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From the Outside
We first tested the Mitsubishi Outlander when it was launched in October 2008, and while the car was certainly dynamically capable, it was lacking slightly in aesthetic appeal. The new look banishes all such complaints, with its supposed jet-fighter inspired front end that apes the aggressive face of the famed rally-bred four-door supercar-killer with which it shares it chassis – the Lancer Evolution.
In black, the new Outlander truly does look menacing. In fact, it bears a striking resemblance to Darth Vader’s helmet, as it stares down at you with disdain. Its gaping mouth is framed in chrome, which is accented further by individual fog lights that also feature prominent chrome surrounds. And while the rest of the car retains its original shape, the new front fits perfectly with the overall design. For instance, the angle of the front end seems to be in perfect contrast to the rear three-quarter glass.
At the back, the LED tail lights and clear lenses still look contemporary, and the split-tailgate is integrated perfectly into the overall design. In profile, the Outlander remains as it was, with the exception of silver roof rails for added panache. The 16-inch wheels, however, make the car look under-tyred, and don’t quite fit the aggressive stance of
the vehicle.
From the Inside
The Outlander retains its clean cabin layout, but receives additional doses of luxury in the form of extra leather and chrome. It gets prodigious helpings of beige leather to liven up the interior. Meanwhile, the dashboard, and top half of the door panels, get stitched black leather that goes a long way to give it an up-market feel. The redesigned door panels themselves get nicely contoured door handles that have a decidedly Scandinavian flair – or inherent lack thereof – to their design.
The instrument cluster retains its clear gauges, but they get individual chrome rings around the two dials, as well as a new and informative LCD display in the center. The AC controls have a quality feel to them, and also get chrome surrounds for good measure. The center console houses a 650 Watt Rockford Fosgate in-dash 6 CD changer, which also has auxiliary and USB inputs that support iPod connectivity. The highlight, however, is the incredible sound generated by the 9 speakers around the cabin – including a sub-woofer that’s nicely integrated into the boot so as not to impede on storage space.
Shortcomings within the cabin are few. However, while the three-spoke, multi-function steering wheel is nicely sculpted, it only adjusts for height and not reach. Also, the cabin is missing a sunroof – both amenities that are available in the CR-V. All told, though,
the interior is very comfortable and
nicely executed.
On the Road
The 2.4 liter petrol engine in this crossover SUV develops just short of a pretty stout 170 horsepower. And that’s really quite sufficient to propel it down the road on a daily basis. Step on the accelerator pedal though, and you don’t exactly get thrown into the back of your seat. While the 6-speed CVT gearbox is very smooth and quite responsive, it robs the engine of any soul whatsoever. Moreover, it displays the rubber-band effect inherent in all CVT’s – wherein the speed rises but the revs don’t, which can be a little disconcerting at first. The engine itself is quite smooth, but doesn’t feel as refined as a similar capacity Honda unit. Where the Outlander scores points, though, is with its large paddles perfectly mounted on the steering column – downshift on the left, and up-shift on the right – as you’d expect with Mitsubishi’s motorsport heritage.
I found that the Outlander performed best, even under normal driving conditions, when you put the gear lever in manual and choose to manage the CVT gearbox for yourself, which is easily done courtesy of the well-placed paddles. As expected though, where the Outlander’s rally roots really shine is on the dirt. Get it off-road, and flick the all-wheel drive control dial – located just behind the gearshift – into four-wheel lock, which not only engages four-wheel drive, but also changes the gearing to transmit more power to the rear wheels, and it completely transforms in character. In fact, you begin to get a real sense of the Lancer Evolution lurking underneath.
The roof of the Outlander is aluminum in an attempt to reduce its center of gravity. The bonnet houses a strut-brace to add stiffness to the front end and ensure sharp turn-in. The 215/70 R16 Yokohama rubber offers a surprising amount of grip. Start pushing a little, and the communicative chassis instills you with complete confidence – so much so that you almost feel as though you’ve uncloaked the rally machine from within. After
all, it’s not by accident that Mitsubishi’s won multiple WRC (World Rally Championship) titles and hard fought Dakar victories.
Back on the road, you begin to appreciate the dynamic capabilities of the Outlander a little more as a result. The brakes are impressive, with ABS and EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution). The HID headlights, with side lights that illuminate as you turn the steering wheel, are also a nice touch. All told, the Outlander’s quite a competent package. On-road, I would still prefer the 2.4 liter Honda petrol engine mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, but off-road the Outlander is far superior.
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