Mitsubishi 380 DB (2005-2008)

Best car I have ever owned – Purchased 5 years ago with 105000 on clock. I am just about to turn over 200000 and I've only had 1 window and the thermostat break. It's an SX series 3 and it is so comfy and absolutely pulls like a train, super smooth gear changes, a little thirsty around town but an absolute miser in the country. I now tow a jayco camper trailer with it. Pitty I can't by a new one as its fantastic, makes all my ex Holden's look like, well, Holden's. Show details

Best Car Ever: Makes all others pale in comparison – I bought a 380 VRX series III with all the extra trimmings for $29,000 back in 2009. It is STILL going. The 3.8L V6 is awesome. I don't find it "thirsty" at all. I get exactly 612km per tank driving to/from work every day (long commute) and close to 800km on the highway. If I deviate from my route I only get about 550km to a tank. It had just… Read more

under 10,000km when I bought it and I'm now well into the 200,000s. The only problems I have had with it mechanically are minor, such as the thermostat failing ($160 fix) and the only other trouble I have had was with the window regulators regularly packing it in, which is a well known problem in the 380s.

It's an extremely comfortable drive, very responsive and handles hills, windy roads and the highways with great ease.

Recently I had been considering purchasing a new car, mainly because of the lack of bluetooth connectivity (I drive 2+hrs a day, I need music for sanity and my FM connector kits keep dying) and I suppose a little bit of fear given it's now 12 years old, but I spent a weekend shopping and test driving and honestly, nothing compares. Nothing else feels as comfortable or as powerful. I was concerned about putting more money into a car that has "little value" (as per Carsales & Redbook, not personal opinion) but after seeing what is out there these days and the price I would have to pay for similar quality, I am MORE than happy to hang on to my awesome car and put a bit of extra cash into bringing it into the modern world with an aftermarket head unit.

If they still made these, I would be first in line for a new one!

An amazing sporty vehicle – I first became aware of the 380 when a friend purchased a base model 2006 ES . He loaned the car to me for about 10 months or so.Well What a surprise this car handled very well on the open highway and around the city ! Very nimble and light good acceleration and I felt very safe . It’s a solid feeling vehicle with all the electric gizmos to… Read more

pamper the driver.(The Japanese are great at providing bang for buck in my opinion in the car industry.

I drove to the Goldcoast and back to Melbourne effortlessly with no fuss or concern for reliability.

It performed like a champ!

So comfortable ,I could easily drive around Aussie in this very underrated Sedan.

I did about 25 thousand kays in it and loved every minute of it.Of course I maintained it well .Oil and filter changes etc.

I loved it so much that I am now the proud owner of a 2007 sx series and it’s very sporty to drive ,firm suspension and a little heavier than the es model.Easy to maintain and service for the diy person.

I woul highly recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for performance and reliability and comfort all in one package.Would have to be one of the best and affordable cars on the road right now.

Great engineering Mitsubishi and built in Australia for Local conditions.

Yes agree with another reviewer-it woul have been great to have a station wagon too.

You cannot go wrong with this wonderful vehicle .

December 7th 2018 Update: My Mitsubishi sx

Hi Folks,this is a little update on my 380 sx.I have really enjoyed driving this car!The strong suspension in the sx model makes a difference to how the vehicle handles!I did push it once through the twistys just to see what it could do,and the 380 never wavered once .It was like a crab on wheels-unbelievable for a front -wheel drive vehicle!

I had some ticking noise from motor,so serviced it

Oil change ,oil filter,fuel cleaner twice in tank,

Cleaned the map sensor and throttle body.

Now the ticking is negligible.I use nulon 10w40 semi synthetic,as recommended by chap at auto barn.I als used valvoline fuel injector cleaner.

Cleans in one tank-fantastic stuff.I don’t see the need to use fully synthetic oil right now.

Well I must say,I am so impressed with this wonderful machine.Ive driven quite a number of vehicles in my life,and I would rate this 380 as one of the best!

