The is a seven-seat MPV built by Mitsubishi Motors between 2003 and 2011. It was introduced to replace the Chariot/Space Wagon/Nimbus minivans. It was also marketed as the Mitsubishi Space Wagon in Thailand.
Overview
The Grandis was launched on 14 May 2003 as a 2004 model year vehicle and sold in Japan, Asia, Europe, Oceania, Mexico, Honduras, Jamaica and South America."Mitsubishi Motors Releases New Grandis", Mitsubishi Motors press release, 14 May 2003
The exterior styling was based loosely on designer Olivier Boulay's earlier Mitsubishi Space Liner,"Mitsubishi Grandis Review", Carpages.co.uk, 27 March 2005 a monobox four-seat concept vehicle with centre opening "suicide doors", first exhibited at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2001.""New" Mitsubishi Motors Introduces Exciting Car Concepts At 35th Tokyo Motor Show" , Mitsubishi Motors Press Release, 17 October 2001
It was the first all new vehicle featuring the company's new common "face", comprising a curved lower grille edge and a sharp crease rising up the leading edge of the bonnet from the prominent corporate badge."Mitsubishi designer's vision unveiled", MMNA press release, PR Newswire, 9 January 2002 It shared its platform with the Mitsubishi Airtrek, minus the increased ground clearance.
The Grandis was also the basis for the Mitsubishi FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle) concept, powered by a fuel cell technology developed by then controlling shareholder DaimlerChrysler. DCX's "FC System" uses a fuel cell stack to replenish an array of NiMH batteries from 117 litres of compressed hydrogen storage."Mitsubishi Motors Builds Fuel-Cell Vehicle" , Mitsubishi Motors press release, 17 September 2003
The Grandis was launched in Malaysia on 28 July 2005 in conjunction with Mitsubishi's return to Malaysia. The Grandis was updated in Malaysia in September 2007, July 2009 and in August 2010.
It won the Best MPV award at the Bangkok International Motor Show from 2005 to 2010."Mitsubishi Grandis and Strada win Car of the Year Awards at Bangkok International Motor Show" , Mitsubishi Motors Press Release, 29 March 2005Mitsubishi Motors : Space Wagon, MMTh website"มิตซูบิชิ ควบ 2 รางวัล "รถยอดเยี่ยม”", Thai PR, 2 April 2008, Thai Auto Shop, 8 April 2009"ผลตัดสินรถยอดเยี่ยมแห่งปี2010 ในงานมอเตอร์โชว์ บีเอ็มฯคว้า7รางวัล มิตซูฯ5 นิสสัน3 จยย.ฮอนด้าได้4" , Matichon Online, 31 March 2010 During March 2009, it saw the cancellation of this model in the Japanese market. In 2011, it was discontinued globally.
Powertrain Engines available were a 2.4-litre four-cylinder and a Europe-only Volkswagen sourced 2.0-litre turbodiesel, badged DI-D rather than TDI as Volkswagen denotes it. The diesel model arrived in conjunction with the Grandis' European launch in 2004. It originally used the BSY version of Volkswagen's Pumpe Düse diesel engine; in 2008 it was changed to the BWC variant of the same with no declared performance changes.
Annual production and sales Year Production Sales Japan Overseas 2003 28,821 23,834 3,574 2004 19,173 5,247 14,352 2005 29,466 4,490 24,507 2006 17,928 1,756 16,870 2007 15,549 674 15,161 2008 8,583 281 8,283
(source: Facts & Figures 2008, Facts & Figures 2009, Mitsubishi Motors website)
Nameplate use for other models The Grandis nameplate was reintroduced in July 2025 as a crossover SUV based on the Renault Symbioz.
References