Mitsubishi's new Colt CZC cabriolet will never blow you away with open-top discomfort. It might look like a truncated beetle and shudder over uneven surfaces with its metal powered fold-away roof stowed in the boot, but so good are its aerodynamics that wind buffet is virtually absent at 60mph and perfectly tolerable up to 80mph.
Roof down, with the simple framed mesh wind deflector erected and its four electric windows rolled up, this is a really comfortable little cabriolet. In the front there's no buffet at legal speeds - hardly a draft to be felt. It's all down to careful aerodynamics and a shallow raked windscreen which lifts slipstream clear over the stubby body for a ruffle-free drive.
The CZC Cabriolet is the latest in a long line of affordable electric fold-aways. It's better looking than Nissan's gawky Micra C+C, has a more solid feel than Vauxhall's Tigra and is streets ahead of the current Peugeot 206 CC.
At £13,999 the entry-level 1.5 petrol is priced close to its competitors with only the 1.6 Sport C+C Micra nudging under the CZC by a £4 whisker. But discounts are unlikely and you have to give up a lot to be able to enjoy that open-air feeling. And if you want metallic or pearlescent paint you need to spend another £295.
Space is severely restricted. It's marketed as a 2+2 but the rear seats are virtually useless for people-carrying - tight and uncomfortable to clamber into and exposed under way. The large Pininfarina electric roof assembly is well-built, but big and heavy. Produced in partnership with power-roof specialists OaSys it takes a brisk 22 seconds to open and close and is fully automated apart from having to flick open two simple locking catches on the windscreen brow.
But with the two-panel roof tucked under the twin-hinged rear deck there's precious little space left for luggage. Mitsubishi boast a boot capacity of 425 litres with the roof up, but there's only a shallow 171 litres left when it's stowed. You'll get a couple of soft bags aboard, but you're going to have to cut your wardrobe back if you plan extensive open-top driving holidays. Essentially the CZC is compact open-top transport for two. Think of it as a roadster with a pair of very occasional rear seats and it makes more sense.
Under the bonnet there's a highly-developed lightweight alloy 1499cc 16-valve engine churning out 107bhp - good for 114mph, rest to 62mph in 10.5 seconds and a 43mpg average. It's so well balanced I see no point in shelling out another £2000 for the hooligan 147bhp 1.5-litre Turbo.
With the hood in place the car feels solid and noise levels are reasonably low. But drop the roof and the car's bugbear comes into play: scuttle shake. Pininfarina has done a pretty good job of screwing the CZC together in Italy from a kit of parts dispatched from the NedCar plant in Holland, but there's noticeable shudder on all but the smoothest surfaces. It's not terminally bad, but robs the car of the ultimate solid feel of Mazda's MX-5.
But thanks to its fine aerodynamics you can drive this car all day with the roof down. So good are its wind-cheating lines that even rain fails to break the spell as drops are swept aft.
The biggest disappointment is inside. Mitsubishi has missed an opportunity to deliver something special. The standard Colt hatch is an impressive and roomy supermini let down by a dull interior. The CZC deserved something brighter and cheerier, not the same-again acres of cheap grey plastic which greeted me.
There's a flimsy feel to the switchgear and trim panels are lightweight and cheap. Even the cloth seat cover designs are unimaginative, although there's little to complain about in the comfort stakes. The front pair are supportive and have a good range of adjustment.
As an entry-level model the 107bhp CZC is well-equipped. I was pleased to see front and side airbags are standard along with ABS braking with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD). 16" alloys are well-suited to the car's dimensions and the electrically-powered steering felt well-balanced and made round-town work a dawdle.
You get manual air-conditioning, keyless entry and remote central locking, height adjustment for both front seats and a tiltable steering column with a multi-function steering wheel. In-car entertainment is covered by a six-speaker MP3-compatible CD system and radio, there are four electric windows and the door mirrors are powered and heated.
The CZC is not an out-and-out performance machine. It's not even a sports car in the same sense as the Mazda MX-5. This is a gentle and pleasant little package which handles well, turns heads, lets the sun shine in at the touch of a button and is a snug coupé with the roof in place.
At the risk of being sexist it's also perfect for the ladies - cute, neat undemanding and fun. There's no macho appeal here and adding a turbocharger is nothing short of daft; the clever money is on the base CZC.