If you are looking for a relatively safe car for its age and solid footing and performance on the road ,for the price these go for-you can’t go wrong.

Loved the Magna only 'just' liked the 380 – After having owned a couple of previous gen Magna's I purchased a second hand black vrx with a black leather interior, I loved the way the Magna felt so refined compared to its rivals and was a really relaxing car to drive with a smooth powerful engine. The 380 in my opinion is no where near as smooth or as quiet as the Magna was, the 5 speed… Read more

auto I thought was frustrating that it constantly shifted up way to soon so you could never get the engine to feel alive as it should have, the refinement and ride were a disappointment after the Magna, and the interior plastics and design I will remember for being poor, the auto elec told me that the power window motors are harder to find as they all fail which mine did twice and the cold start the engine sounded terrible for a short time (Google it). I also found the fuel economy poor about 14 litres per 100 Ave.

I just never got that "ahh I love this car" moment with the 380 that I had with the Magna, it never made me feel content.

Also beware this car has no stability control, the first night I got it driving back from work it was a little wet, the back end of the car kicked right out around a turn. I would look for a car with more safety features given its 2018.

Great sedan, Australia misses not having these anymore – I bought a 2008 model 380 Platinum in 2003 with 120,000 on the clock for $7000. One of the best car purchases I've made in recent years. For my long country roads it's been more than fit for purpose. Low and comfortable, quiet and reliable. Apart from the general servicing I have spent no money on it at all. Now it's got almost 300,000 on the… Read more

clock and the aircon has recently started leaking. To fix the leak the dashboard will have to be removed so it's unlikely that I'll even bother. I've had my value from it even if it blows up tomorrow... which I highly doubt. I suspect it's got a pile more km's in it yet. It's still got loads of torque and power and the handling and economy is still great.

I wish I could buy a new one.

Great car! – My white VRX was bought new 2007 at John Hughes in Perth. It now have 245,000km on the clock, and is regularly serviced, full logbook record. The cambelt was replaced now 4 times, tyres at every 75,000km and to be honest it is in mint condition both outside and inside, no accidents, no bumps, no scratches. On a long stretch of road it will easily… Read more

average 7.8l/100km, but in town not as it is too high geared. and in any case 4th gear is quite sufficient in town. The spare tyre still is the original. My car is parked inside a closed garage and under cover at work. Overall a great car, well engineered although I also must be realistic, there will be a time that I will replace it. Mechanically, the condition it now is in, it is good for another 100,000km easily. Well done Mitsubishi.

Excellent car drove mine from Sydney to Cairns! – I was looking for a decent 380 GT for a while with low kms. I found one for a reasonable price, full logbooks and my mechanic friend could vouch for the car yard selling it. My mechanic friend took the car for a drive and was very impressed - drives like new he said. I have had to replace a widow and the locking mechanism on one door which were… Read more

fairly minor issues. The only big issue with these otherwise fantastic cars is the paint. Mitsubishi used a thin paint which doesn’t hold up to the Australian sun so well. I had mine resprayed as I love it so much. I have driven from Sydney to Cairns and had zero problems, the cruse control was fantastic. Highly recommended if you can find one in good condition.

Oil leaks – I got my 380 second hand 3 years ago, and at the time I couldn't have been happier. However, just 18 months later, the engine melted because of an undetected oil leak. I had the engine replaced at great expense, and now the new engine is doing the same thing - so beware! In all other respects it's been an excellent, comfortable car, but I need… Read more

something that doesn't constantly break down. Comfortable seats, sunroof, great suspension, great power for overtaking Constant oil leaks

I can see why they stopped making these – Purchased a 380 vrx auto a year ago with 32000kms for $13000 from a dealer, and it was a very nice car for the money. The engine was smooth quiet and powerful (but very thirsty around town) trans shifted perfectly, when driving this vehicle I was convinced that they was no other similar car that could rival this in terms of build quality, comfort,… Read more

performance, etc.

