2007 Mitsubishi Outlander
I drive about 125 new vehicles each year, some so forgettable that I lose them in shopping mall parking lots. So I wasn't unduly excited about climbing behind the wheel of the new Mitsubishi Outlander. I'm pretty sure I didn't lose one of the outgoing models in a parking lot, but neither could I remember the slightest detail from my week spent driving it.
The all-new Outlander is a larger vehicle, has a wider track and is stylish while its forebear's appearance was, uh, rather utilitarian. It's handsome in profile with a distinctive C-pillar and a number of subtle, upmarket styling tweaks. The rear taillights, for instance, use LEDs. Sure, others use them, but not in vehicles priced this low.
Interior room is up substantially and there's (barely) enough room for a third-row seat. A driver information center displays fuel mileage, distance to empty and other useful tidbits. There are steering wheel controls for cruise and audio system, the latter a six-speaker Bluetooth- and MP3-capable rig that sounds pretty good for an OEM unit.
Third-row seating is optional and it folds flat into the floor if you're traveling without the requisite pair of double-amputees or children under age four. Two-seat models use the extra room for under-floor storage. The 60/40 split rear seats adjust fore-and-aft and also recline, another feature more typically found in vehicles costing three times this much. The rear hatch opens conventionally but the rear load floor has an integral, fold-out tailgate that will support up to 440 pounds. Range Rover Sports have a fold-out lower gate, but it's only a single-piece design. And the Range Rovers cost $63,000 and up.
The list of standard equipment is extensive. Front seat occupants get front, side and curtain airbags. An active skid-and-stability-control system with a commendably high threshold for intervention helps avoid embarrassing rollovers. The keyless entry system has an RF transmitter in the keyfob, which can stay in your pocket. Just get close enough to the receiver and you can start the engine by turning the ignition knob.
The optional satnav system has a big 7-inch screen and uses a hard drive instead of a DVD, making it more versatile and faster. An available rear seat entertainment system with fold-down screen can be linked to a 650-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system with an 8-channel amp and nine speakers. Base ES-model cars are FWD-only; 4WD is optional on LS and XLS models. It's an on-demand transfer case that'll also run in 2H or 4H, your choice.
Drive the new Outlander and you'll feel dynamic sensations totally out of character for this type of vehicle. By the time the transmission hit top gear I was thinking, hold the phone: exactly how many gear changes was that? After stopping and repeating the exercise. I counted five shifts. Here, in a $22 grand cute-ute no less, is a six - speed automatic - with paddle shifters on the steering wheel--and both come standard. In an Outlander, you can use the console shifter or thumb a paddle shifter to flick from gear to gear almost instantly, just like in a Jaguar XK8. But for the price of the Jag you can buy three Outlanders with cash left over.
It's quick, too. The 220 hp SOHC V-6 has a two-stage intake tract and variable valve lift and timing, delivering a flat torque curve with 90 percent of the 204 lb-ft maximum on hand at a low 2000 rpm. The six gears help a lot in acceleration. Fifth and sixth are overdrives, one reason why I saw 22 mpg in hard driving.
The body structure feels exceptionally rigid. Peek under the hood and you'll spot one reason for that: a thick reinforcing brace spans the engine bay and connects the top of the MacPherson strut towers. That's performance car practice, and one of the giveaways that this is no ordinary sport-ute. Tap a fingernail on the roof panel and it sounds slightly different than a similar tap on the hood. It should: it's lightweight aluminum, to lower the center of gravity. The optional wheels and tires are also out of character for a low-priced, small SUV: 18-inch alloys shod with 225/55 rubber. In fact, this chassis will be shared with the next-generation Lancer, including the fabled Evo. Viewed in this context, the Outlander's uncommonly good driving dynamics come as no surprise.
The suspension is well sorted-out, compliant but exceptionally good at controlling body motions and limiting body roll, a feat many Japanese manufacturers traditionally have trouble emulating. While many small SUVs clearly are intended solely for people-moving duty, this one's frisky. Stability at triple-digit speeds is better than many so-called sporting sedans.
The Mitsubishi Outlander is tailored for drivers. Want a stylish, perky, great-handling cute-ute with room for up to seven? This is it.
