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2007 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS 4WD Road Test

Having tracked Mitsubishi's return to global profitability, it's pleasing tosee the cars that the once financially troubled brand has come out with. It all has to do with focusing in on the brand's strengths. Prior to cars like the Lancer and the impending Evolution, Mitsubishi's products were all over the map, and often times not particularly interesting. Heritage in motorsports is one of the brand's strongest assets, but other than its now-discontinued full-size Montero SUV, Mitsubishi failed to capitalize on the successes of its rally and off-road campaigns. Fast forward to today and you'll notice that there's a lot more emphasis on sport in the brand's product lineup. The ordinary Galant midsize sedan earned its Ralliart dues, and the shapely Eclipse lays speed and style on in equally heavy doses. So when it came time to introduce a new generation of Outlander, what arguably might be its most important vehicle in North America due to the rapid growth of the compact SUV segment, Mitsubishi served up a healthy dose of sport, technology and practicality, resulting in the right vehicle at the right time.
A fresh new look for Mitsubishi's Outlander will ensure more people don't dismiss it on first sight. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press) /> The new Outlander is a vastly more attractive vehicle than the one itreplaced, with a more normal looking nose, and narrow, squinty-looking headlamps. Its lower roofline and slightly boxier tail end give it a more athletic stance than the egg-like CR-V, while the rear end's downward angled taillights that are littered with bright red LEDs on a dark gray backdrop have the elegant look of the Lexus RX. The Outlander also comes with a convenient two-piece tailgate which includes a lower flap that folds flat for easier loading. It can also support 220 pounds of human or luggage. All Outlanders ride on 16-inch wheels at the very least, and some 18-inchers, just like its platform-mate, the compact Lancer. Indeed, the two also share Mitsubishi's GS-Platform,

18-inch wheels on the XLS and a sturdy stance are all a part of the package. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

which was also engineered alongside the Chrysler architecture that spawned the Caliber, Patriot, Compass, Avenger and Sebring.

Being bigger yet still sportier than most SUVs, it just wouldn't be right to send theOutlander to market without more power. Where most small SUVs offer inline fours as a standard powerplant, the Outlander goes straight for the V6. Under its hood is a brand new 3.0-liter unit that's one of the most advanced engines that Mitsubishi's ever made. The valvetrain may only be SOHC, but with 24 valves, a variable intake manifold and MIVEC variable valve timing housed in an aluminum block and capped with an aluminum head, it's quite decent. The 220 horsepower it makes is enough to trigger torque steer under full throttle if it's only the front tires doing the work, though switching to the Auto or Lock mode on the optional all-wheel

MIVEC 3.0-liter V6 is strong, and with 220 hp, more than capable of moving this little ute. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

drive system will send the torque to the rear wheels via an electromagnetic clutch for swift takeoff. It's nice to see that Mitsubishi is still giving the final say where the power's going to go to the driver, given the advent of automatic all-wheel drive. Switch the mode to 2WD for better fuel economy, Auto for all-weather use and Lock for when the going gets tough. Lock mode does more than simply lock the power distribution though. Using the electronically controlled clutch, it can send up to 1.5 times the torque to the rear wheels. Keeping in mind that theOutlander is a car-based soft-roader with limited off-road capability, its system is more than sufficient for everyday use.

Outright, the Outlander is not as quick as the CX-7 or the utterly absurd RAV4 V6, but you'll never feel that the engine is overworked even when it's loaded up with six passengers, and empty it charges up the passing lane with authority. Part of what gives it this

Dubbed All Wheel Control, Mitsubishi's new 4WD system lets the driver have the final say regarding the powertrain. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

relaxed feel is the engine's broad torque curve, which makes 90-percent of its torque from 2,000 rpm. Though the throttle is a bit on the jumpy side, it can be forgiven as the burbly, Eclipse-like exhaust note and throaty rasp more than makes up for the difference. All Outlanders also get a brand new six-speed automatic transmission, which can be controlled manually by either the gearshift lever or via the solid magnesium paddles mounted to the steering column. The gearbox is swift and smooth with its upshifts and downshifts, and is better than most transmissions in this class.

Our first impressions of the Outlander's new interior are good, a notable improvement over the original. With supportive leather-trimmedbucket seats with white stitching and an attractive looking dashboard with silver inserts, plus the real magnesium paddles are a boon, Mitsubishi could raise its game in the quality of the materials that it uses. The driving position is also comfortable and car-like, and although the SUV didn't have a telescoping steering column

A good interior with plenty of highlights is marred by plasticky door panels and some cheap switchgear. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

(tilt is standard), it didn't bother us. But look a little closer, letting your fingers do some exploratory work and you'll find that not everything is quite up to snuff. The one-piece door panels are unadorned slabs of plastic with cheap-looking punched out door handle wells, while you can actually see the seams on the power window switch surrounds. The HVAC controls have a nice solid look, but they have a cheap clickity-clack feel, which we didn't expect from a vehicle in this price range. Likewise the bin on the top of the dash had a sticky feel and was reluctant to open.