4 months later the drivers side electric window switch stopped working, and I thought ok thats only a minor thing then I noticed some rattles in the dash, another 2 months I noticed that when I select sports mode in the trans it would take 2 seconds to shift up. My previous car was a mitsi fto with a similar tiptronic transmission and that one shifted perfectly in sports mode despite having 275000kms.

I took the 380 to a trans specialist on a Thursday morning, at lunchtime he called me and said when draining the trans fluid there was a lot metal shavings in the oil and sump.This vehicle only had 41000kms and it showed signs of major transmission wear. It still drove well in drive mode.

Another 2 months went past the central locking would malfunction at times, more rattles appeared, high idle speed then I noticed my fuel consumption was getting even worse, took it to my mechanic and he said my ecu was faulty, he explained that once the engine is warmed up the ecu would still think it was cold and supply more fuel which also explained the high idle speed.

I ended up trading it in for a 04 Camry. It was such a shame the 380 was a nice car in the beginning. I sometimes think maybe it was made on a Friday, slapped together quickly for the weekend. Styling, power, standard features, comfort, nice handling fwd car build quality, premature transmission wear, thirsty even before ecu fault

Ok for the first few years, then – 2007 VRX, Automatic, White, 101,000 km when sold 2013. Purchased the car second hand, only 6 months old and 6,000 km. The car was great for the first 4 to 5 years, then just as the warranty expired, the problems began. Gearbox started to make grinding noises when changing between gears - gradually got worse, knocking noises from the front of the… Read more

car, horrible sounds from front left when turning. It sounded as though the front of the car was going to drop on to the road. This car was serviced in accordance with the warranty book and always completed by Mitsubishi. Unfortunately, the 10 year warranty the new car buyer receives is non-transferable. I took the car to a local transmission expert whom advised I need a new gearbox. Don't know what the suspension and knocking noises were but traded the car for a fraction of the Redbook wholesale value due to these issues with the car. Didn't wan't to sell it to an unsuspecting private buyer. Given the age of these cars now and klm traveled, I would not recommend the purchase. Comfortable and quite when new. Adequate power for long haul jouneys, fair highway fuel economy (8-9L per 100 km) Poor suburban fuel economy. Living in inner Sydney the car averaged between 16-18L per 100 km in city traffic, transmission problems, suspension problems, burns a lot of oil, reliability problems with power windows (replaced 3 motors)

Ticking noise – I found out that Hyundai use the same purge valve as the 380s and there cheap too you can get them off ebay It is identical to the 380s and it is easy to install ive hated the ticking noise for ages and now its gone Show details

Most reliable car ever built in Australia – Bought a 2005 "limited edition" with a dual fuel system in 2009 for $10,500 and took it up to 355,000kms by 2018. In late 2018 the starter motor died and I decided to scrap the car for $300. Other than replacement of normal maintenance items, this was the first mechanical issue it had ever had. It did however have a couple of non mechanical issues… Read more

- the air con and heating broke (this year) and the rear window motor broke twice (a known issue with these cars). That's all though.

A few weeks ago I bought another 2006 Mitsubishi 380, also dual fuel, from a dealer for $4,500. It had only done 142,000kms and came with a 12 month warranty. I get the impression the dealer had been having trouble selling it given how little let it go for. Once again Australia's loss at rejecting this great car is my gain.

It also has a 4 star ANCAP rating and 4 star UCSR rating.

Wish they would produce another Magna/380 – I purchased this car off my parents so have been driving it on and off over the last 6-7 years. Never had issues, always an exceptionally smooth drive and has an incredible sound system. Now with over 200,000 KMs, its still driving so nicely, but sad they don't have a lot of value anymore. I get about 500-550KM out of the tank, but notice the… Read more

last half of fuel disappears quicker than the first half.

Incredibly roomy, but quite low and no handle for passengers (I drive people for work and it can be quite difficult for themselves to adjust into the seat).

Disappointed these cars have stopped being made.

Really the only sedan from Mitsubishi are the Lancers. I wish Mitsubishi would re-introduce Magna's again. A bigger sedan than the lancer, I think would sell wonderfully.

