Vehicle Overview from Kelley Blue Book
KBB.com 2001 Mitsubishi Diamante Overview
In the world of near-luxury sedans, a vehicle is destined to succeed if it can engender a sense of both desirability and exclusivity. If you long to own such a vehicle, but find today's offerings a bit too showy, we suggest you turn your attention to the Mitsubishi Diamante.
With its angular lines and shark-like nose, the Mitsubishi Diamante stands in sharp contrast to the familiar jelly-bean shape that litters today's luxury market. On upscale LS models, 16-inch alloy wheels further enhance the Diamante's stature, and look particularly alluring when contrasted against a color as lustrous as Mitsubishi's Richmond Red Pearl. All Diamantes come standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 205-horespower. This motor is exceptional on the road, offering excellent power, which is seamlessly transferred to the wheels by a sophisticated 4-speed automatic transmission. Mitsubishi programmed the transmission with an adaptive shift control system that can actually learn your driving habits and then adjust its shift points to better suit your style.
When it comes to comfort, Mitsubishi clearly understands that people want their automobiles to coddle, spoil and delight them; the Diamante delivers on all three counts. Opening the driver's door reveals an inviting interior, with wide front-bucket seats separated by a console shifter. You will notice the high-quality leather, tasteful two-tone dash and the elegant stitching that flows across the plush seats. You'll also notice little extras such as the steering-wheel-mounted controls, standard automatic climate control and 210-watt Infinity sound system. Everything inside the Diamante is right where it belongs conveying the feeling of instant familiarity.
On the road, the Diamante returns a velvety smooth ride that does not sacrifice handling in the name of comfort. The balance is just about right on the Diamante, though its front-wheel-drive setup does exhibit some tendency towards understeer when pushed hard. Then again, you probably will never drive the Diamante like an Alpine rally car, though if you do, you will want to order the optional traction control system to augment the standard ABS brakes.