Mitsubishi Dignity: Which Version Should You Buy?
The Mitsubishi Dignity catalogue contains two distinctly configured sedans: the first-generation 4.5 AT, produced from December 1999 through December 2001, and the second-generation 3.5 AT, produced from July 2012 through December 2016.
The Mitsubishi Dignity catalogue contains two distinctly configured sedans: the first-generation 4.5 AT, produced from December 1999 through December 2001, and the second-generation 3.5 AT, produced from July 2012 through December 2016. Choosing between them is mainly a choice between the earlier version’s larger Gasoline V-shaped eight-cylinder engine and the later version’s lighter, more power-dense Hybrid V-shaped six-cylinder powertrain. The 4.5 AT delivers more torque and carries a larger fuel tank, while the 3.5 AT provides more power, more transmission ratios, RWD, and a lower kerb weight. Price, interior equipment, reliability, and availability cannot decide the comparison because those figures were not measured in the supplied data.
Mitsubishi Dignity generations compared
The first-generation Mitsubishi Dignity is a Sedan offered in one version, the 4.5 AT. Its production period ran from December 1999 to December 2001. The second generation is also a Sedan with one version, the 3.5 AT, produced from July 2012 to December 2016. No additional versions or restylings are listed within either generation.
The generational change replaced the 4.5 AT Gasoline engine with the 3.5 AT Hybrid system. Displacement fell from 4,498 cc to 3,498 cc, a difference of 1,000 cc, while output rose from 280 hp to 306 hp, a gain of 26 hp. Torque moved in the other direction: the earlier 4.5 AT produces 412 Nm, which is 62 Nm more than the later 3.5 AT and its 350 Nm.
The transmission and driven wheels changed as well. The first-generation 4.5 AT has a 5-speed Automatic transmission and FWD; the second-generation 3.5 AT has a 7-speed Automatic and RWD. That gives the later car two additional transmission ratios. These specifications identify meaningful mechanical differences, but they do not by themselves establish acceleration, economy, comfort, or reliability advantages because those results were not measured.
Mitsubishi Dignity specs and engine comparison
| Generation and version | Engine type | Displacement | Power | Torque | Cylinders and layout | Boost | Fuel system | Fuel | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First generation 4.5 AT | Gasoline | 4,498 cc | 280 hp (206 kW) at 5,000 rpm | 412 Nm at 4,000 rpm | 8, V-shaped | No | Direct injection (direct) | 95 | 5-speed Automatic | FWD |
| Second generation 3.5 AT | Hybrid | 3,498 cc | 306 hp (225 kW) at 6,800 rpm | 350 Nm at 5,000 rpm | 6, V-shaped | No | Distributed injection (multi-point) | 98 | 7-speed Automatic | RWD |
The first-generation 4.5 AT has four valves per cylinder, a compression ratio of 10.7, and an 86 × 96.8 mm bore and stroke. Its engine is mounted Front, transverse. The second-generation 3.5 AT also has four valves per cylinder; its compression ratio is 10.6, and its bore and stroke measure 95.5 × 81.4 mm. Engine location for the 3.5 AT was not measured.
Calculated from the catalogue figures, the 4.5 AT produces approximately 62.2 hp per litre, while the 3.5 AT produces approximately 87.5 hp per litre. The second-generation version therefore makes about 25.3 more hp per litre. Its power density is roughly 41% higher, despite its engine having two fewer cylinders and 1,000 cc less displacement.
The 4.5 AT counters with greater torque: approximately 91.6 Nm per litre compared with approximately 100.1 Nm per litre for the 3.5 AT, although the earlier version still leads in absolute torque by 62 Nm. Buyers prioritizing the catalogue’s highest total torque should therefore choose the 4.5 AT; those prioritizing total power or power per litre should choose the 3.5 AT.
Mitsubishi Dignity performance, mpg, and economy
Neither version has a measured acceleration time from zero to 100 km/h. Top speed is also not measured for either the 4.5 AT or the 3.5 AT. The later version’s additional 26 hp and lower kerb weight indicate a more favorable power-to-weight calculation, but they cannot be converted into an acceleration claim without measured performance data.
City fuel consumption for both versions is not measured. Highway fuel consumption is not measured, and combined fuel consumption is not measured for both the 4.5 AT and 3.5 AT. CO₂ output and environmental class are likewise not measured. Consequently, no supported mpg or running-cost winner can be named from these specifications, and the Hybrid label alone is not a measured economy result.
The fuel requirements differ: the first-generation 4.5 AT uses 95, whereas the second-generation 3.5 AT uses 98. Fuel price and fuel cost were not measured.
Mitsubishi Dignity dimensions, weight, and chassis
| Version | Kerb weight | Gross weight | Ground clearance | Fuel tank | Wheel sizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First generation 4.5 AT | 2,150 kg | not measured | 150 mm | 80 L | not measured |
| Second generation 3.5 AT | 1,950 kg | 2,225 kg | 155 mm | 70 L | not measured |
The second-generation 3.5 AT is 200 kg lighter than the first-generation 4.5 AT and has 5 mm more ground clearance. The earlier version carries 10 L more fuel. Because fuel-consumption and range figures were not measured, the larger tank cannot support a claim of greater driving range.
Gross weight is 2,225 kg for the 3.5 AT, producing a 275 kg difference between gross and kerb weight. Gross weight for the 4.5 AT is not measured, so an equivalent comparison is unavailable. Wheel sizes are not measured for either version.
Both versions use Independent, spring front and rear suspension. Both also have Ventilated disc front brakes and Disc ventilated rear brakes. The supplied chassis descriptions therefore do not provide a basis for choosing between them.
The calculated kerb-weight-to-power figure strongly favors the later car. The 4.5 AT carries about 7.68 kg per hp, while the 3.5 AT carries about 6.37 kg per hp. That gives the 3.5 AT approximately 1.31 fewer kilograms per horsepower. Expressed another way, the 4.5 AT provides about 130.2 hp per tonne and the 3.5 AT about 156.9 hp per tonne, a difference of approximately 26.7 hp per tonne.
Which Mitsubishi Dignity version should you buy?
Choose the second-generation 3.5 AT if the deciding factors are output, power density, kerb weight, power-to-weight ratio, transmission ratio count, or ground clearance. It combines 306 hp with a 1,950 kg kerb weight, compared with 280 hp and 2,150 kg for the 4.5 AT. It also pairs a 7-speed Automatic with RWD and offers 155 mm of ground clearance.
Choose the first-generation 4.5 AT if absolute torque, engine displacement, cylinder count, or tank capacity matters most. Its 4,498 cc Gasoline V-shaped eight-cylinder engine develops 412 Nm, exceeding the 3.5 AT by 62 Nm, while its 80 L tank exceeds the later version’s capacity by 10 L. It uses a 5-speed Automatic and FWD.
The data does not establish which Dignity has the better interior, greater reliability, lower purchase price, stronger resale value, or cheaper ownership. Those measurements are unavailable, as are performance and fuel-consumption results. For a specification-led purchase, the 3.5 AT is the clearer choice when seeking more power from less displacement and less kerb weight. The 4.5 AT remains the alternative for a buyer specifically seeking the catalogue’s larger Gasoline engine, V-shaped eight-cylinder layout, and highest torque figure.