Sad to see it removed – The Mitsubishi 380 GT Sedan, is an unique vehicle just like it's cousin vehicle the American mitsubishi galant. The 380 is very comfortable to sit and drive and I would class as an luxury car. This mitsubishi has a lot of power and tight gear ratio compared to other Australian sedans.  Show details

Awesom to say the least – Purchased my 380 LX New back in 2007, have had no major issues apart from two engine sensors that kicked in my engine light. Acceleration is awesome, handling the same, have run Slick 50 in the engine / gearbox from almost new so runs smooth with almost no engine noise. Love the interior, Radio is superb great sound system as is. Only dislike I… Read more

have is No Bluetooth and no USB port.

Mileage is fantastic with range constantly sitting in the 700 plus at fillup. Would love to have another from New.

Seats are great , suffer from bad back but never when i'm driving the 380 no matter how long the trip.

Sad day they took it out of production.

Awesome car for the price – Bought this car recently second hand I’m surprised how well it drives for a front wheel drive it’s smooth and handles well as for power there is plenty there after having to step back from an sv6 commodore wagon I wouldn’t look past a 380 for a Camry or something similar gets the job done well quite car has no rattles and a pretty comfortable ride too Dislike no USB input  Show details

I brought a mistibushi 380 vrx for $6000 from a dealership second hand, 90,000km – This is my third car I've owned, and so far its very good, really nice interior, spacious, comfortable. I got it for $6,000 from a dealership, it only has 90,000kms on it and it also came with rims and I love the paint job, although cause of its age its starting to Peel just on the door seals, only a tiny bit but will slowly get noticeable. These… Read more

cars are fast, reliable and perfect for anyone really. I was lucky to find one with so little kilometers. Not long after I got this car someone reversed intoe whilst I was working one day, his bumper had a huge dent In it and my car was basically untouched, I buffed a few tiny scuff marks out with polish and it looks like nothing happened, very sturdy strong body considering what the other car looked like. The only bad thing about this car I've experienced so far is a few wiring problems. The indicators are faulty once in a blue moon, they will turn off randomly whilst waiting to turn, also something happened to the reverse sensor, everything I put it into reverse it would beep continuously until I put it into drive like something's in front of the sensor. I got it fixed and its been fine, just one other thing, my car averages 14.3L/100km. Which I think is not the best but not insanely expensive.

What a Car! – I have been driving this car for more than a year now and I must say that this is one hell of a car. Stable, powerful, fast, reliable, and beautiful. Recently completed a trip to and from- between Perth and Sydney and it was a very comfortable ride, free from any worries at all. I am going to stick with Mitsubishi I guess.  Show details

Key fob replacement – Hi. You don't need to replace the key fob, just need to replace the battery. Have had it done myself with no problem. You can get it done at mister minute. Can also change it on your own. Don't know why people are told that you need to change the key fob.  Show details

Solid Car to drive – Extremely Comfy car that is both sporty and spacious. Bought this car off second hand for a good price and fell in love the moment i drove it. The paint work is not fantastic however the engine is amazing. Although the car has alot of torque behind its engine. It handles the corners well and handling is good. Petrol consumption might be a lil high for it as it is easy to over rev on this car. So don't be a heavy footer on the accelerator.  Show details

Good – I purchased Mitsubishi 380 (second-hand model 2005) in 2015. I really loved this car especially its wooden interior, electric driver seat and cruise control. The Performance and handling were good. Quite a spacious car with good aircon. As the model is old the running cost is abit higher but after looking at the overall performance and style. I still love this car.  Show details

Second hand 380 – I purchased this car in 2012 for $7000 and when i cleaned it i was surprised by how good the paint was ! It had 115.000ks and it drives beautifully ! It is now 2017 and the paint im sorry to say has come undone and is peeling ! I live next to the sea so i kinda expected that . I hit a roo last week doing 80ks and was sweetly surprised with the… Read more

amount of damage done as it was all cosmetic minus a rad support which snapped . This car on average gets 100ks to 10.5 ltrs and its fast ! I got a k n n filter and an aftermarket exhaust and i upgraded to the larger usa galant air intake . Overall its a great car and would buy another if i could . 8.5 out of 10 if you get a chance at low ks get one even just as a work car like i have

