understated, formal appearance that could be perceived as conservative. There are no visible concessions to aerodynamic efficiency here. From its upright front end to its sculpted sides to its traditional station wagon roof line, the big Diamante exudes class. Few wagons, expensive or otherwise, match its subtle elegance.Fit-and-finish details are strong Diamante selling points as well. Mitsubishi doesn't cut any corners on quality of materials or assembly. The Diamante is very well-built. All four doors are large enough to offer easy access to the passenger compartment, and the rear hatch has a low liftover height, making loading of bulky items into the cargo space easy. A sturdy luggage roof rack is standard equipment. This wagon borrows most of its hardware and trim from the basic Diamante ES sedan (now only available for fleet sales). Power is supplied by a V6 engine rated at 175 hp with a 4-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission. Traction control is available in the LS sedan, but it's not offered here. Front suspension, steering and brakes are also the same as the ES sedan. Only the rear suspension was designed especially for the wagon: It's a beam-axle design to keep the load floor as low as possible.
Interior Features
From first glance, the interior of our Diamante test wagon impressed us. Every detail seems to have been worked out with special care, from the shape of the door handles to the sweeping curve of the dashboard. The overall impression is one of solidity and quality. Even the wood accents, which many manufacturers tend to cover with overly glossy clearcoat, are muted. Lots of comfort is included on the Diamante menu as well. There's room for five on front bucket and rear bench seats, though the three in back should be good friends. The driver and front-seat passenger are each protected by an airbag. Automatic climate control is standard, as is almost every power assist one might reasonably ask for, with only power adjustment of the driver's seat relegated to the options list as part of a leather upholstery package. The driver's environment was designed with comfort in mind. A height-adjustable steering wheel is standard, instruments are large and clearly marked (though one might expect more than the basic speedometer, tachometer, fuel and temperature gauges in a $30,000 car), and all controls are logically placed for optimum access. Visibility is good, thanks to an abundance of glass and thin roof pillars. In keeping with the Diamante's luxury status, an excellent sound system serves as standard equipment. The AM/FM/cassette system offers up seven well-placed speakers and controls mounted on the steering wheel. Diamante's only audio option is a single-disc CD player. Only a couple of interior details could stand improvement: Long-legged occupants may wish for a little more thigh support from the front-seat cushions, and the climate-control system would benefit greatly from some simplification of its dials and buttons. Everything else was more than acceptable as is.
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