Like the RAV4 and the Santa Fe, the Outlander joins the compact SUV crowd that offers three rows of seating, and like the RAV4 and the Santa Fe, it's for occasional use only. We've debated at whether or not stretching theOutlander to offer three rows is a good thing or not (considering the larger Endeavor is only a five-seater), but we've settled on the fact that three rows of seats can be handy. This isn't to say that everything about the arrangement is perfect; though the second row slides and reclines, a huge plus, the third row seat legroom is tiny at best, and the mechanism

When the third row isn't in place, the Outlander can swallow plenty of cargo. Flat-folding cargo flap makes loading things easier. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

to tumble the second row is stiff and hard to use. If a couple of 20+ guys had difficulties in operating the pull-string mechanism, the likelihood of a four or five year old child doing the same is slim. Furthermore, getting the Hide 'n Seat bench upright from its stowed position wasn't particularly easy, despite the clear pictographs, and once in place it wobbled around worryingly when not loaded with passengers. If you regularly use three rows of seats there are better choices out there, but for emergencies they're fine.

The options the Outlander XLS is available with are the Sun and Sound ($1,580), Luxury ($1,600), Entertainment ($1,480), and Navigation ($1,800) packages, which I must admit are pretty impressive to find in this segment. While a navigation system is the norm these days, this one doesn't use DVDs. Instead, Mitsubishi has bumped the techno factor up a couple of notches with a 30-gigabyte hard drive for faster searches. With roughly 24 gigs of the space used for maps, there's an additional 6 gigs or so left for your music. Yes, just like some of the premium brands, the Outlander has a music server built right in, handy for keeping your favorite tracks in the car at all times, or snagging a song off a friend's mix disc.

LED combination taillights are a fancy touch. They give the rear end a sharp look. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

The unit itself is easy enough to use, combining buttons and touch-screen functions in one. Auto-leveling Xenon HID headlamps are a welcome addition to the Luxury package. Included in the Entertainment package is a very handy 115-volt household socket, and a rear-seat DVD player, but it only comes with one wireless headphone. This might spell trouble if you've got morethan one child ...

Adults, on the other hand, should find the Outlander particularly enjoyable to drive. Its steering is quite sharp, and the three-spoke wheel has a good weight. It even gives off decent feedback, which is surprising given most compact SUVs try and isolate the driver from the road as much as possible. Though there's a bit of body lean, the Outlander feels stable thanks to an extra rigid frame that provides 18-percent better torsional rigidity and nearly 40-percent better flexural rigidity than its predecessor. Pop open the hood and you'll spot a strut brace, a device normally found on sports cars. Mitsubishi also gave the Outlander an aluminum roof, which is a little less than 11 pounds lighter than a conventional steel roof. That's not a whole lot of weight, but given that the roof is the highest point of the car it helps to reduce its center of gravity. Behind the wheel, you'll find yourself engaging in the driving experience more so than before, which is a really strong point.

It's not the sportiest compact SUV, but the Outlander tries hard. Magnesium paddles are a splendid touch. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

The ride quality is on par with what you'd expect in the segment; comfortable and unobtrusive over bumps, delivered through front MacPherson struts and a rear multi-linksuspension setup.

The Outlander looks good, sounds good and drives good, and overall it's pretty good. It's also a good value, offering a lot of 'ute for the buck. Outlander prices start at a little over $21K for the front-wheel drive model, which isn't bad for V6-powered soft-roader with standard ABS, stability control and side curtain airbags. Our fully loaded XLS AWD model had a list price of a little over $31K (starts at $25,010 including FAST key keyless ignition, Bluetooth handsfree, fold-flat third row seats, paddle shifters, and leather), which is a little less money than what you'd spend on a fully-loaded RAV4 V6, and about the same as a Honda CR-V with leather and navigation. Keep in mind that the RAV4 doesn't have the Outlander's technological goodies, and the Honda doesn't have the V6 or the third row, and neither have Mitsubishi's outstanding warranty. With a couple of fit and finish issues addressed and a slightly revised third row seating system, the Outlander would be in a better position to face off against its rivals. Internationally, Mitsubishi is having success with the Outlander; it's partnered up with PSA Peugeot-Citroen, who will be building badge-engineered versions of the new SUV. It's a sign that Mitsubishi is not only back in business, but back with great cars.

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