CTC Review: 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander

[CD_Editor]

Picture Gallery:  2007 Mitsubishi Outlander


Day 1:

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Another crossover to review this week; this is a much smaller one than last week's and from a Japanese manufacturer.  It's the new-for-2007 Mitsubishi Outlander,  ready to compete against its Japanese rivals the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail.  Some other competitors for the Outlander include Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Compass / Patriot and, perhaps, the Pontiac Torrent and its derivatives.  This market is huge in North America at the moment with some good competition.  More ...

[carcrazy]

Another notable feature included in the Convenience Package is the steering wheel audio controls (and cruise).
Ha! Mitsu didn't give you the fully loaded XLS. Not even Sun&Sound on the LS so you could report on the 650W Rockford Fosgate sound system. Strange.

[Blueprint]

That's "Tucson", James...

[wing]

Thanks, I have fixed the type-o.

carcrazy, I suspect the model I was given will be the best selling model in their line.

[Blueprint]

Early bird, Wing !

I was typing this before your post came up :

I think the press car represents the "value leader" of the line-up, the one that should sell the most.  And that's what I like with CanadianDriver : we can read about the less loaded versions.

That cargo bay is huge to make room for the available 3rd row.  However, this is probably the smallest 3rd row I know of, and the seats look like they came out of the bed of a Subaru Brat !

[wing]

Yes I am aware of the optional third row, which doesn't look horrible from what I remember from the autoshow.  But for me the cargo capacity is better than the third row.

[inco]

I really like everything about this vehicle EXCEPT the flimsy sunvisors and the fact that they do not extend or move. Being the taller of the two of us I would need to have it move to keep the sun out.

I wonder if that can be fixed or adjusted by someone like Standard Auto Glass?

[Blueprint]

Yes I am aware of the optional third row, which doesn't look horrible from what I remember from the autoshow.  But for me the cargo capacity is better than the third row.

Ditto.  The Outlander's 3rd row is a sort of jump seat that really looks like an add-on, and it uses up a lot of the trunk.  I did not try sitting back there at the auto show, but it looked pretty tight.

Getting out of trunk issues, I must say this cute-ute is probably the best-looking out there, only missing non-alien taillights...and a stick shift, of course    Looks, pricing and warranty should help the dealers move them (the previous gen seemed to be the top-selling initial offering by Mitsu Canada).

[carcrazy]

I totally agree that the LS 4WD w/Convenience Package is the "value leader" in the line-up. This is what I have in the end...

However, the XLS represents a tremendous value too. For $33K you get a load of features: leather, 650W Rockford-Fosgate audio, keyless ignition, sunroof, Bluetooth (functional not just "ready"), fog lights, paddle shifter, 3rd row (jump seats but still...).
Just think about what you get for features in a RAV4 Sport (V6 4WD) for $33,600-NADA or in a CRV EX for $32,600 - sunroof.

The interior could have been a bit better and on top of the flimsy sunvisors, which don't bother me as I don't really use them. I would add the plain plastic door panels and the clicky HVAC controls.

As for missing features, I wish it came with automatic headlights, but I can live without it.

[citydude]

Well, I was going to write about my driving impression, but since there is this thread, I will just add on here.  (if Wing doesn't mind).

I have owned an Outlander XLS since middle of April, so it has been about 2 months. I have driven roughly 1800KM on it. 

First, I'd like to talk about fuel economy.  On paper, the Outlander is definitely not a leader in this category compare to the RAV4.  My average has been 11.2L/100KM.  My daily commute is a 40KM round trip on the 404, during rush hours.  For comparison, the same commute in my RSX was 8.5L/100KM.  I am expecting this the average to drop to below 11L/100KM soon, as I should be coming to the end of the break-in period.  The fuel economy is not too bad, consider the Outlander is 1000lbs heavier than the RSX. 

Date	Fuel in Litre	Distance Traveled	L/100KM
Apr 20, 2007	41.729L	352.7KM	11.85L/100KM
May 02, 2007	45.827L	390.7KM	11.73L/100KM
May 15, 2007	47.650L	444.0KM	10.73L/100KM
May 29, 2007	48.750L	456.3KM	10.68L/100KM

================================================
                                                            Average:  11.2L/100KM


The Outlander, obviously is not as agile as the RSX (sorry, that's pretty bad comparison) both in terms of turning and acceleration.  I'm going to blame the automatic transmission, it just doesn't react quite as fast, or shift as smooth as I expected it to be.  However, it does turn very well compare to a Caravan (closest comparison of a van I had experience driving).  I have been driving on 2WD to conserve fuel, there is a slight bit of slipping on start, switching to 4WD will negate the problem.  I haven't tried the traction control (thank god), but nice to know it is there when I need it.

I am really enjoying the extra space this car has to offer.  No more back-breaking every time I put the baby in the back seat.  Being able to fit a stroller in the trunk without having to fold it up is very nice as well.  Fast key is another baby-friendly feature, especially in the winter.  No need to fumble for the key, which is under 5 layers of clothings, while carrying the baby.  The leather interior was a must for me when deciding on this purchase, for easy cleaning after mess the baby will make in the future.  (I am expecting to keep this car for 10 years at least)

I haven't even looked at the 3rd row, and I don't think there is a plan to in the near future.  There is very limited use of them.  They are recommended for people under 5'3.  Well, young kids, in other words.  But wait.. any child under 80lbs (under 8 years old) is supposed to be sitting on a booster.  Well, booster or any sort of car seats don't fit in the 3rd row.  So that makes the 3rd row not too useful for me.

The stereo is very good, however I often carry my baby in the backseat, so I keep the volume low.  But when I am alone, the volume is turned up!  Small complain here, the speed-sensing auto volume adjustment doesn't work very well.  I often have to adjust the volume manually.  Another complain here is that the turning signal is very quiet, I can't hear it at all when the stereo is on, I have to rely on the light to see if it is still signaling.

