Overview & Reviews
Though it's known mostly for its sporty cars and SUVs, Mitsubishi has been slapping its badge on small pickups in the U.S. market for almost three decades. In fact, one of its first U.S.-bound products was a compact pickup truck rebadged as a Dodge.
When it was finally retired after the 2009 model year, the Mitsubishi Raider was the brand's only pickup offering. Its aggressive styling allowed it to slot in well with other fearlessly styled products in the Mitsubishi line. However, underneath the Raider's bulging fenders was essentially a midsize Dodge Dakota pickup.
This lineage gave the Raider a few advantages. It had plenty of towing capacity and it had a spacious cabin. But there were plenty of drawbacks as well. The V6 was anemic, and the Mitsubishi Raider also lacked a long-bed option and the refinement of its competitors. Safety features, too, were woefully inadequate. As such, most used pickup shoppers would be better served by competing trucks such as the Nissan Frontier or Toyota Tacoma.
Most Recent Mitsubishi Raider
Introduced for 2006, the Mitsubishi Raider went through a strange reverse progression of sorts. Although the basic truck (essentially a clone of the Dodge Dakota) itself barely changed, it lost equipment through the intervening years.
Initially available with a 4.7-liter V8 and in a number of trim levels, the Raider lost the V8 option, as well as the available side curtain airbags and four-wheel antilock brakes, for 2008. This left buyers with only a 210-horsepower V6 for the final two years of production. As such, if your heart is set on a used Mitsubishi Raider, we'd advise you to focus on well-equipped models from 2006 and '07. During its entire production run, however, a six-speed manual transmission was standard with a four-speed automatic available as an option. Rear-wheel drive was also standard, while four-wheel drive was optional.
The Raider was offered in two body styles, an extended cab (with rear-opening access doors with a 6.5-foot bed) and a more spacious crew cab (called Double Cab) with a 5-foot bed. Initially, there were three trim levels: LS, DuroCross and XLS. LS extended cabs came with a front bench seat, air-conditioning, a CD player and tinted glass. LS Double Cabs added power windows and locks, keyless entry and cruise control. Midlevel DuroCross models received 16-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth, heavy-duty cooling, full power accessories and bucket seats, while 4WD versions got all-terrain tires, a raised ride height, firmer shocks, skid plates and a limited-slip differential. The range-topping XLS was only available as a Double Can and added 17-inch chrome wheels, an Alpine sound system, satellite radio, leather upholstery and seat heaters.
For 2007, the XLS trim was dropped and replaced by the similarly equipped SE, which was the only model that was offered with the 4.7-liter V8. The Raider lineup was further pared down for 2008, dropping the V8 engine altogether and offering only the LS trim level with several options. In its final 2009 model year, a tilt steering wheel was added, but the auxiliary audio jack was deleted.
The Raider's cabin was spacious. The Double Cab had a respectable amount of room for four adults. The rear seats flipped up and revealed built-in storage trays. The extended cab didn't have as much interior space, however, and its rear seats were quite cramped. Fit and finish wasn't up to the standards of competing models, and there wasn't much to distinguish this pickup's cabin other than a bit of aluminum trim and a few white-faced gauges.
In road tests, we found the Mitsubishi Raider to be stable and steady on all manner of roads. The pickup's shift-on-the-fly 4WD system provided especially good traction on rough terrain. The two major downsides were under the hood and in the safety department: The weak V6, and the lack of safety features that were previously available. Many competitors offered safer and more capable pickups. In this case, the old buyer's adage -- "you get what you pay for" -- held true.
User Reviews:
Showing 31 through 40 of 63.00-
My New Raider! - 2006 Mitsubishi Raider
By Justin P. - December 9 - 4:40 pmMy 2006 Mitsubishi Raider Duro Cross V8 has a very strong 4.7 liter engine. It has tons of space inside and gets all the looks in the world. I get more complements on the styling and questions on what it is. I love the power and looks the most.
-
Beautiful Truck - 2006 Mitsubishi Raider
By wiseold5 - September 4 - 8:16 amI recently purchased a Mitsubishi Raider. I must say that it has everything you would need in a truck. Styling, grace of handling, power, a roomy cab, and plenty fo comfort.
-
Disappointed - 2007 Mitsubishi Raider
By Disappointed - June 9 - 3:43 pmI had always been an avid proponent of Nissan but thought this looked like a good deal. And it was for the first 2 years or so. Then it was one mechanical problem after another. First was the cam sensor. Replaced it twice. Then the catalytic converter broke and had to replace it. Then it wouldnt go into reverse and replaced the rear torque converter and other things. Then the front pump seal went. Thats when I called it quits. The worst part about it was I loved everything else about the truck. Even with the full warranty coverage I was tried of taking it in for repairs that took a minimum of 3 days and being left carless. So traded it in for a used Toyota 4runner.
-
Nice - 2006 Mitsubishi Raider
By Paul - June 9 - 3:26 amI bought a Mitsubishi Raider for my son who is in college. It has a beautiful design. I also considered the Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado. The Raider was the best for the price with more features. The rebate made it even more affordable and the warranty was a plus. My son is very tall (67") and the 4 door appeared to have more room than the others. It rides as well as my Toyota Tundra and gets better gas mileage. I am very pleased with this vehicle.
-
2007 Raider - 2007 Mitsubishi Raider
By Gil - May 12 - 12:50 pmGreat truck for the price. The only complaint I have is that it has some road noise. Other than that I love it.
-
last truck i will have to buy. - 2006 Mitsubishi Raider
By paul aubele - April 19 - 7:33 amjust bought truck 1 month ago and took it on a 800 mile trip. One word: great truck.
-
Wow, What a Truck - 2006 Mitsubishi Raider
By William OBannion - April 9 - 12:33 amThe Raider handles well, is easy to drive and I get the best comments on its styling. The dealership I bought it from is always there for me and I never have had a problem with the truck at all.
-
Excellent Truck - 2006 Mitsubishi Raider
By Patriot - February 1 - 2:43 pmThe raider is a great truck. I wasnt sure what to expect and was hesitant at first. I traded in a Dodge Ram 1500 for it. The Raider is very comfortable, comes with many more extras than the Dakota, and it has an awesome 5 year / 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. It looks awesome too. I got an LS Quad Cab 4x4, with remote mirrors, power everything, auto, V6, appearance package and only paid $20,400. Its sticker was $27,355. The Dakota didnt come close in price with a lot less options. It has plenty of room in the inside and a very functional truck. I would strongly recommend it. Definitely take one for a test drive if you are looking for a new truck. This is my third truck and it is by far the most comfortable and functional.
-
ok truck - 2008 Mitsubishi Raider
By joe - January 3 - 5:23 amFor most part, I like the truck, def. No power at all. Love setup, love the comfort and looks and love the height, I have a ram 4x4 with 3" lift and the raider is only an inch or so shorter on height then my 3" lifted ram, so love that. Comes with some good tires Goodyear wranglers. Rims are nice on it as well.
-
Nice Ride to an extent! - 2006 Mitsubishi Raider
By Bree - December 3 - 1:26 amThis is a pleasant truck for the family to ride pretty comfortably in. The back seat is pretty roomy. Interior is black and shows up anything, which isnt good with a baby. But its design and styling are good. There is some suspicious engine noise that my husband says is not good. We are getting rid of this vehicle soon hopefully.
