Mitsubishi Outlander (updated) review

There really isn’t much to say about the Outlander, other than it comes with three-rows of seats standard and has an attractive price tag. But is that the only reason to consider one?

ES, SE and SEL only come with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder which produces 166hp. The all three trims offer optional all-wheel-drive. While the top of the range GT offers a 3-liter six-cylinder producing 224hp. It’s nice that Mitsubishi offers the six-cylinder but we question if it is really needed. Unless you are looking at the more spec’d up versions of the Escape and Rogue, the SE trim is the pick of the range. It comes with just enough kit without being too expensive and offers all-wheel-drive optional.

The Outlander just doesn’t feel as composed to drive as a Ford Escape. The ride comfort however isn’t as firm as the Escape. But ride is too easily upset over some road surfaces, which causes the ride to feel bouncy especially at higher speeds on the highway. At least there’s plenty of grip, but the steering doesn’t really weight up at highway speeds. Road and wind noise are well suppressed and you won’t really hear much from the engines at relaxed speeds.

There’s plenty of space for passengers to get comfortable. Drivers won’t struggle to find a comfortable seating position. The third row seat which is best left for children; with the third row seat folded down the boot space opens up and offers plenty of space. The dashboard is somewhat easy to navigate through. We dislike the fiddly to operate touch screen display which is too distracting to use on the go.

The ES trim comes with 7-passenger seating, 18-inch alloys, 6.1-inch touch screen with rearview camera and dual-zone climate control. SE adds 7-inch touch screen display, push button ignition, Bluetooth connectivity and heated front seats. SEL trim adds leather seating surface, power folding mirrors and power driver’s seat. You’ll have to step all the way up to the GT trim to get premium audio system, multi-view camera system, and remote power tail gate.

The Outlander is priced competitively among its keen rivals like the Ford Escape and Nissan Rogue.  Even though you get more kit than both vehicles, we think you’re better off picking one of the two. Running costs with the Outlander should be average but resale value should be a bit of a worry. Reliability is above average though.

The Outlander is a great option for those who want something with good value for the money. However the Outlander just isn’t as polished as its keen rivals and resale isn’t great. But if you want something a little different from its rivals and you really want seven seats at a discount this is your best option.

Likes: Seven seat crossover at a reasonable price, running costs with four-cylinder are decent. The kit level is very impressive at this price range

Dislikes: Resale value is questionable. Exterior design is on the bland side. This is not the halo car Mitsubishi desperately needs.

Devon’s Choice: SE trim offers optional all-wheel-drive, and comes standard with alloy wheels, keyless start and a rearview camera. It’s the only trim that makes the most sense without over paying for the GT trim. The newly added SEL is also worth considering if you want a few extra bells and whistles.