The Outlander’s latest shape drew mixed reactions.
The Outlander’s rear styling is un-cluttered.
Its cabin features high spec and wood trim.
Off-road ability is good thanks to four-wheel drive and a low-ratio setting on the CVT gearbox.
The second row is spacious, while a third row is hidden behind and can seat two adults for short stints.
Road Tests BlogBy: CAR magazine
OVER the years, Mitsubishi has tended to base its product line-up on evolutions of tried-and-tested vehicles. It’s not a bad thing – reliability and longevity are the advantages – but we suspect it’s more of an enforced practice than a strategic or cultural decision. Given that all-new cars from this Japansese manufacturer have been few and far between the last decade, it would seem there isn’t much yen in its R&D budget.
Even this “all-new” Outlander takes some liberties with that descriptor. The engine is carried over from the previous model and so is the platform. Essentially, this “all-new” Outlander is a heavily restyled version of its predecessor, replete with a retuned suspension, improvements to NVH suppression and an upgrade to its CVT transmission.
And what of the new looks? While the previous model inherited the purposeful nose of the Lancer, the new car has far more muted styling – not unpleasant, but not exactly exciting, either. It’s a more chic and slightly squintier take on its Pajero Sport sibling’s visage and is based on the PX-MiEV Concept that was shown at the 2012 Tokyo Motor Show. The exterior lines appear cleaner and more rounded, and somewhat like a smoothed over Subaru Forester if you’re looking to draw a comparison.
Inside, the redesign follows the exterior’s cues, giving it a pleasingly uncluttered feel with soft-touch finishes and silver accents on various surfaces. The car’s real party trick is that it offers three rows of seats for seven passengers. The last two seats fold flat into the floor and can accommodate children while still leaving a respectable measure of luggage space aft. Additionally, there is a storage bin underfloor while the full-size alloy spare wheel is located in a cage under the body.
Standard features include dual-zone air-conditioning, a touchscreen audio system, cruise control and Bluetooth with hands-free voice control. The tailgate is electrically operated, but the two buttons on the fob, one for opening the hatch and one for locking the car, are close to one another and quite fiddly to operate. Equally odd is the trip computer’s menu button, which is tucked away on the facia. Happily, the controls for the audio system and cruise control are located on the steering wheel.
The centrally mounted touchscreen is neat, but you first need to push the menu button before the various audio modes appear on the screen, and the operable sections are a bit small. The sunroof is a welcome feature and has an auto-open function but no auto-close. Oddly enough, considering the otherwise healthy spec, is that the rear-view mirror has to be dipped manually, but the large glovebox is very useful. Dual 12 V outlets are an up-to-date touch for the purposes of powering modern electronic gadgets such as cellphones.
Headlamps are automatically activated, but the central locking system, as is the case with several other Japanese-made products, must be locked manually. Wood trim might look odd in a SUV, but is not overdone and features a rich hue and convincing grain. Finally, audio fundis are well catered for with a Rockford Fosgate system that has eight speakers plus a subwoofer at the back.
As mentioned earlier, the Outlander is powered by the same 2,4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that did duty in its predecessor. Gasoline-fed motors aren’t in vogue in SUVs these days (although the new Jeep Cherokee boasts one in its range – see page 74 for a road test) and balance shafts help keep the motor running smoothly. However, the powerplant does not rev very freely and uses more fuel than smaller, turbocharged engines. Our index figure is 10,08 litres/100 km and the test unit used 10,30 litres/100 km on the fuel route.
Also retained is the continuously variable transmission. In auto mode, the CVT shows the usual uninspiring characteristic of slipping its way off the line by matching revs to the throttle demand until both have stabilised. For those who prefer a sportier feel, Mitsubishi has at least provided large, fixed aluminium paddles behind the steering wheel that control six steps in the transmission. When you flick the up paddle, the car gives a slight surge forward as the new step provides extra torque. As soon as you come to a standstill, the Mitsubishi reverts to standard CVT mode and you have to flick a paddle to switch the manual override on again. You can return to auto by pulling the right paddle for two seconds.
There is also a low-range setting that was not fitted to the previous version of this vehicle. This keeps the car in a lower ratio for climbing steep hills or using the engine for braking. For the rough stuff, you can choose between 4×4 eco, 4×4 auto, which gives front-wheel drive until slip is detected, and 4×4 lock that locks the centre diff.
The suspension is well tuned to traverse poor roads without too much firmness, and the level of roll in corners isn’t alarming. The steering system utilises electrical assistance and it is well sorted to provide decent feel, although some testers found it a touch heavy.
During flat-out acceleration, the revs rise to 6 000 r/min and stay there as the speed increases. Strangely, in manual mode the Outlander was quicker off the mark with automatic step shifts at 6 000 r/min. Using this method, we knocked nearly a second off the pre-recorded 0 to 100 km/h time, thanks to reduced initial slip, and set a best time of 11,31 seconds.
Mitsubishi Outlander Test Summary
Despite what’s essentially a restyled rather than an all-new car, the positives still outweigh the small negatives with the latest Outlander. There is nothing wrong with the overall package – it’s old school, perhaps, but it should be competent as a family vehicle and reliable.
It is, however, possible that resale values will be squeezed, but the Mitsubishi name is still held in high esteem so the hit shouldn’t be too substantial. Still, we feel that that a manual transmission setup, perhaps paired with a modern turbo-diesel engine, would let the Outlander’s positive attributes shine brighter.
Keyword: Road Test: Mitsubishi Outlander 2,4 GLS Exceed