Haven't tried the Bluetooth interface neither (I don't own a BT capable phone).  Fellow owners report difficulty in storing phone numbers in the system.  There is very limited number of entries, and you have to do it thru voice.  (You can't dial from the phone's  directory neither).  The towing capacity is very nice as well, again, not something I have experience with so far, but nice to know it is there when I need it.

Things I wish this car has to offer:  Telescopic steering.  Remote starter.  Backup camera.  HID light. Home-link.  Rain sensing wipers.  Auto on/off head lights.  A bigger fuel tank.  Oops, am I asking for too much?

One thing potential owners should consider is Mitsubishi recommend maintenance (oil change) every 3 months (6000KM).  Compare to RAV4's 6 months (8000KM), for example.  That's a fair bit of extra expense over the life of the vehicle.

Overall, I am very happy with this purchase, in my mind this car offers far more features for the same price compared to closest competitors.  This car brings a lot of smile to my family, which make it worth every penny I spent.

Not so much when I look like all the track events I will be missing out, I guess that's life.. until I can afford a track only car .. (which is when the towing capacity come in handy, ha ha)

I like this car so much, I started a web forum and I am meeting Outlander owners from all over the world, it is great.  We sharing DIY tips, photos, and driving experience.  I think it's against the forum rules to post links, so I refrine from doing so. 

(hint: google for "outieclub" if you really want to check it out.)

Citydude

[laspalmas]

Hmmm..that 6 sp manumatic transmission and the 4wd are interesting but with their high center of gravity, I wouldn't buy a cute-ute that did not have both Traction/Stability control.

[AVToller]

A Forester would be just the thing then - a nice LOW center of gravity. 

[sirAQUAMAN64]

They just look so friggin' good, especially from 3/4 rear and rear. Hot.

All the models are well priced. I would get an LS 4WD with the 2 packages (first for the goodies which your test model has, 2nd for the roof not so much the audio but depends how good the basic package is). XLS colour keyed door handles and alloys are nice, plus the equipment is so comprehensive that it represents a great value in the segment. Would imagine your test vehicle would be the top selling trim in the range.

The thin seat 3rd row is interesting, but wouldn't put an adult back there. Hope thin seats get more comfortable.

Think they've got a winner, but the competition in this segment is fierce, so they still have their work cut out for them to break through.

[carcrazy]

Hmmm..that 6 sp manumatic transmission and the 4wd are interesting but with their high center of gravity, I wouldn't buy a cute-ute that did not have both Traction/Stability control.

Not sure if your post implies that the Outlander doesn't have Traction/Stability Control, but in case it does, the Outlander has them both. The Traction/Stability/4WD/ABS w/EBD are all integrated in what Mitsu calls ASC (Active Stability Control) and it can be turned on/off if required.

The Outlander has an aluminum roof that helps lower the center of gravity and this shows in the way it drives and handles. Only the sporty Mazda CX7 bests the Outlander when it comes to handling in the mainstream compact SUV segment.
 
Bluetooth Interface:
I got the BT interface on mine, and I found it very easy to set up (first time user of in-car BT). The voice commands used to operate the handsfree phone system make total sense to me. You could set it up and use it while driving which is the whole purpose of such system. Why would you need any other sort of interface to interact with the system?
The limitation is 32 phonebook entries only. It isn't an issue to me since I have less than that amount of numbers I frequently use. Plus, each of the 32 entries stores 4 phone numbers (home, work, cell, pager).
Now, the only inconvenience I see is that you cannot pull a number from the phone's phonebook. I don't know where this limitation comes from, but I would like to ask you if the BT Handsfree system in any other car does this? You guys drive all sort of cars and I was wondering if you could shed some light on this issue.

[jww]

Mitsubishi have really got a bracket-buster on their hands here, imo. Funny that they kept that funky wave-dash behind the steering wheel though. I always thought it looked really quirky.

For less than $30K you get a decent sized vehicle that is larger and more powerful than the top end Tuscon/Sportage minus the leather and sunroof (which one could argue is really not necessary in any vehicle). Only down side to me is the lack of a solid and well-established dealership network. A Mistu dealer opened up in Orleans not 15 minutes walk from our house less than 2 years ago, and shut their doors this past winter. The site has been taken over by the big-brother GM dealership next door. I think it was owned by the group that owned the Chrysler/Mazda dealership couple across the street from it.

[carcrazy]

SirAqua: Just out of curiosity, do you have the Outlander's sales numbers for May? I know you will probably post the full list towards the end of the month, but just a thought.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

SirAqua: Just out of curiosity, do you have the Outlander's sales numbers for May? I know you will probably post the full list towards the end of the month, but just a thought.

Check the Cdn Sales Tread, I'll update it...

[carcrazy]

Thank you Sir!

[Mitlov]

Got a lift in one of these from my dealer's service department back to my work.  Front passenger seat was the worst I've ever sat in.  It's like they forgot to put ANY padding or support in the lower back area.  It felt like my butt was on a cushion, and I was leaning against a single horizontal railing that hit me mid-back.

Nice looking vehicle, but I couldn't ride in one on a daily basis.

[hondacura]

I'm just wondering what any of you who are owners of the new Outlander think of the FASTKEY system.  FASTKEY, and all the other keyless ignition variants, which seem to be the Next Big Thing, look great on paper.  But to me, perhaps due to my neurotic nature, I think it leaves room for human error.  I'm thinking the absent-minded driver could conceivably park and leave the vehicle with the engine running all night long.   As far as I can tell, there is no built-in safeguard, ie. a off-timer such as on remote-start systems, or a range cut-off for the transmitter.