Great car, very reliable – I bought a 2005 380 with 160,000 on the clock and it runs perfectly. Reliable, cheap used cars are hard to find, but we got lucky with this one. It is easy to drive and has great fuel economy. It's a pity they don't make these cars in Australia anymore.  Show details

Comments about the car I own – I like the handling of the car very smooth to drive.Excellent highway economy.the only downfall is the huge turning circle.maintenance costs are on average.interior design is excellent.good fabric seats good stretching leg room.large boot space.I like the lights on high beam and low beam.also excellent towing vehicle for plenty of power  Show details

Very reliable and built like a tank – Purchased in 2009 with 25k on odo - now at 100k kms. Very underrated and reliable car. Smooth and comfortable to drive. Window regulators fail but easy DIY fix for about $100. Smoother on the road compared to my Audi S3 2015 model with mag ride! Absorbs bumps beautifully. Fantastic on the highway where consumption drops in to the 7s. The… Read more

paint on my GT model is fading on roof and bonnet but that doesnt trouble me given age of car.

I swapped the rotors and brake pads for aftermarket as oem prone to sqealing at slow speeds.

I change the auto trans fluid regularly - no issues there.

Fantastic value for what you are getting.

Did me good :') sad to see it go - would recommend for how cheap they go now – Highly suggest - for price if broke student, power and reliability you can't fault them. Buy it. Only discontinued because having MAGNA as your predecessor is setting anyone up for failure and sales just didn't pick up as they should have. So people assume it's a Magna and Magna's are that foul so I understand people's misconception. The positive… Read more ·  1

reviews don't lie and yes Mitsubishi might have brought us tampons like the "new and improved" Mirage but the 380 was best pre teen broke student car I've owned.

PRO:

Drives perfect. I couldn't fault it. Smooth transitions, good and heavy steering but not too heavy. Feels like a quality car, not a labia with wheels (Getz, Barina, Jazz, Mazda2.)

Interior was fine, electric drivers seat, climate control, roomy cab, would happily own one if I was married with two kids and they'd have plenty of room to do the random kid stuff they do like spitting up and ruining lives. Boot was a good size, I slept in there on NYE cause I was too scattered to drive home and it was legit roomy af.

Cheap to maintain.. I NEVER got this "qualified mechanically" serviced because I was 70% a student and could barely afford not to die of starvation during the semester, so did everything myself when I knew it needed doing (I'm NOT a mechanic) but managed easily brake pads, oil and air filers, oil changes, spark plugs etc myself with ease and any modifications I wanted to do (changing map globes) and repairing the interior ceiling when it sagged. Legit, do it. Save your money for md and better stuff $$

CON:

WINDOW REGULATORS fault, that's not just me, google will go into depth for you. It was an issue with the 380s but a replacement regulator and you're sweet.

HEADLIGHT AND INDICATOR SWITCH on the steering wheel column was recalled so make sure yours has been because driving down a black af road at 2am coming down from a hard night before in summer and you're headlights completely stop sucks more than the come down. A weld or something was sketchy and caused them to crack in Australian heat and it stops you from using headlights and indicating completely. Mitsubishi fix it for free. Kicking bulk goals Mitsubishi.

POWER AND FRONT WHEEL DRIVE, legit be easy. They're powerful and if you foot down too hard with no traction control in these cars and the front wheels stick to the pavement, you start to bounce like your in front row at a Bieber concert and can snap important things, expensive things. BUT user issue, if you drive like a 17 year old pre-pubescent kid you probably deserve it for sucking at life.

