The Mitsubishi Strada takes on the Moose Test

The Mitsubishi Strada has taken on the moose test with shocking results. When it comes to going fast on paved roads pickups aren’t the go to vehicle of choice. Their main purpose after all is to carry cargo and to tow equipment. With that said, however, pickups still need to be maneuverable and safe especially in emergency situations. 

Enter the Moose Test, a rubric that helps evaluate how good a vehicle does when it needs to suddenly evade an obstacle. In this case, the Mitsubishi L200, or the Mitsubishi Strada, locally took on this test for the European market. Thanks to a video from the Youtube channel Km77.com we were able to take a look at how the Japanese pickup truck was able to handle sudden changes of direction.

The Moose Test itself requires a vehicle to take on a tight slalom course at a speed of at least 77 kph in order to pass. It's not easy to get passing marks with the test as many other newer models have failed the test. When it came to taking on the course the Strada didn't do so well as it only managed to do the course at a speed of 69kph, however, it is to be expected from such a tall vehicle. The Japanese pickup truck’s best attempt at the course was just one kilometer per hour short of passing.

According to those who conducted the test, the Strada came with an average but not a surprisingly great result, however, they did note that it was acceptable for its body type. The main takeaway from the test was that despite having major body roll the Japanese pickup truck still felt safe and confident.

A closer look at the video reveals that the initial understeer is noticeable with the Japanese pickup. The pickup’s turn-in is good, however, when you need to shift directions quickly the front tires will easily slide. Once the weight has been transferred to one side the Strada will begin to wallow abruptly from side to side. This, however, disappears once the vehicle has settled and slows down. While the slow-motion section of the video reveals a lot about the handling characteristics of the pickup truck it does show that it will not easily flip over and will maintain four wheels on the ground.