Love it – How do you remove dome lights and map lights (w/sunroof toggle) I'm hoping to also change dash lights to different colour Can I put led bulbs into fog lights with minimal hassle Any advice tips on all these changes greatly appreciated Anything you think I can do also that may be simple but also a good lil mod at same time  Show details

265000 Km and still going strong – I took a punt on a base model Mitsubishi 380 with 235000 km on the clock. I bought it because the price was a total bargain and it seemed pretty straight, even if the first 60000km of its life were as a rental car! So 30000km and 18 months on, how has it gone? First the things that haven't been perfect: - Timing belt pretensioner rattle at… Read more

start up. Just turn it off, start it up, and it's all good again. Will be fixed at 300000km if i still own it. - Front brake rotors warp. They were out of spec so new rotors and pads fitted. Now all good. - Strut top rubber is a bit worn, so some rumble from front suspension. - Ummmm???? Fuel economy in town could be better. But not too shabby. It's quite good on the highway.

The Good: - Engine power and torque. Great for overtaking safely. - Smooth and responsive transmission, even after all these kms. - Interior space and comfort. - Solidly built. Like a tank. No creaks or groans. - Reliable. Never let me down and confident to drive it on long interstate trips. - Steering and handling is very good for a car this size. - Reasonable pricing on parts and servicing.

The Mitsubishi 380 is a very underrated car. Very underrated. Even if it blows up or falls apart in 12 months time, I've still got good value for money.

Update - I finally let go of our beloved Mitsu 380 at 300000 km. This isn't unusual given it was starting to use a bit of oil. In the last 2 years of owning it, the only other thing I could fault was a cracked radiator that needed replacing.

So I bought another Mitsubishi 380. And it's still going strong at 270000 km. Perhaps its even more reliable....

Mitsubishi 380 .. 2006 – I have a mitsubishi 380. Its ok .. ive only had it for a few month's. I havent had a problem with it so far. Just the windows electrical wiring i guess.. i purchased it second hand. Its good to drive. The motor is great. Im still learning new functions and things with the car but it's ok.  Show details

Best car? – I have recently parted company with a 2005 base model 380 that I owned from new. I have to say that I doubt that I will ever own a more durable and dependable vehicle ever again. Full credit to Tom Collins and the crew at Mitsubishi Australia for the design and build quality that made this one of the best cars ever built in this country. I had… Read more

that mandatory window regulator problem and yes it didn't have the tightest of turning circles, but not a drop of oil leakage or rattle or squeak after 180 K's. Great highway car and economical to boot.

Mitsubishi 380 GTL 2007 – This is truly an outstanding car in every way. My brother put me unto this car and initially I paid for the car from him and he promptly gave me the car for free. This car had only 125k on the clock, it was a GTL rare as hens teeth, dual fuel with a great LPG setup, sunroof, rear spoiler, everything you need. It is so easy to service and parts are… Read more

very reasonable to replace. Only issues is the turning circle, and one failed door motor. The car rides beautifully and looks cool with chromes as wheels and tinted windows. Best car I have ever had and so reliable.

Very good car – Had this 380 for 5 years now basic 2005 ES model just on 90000 km when purchased. Did minor mods upgraded air intake, flow through muffler, transmission cooler and thermo block gasket between the intake and plenum chamber. These are a must do on 380's, the ECU's are great variable units and adapt particularly well to mods. That's all I did..… Read more

fuel consumption 10.5 liters per 100 km around town ... 9.2 to 9.5 liters per 100 km on the open road plenty of power, fuel consumption is phenomenal considering it's weight. Just on 175000 km now gearbox is excellent, fluid change every 40000 km runs as new.

Wasn't gonna keep it that long but it's been so reliable (I do all the servicing) very well built, gas KYB front struts as standard on all models from the factory, white with alloys looks great.

Best car ever driven but service fees another matter – Our 380 VRX is the best car I've driven, after 9 years the only problems were window winders & the wide turning circle. Powerful, reliable, quiet & roomy. Well into 200,000's & fully serviced at Mitsubishi Footscray, was dumbfounded after $1500 service it started to miss and when took it back was charged another $1500 to replace rear spark plugs. Enough was more than enough. Now go to Ultra tune and car still running fantastic.  Show details