Not exactly a recipient of a lot of positive press lately, Mitsubishi is about to undergo a massive transformation. Gone, the automaker says, will be its Evo halo car as we know it. Bold move. While it won’t banish performance entirely, the brand thinks it will find a new niche with eco-friendly cars.
Or so it hopes. Frankly, word coming out of Japan and even Mitsubishi’s Southern California regional headquarters is shrouded in mystery these days. To get a grip on Mitsubishi’s current situation, we decided to check out one of the company’s mainstream, best-selling models, the Outlander GT. Read on.
What is it?
Redesigned for the 2007 model year as a larger replacement for the decidedly compact first-generation Outlander, the current crossover was most recently refreshed for 2010. At that time, Outlander received a version of Mitsubishi’s unique corporate front fascia treatment.
European shoppers can order up an Outlander with Citroen or Peugeot badging thanks to a relationship the three automakers share. While those Outlander clones are built in the Netherlands, Outlanders bound for North America are built in Japan.
Mitsubishi reused the Outlander name for its smaller – but generally unrelated – Outlander Sport, the company’s newest offering in North America. That car, which seats five, rides on the same platform but is more compact and is powered exclusively by four-cylinder engines.
Our Outlander GT tester was optioned up with Mitsubishi’s 3.0-liter V6, a six-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive and a host of features that brought it to an eye-popping $33,275 as tested.
What’s it up against?
Although our tester includes a third row of seats, we wouldn’t advise any human (at least not one we cared about) to climb into steerage class. As a result, we consider this one a five-seat crossover.
Rivals, then, include the Ford Edge, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mazda CX-7.
Any breakthroughs?
Since this basic design as been on the market since 2007, it’s a little short on “wow†features. Still, it offered up aromatic and especially soft leather trim, a punchy Rockford-Fosgate audio system and a 40 GB hard drive for music storage.
On the mechanical side of things, a three-position knob located just aft of the gear lever allowed us to select between “tarmac,†“snow†and “lock†(center differential) modes for traction. We saw no snow during our evaluation, but we did engage the locked mode for a brief jaunt down a rutted road.
What’s it look like?
From some angles, Outlander clearly shares Evo DNA. From its gaping front snout to its angled D-pillars and chromed out tail lamps, the design is edgy and pleasingly modern. Although we were mixed on the overall appearance, the general consensus seemed to be pretty positive, especially in colors more expressive than our tester’s Diamond White Pearl.
The long snout and distinctive, albeit almost Audi-esque front fascia give Outlander a sporting look further emphasized by our tester’s 18-inch alloy wheels (included with the GT trim level). From the side, chrome dresses up the black rocker panels, but the big news is certainly the aggressive D-pillar. Keep going around the rear and the look is a little more mixed thanks in part to an innovative split tailgate. Like wagons of yore (and Range Rovers of today), the rear window opens upward, while the base of the tailgate flops down. This design is generally a hinderance for luggage loading, but Mitsubishi thoughtfully made the flop-down tailgate as short as possible to reduce reach over. In addition, the tailgate opens deeply into the rear bumper to make the loading area as convenient as possible.
And on the inside?
At first glance, there’s much to like here. The design is modern and well-organized, with bold use of black and silver trim throughout. But there’s more than meets the eye, unfortunately, as Mitsubishi appears to have tried to cut costs wherever possible.
First impressions are lasting; open and close the side doors and they sound hollow and tinny like Japanese cars used to sound. From there, the interior materials disappoint throughout. Outlander GT models receive a dressy white-stitched leather-like surface above the instrument cluster and a few other places, but otherwise trim is distinctly below class norm. We’re talking paper-thin, rock hard plastics on the doors and center console and a chintzy headliner straight out of a 1980s subcompact.
Our tester was optioned up with a $2,000 navigation system, which boasted graphics straight out of 1985 and lacked a simple volume control knob. Do you know how frustrating it is to change volume by repeatedly pressing a small button? For $2,000, this system should be state-of-the-art. At least sound quality was robust thanks to the 710-Watt audio system. Other switchgear generally felt subpar; the air conditioning and window switches and knobs felt scratchy and cheap. Heated seat buttons tucked near the seatbelts were an obvious afterthought.
A three spoke steering wheel wrapped in rubbery leather comes loaded with buttons. Just behind it sits the Evo’s magnesium paddle shifters. Like the classy leather seats and leather-like substance scattered throughout the dash and door tops, the paddles felt distinctly out of place.
The front seats are soft and have unusually good bolstering. Second row accomdations are comfortable, but the third row would be laughable if we didn’t worry that somewhere, in some distant city, a child is strapped into the seat. A six-step process deploys the two-seat bench, which has all the padded comfort of a worn military cot. Particularly egregious are the head restrations, which snap into place just fractions of an inch from the rear window. Moreover, the seat rattled in place regardless of our efforts to quell it. Shop the Outlander as a five-seater, please.
But does it go?
Displacing just 3.0-liters and putting out 230 horsepower, Outlander’s V6 feels a little out-classed in this segment. The SOHC V6 features Mitsubishi’s so-called MIVEC valve-timing control system but is otherwise short on high tech features.
The six-speed automatic did its best to keep the V6 in its power band, but with just 215 lb-ft. of torque on tap at a fairly low 3,750 rpm, we spent a lot of time revving the engine. And that’s not really a great thing since this V6 doesn’t emit the refined burble of, say, the 3.5-liter Ford uses in its Edge or the 3.6-liter Jeep Grand Cherokee. At idle, we noticed a prominent thrum from the engine bay, not to mention a series of curious clicks and whirrs that indicated something was going on up there.
In terms of outright handling, Outlander proved generally entertaining to drive. Steering is firm with reasonable feedback, while the paddle shifters provided rapid-fire up and down-shifts. But ride quality is exceptionally stiff and road noise from the Goodyear Eagle LS street-oriented tires was intrusive at all speeds.
Our tester exhibited some surprising torque steer when we stabbed the throttle, but the all-wheel-drive system seemed to kick in quick enough to quell any major issues. With the lock mode engaged, Outlander had no difficulty traversing a muddy and rutted road, which suggests to us that it would be well-suited to winter driving.
Fuel economy, according to the EPA, is 19/25 mpg. We saw about that, with an average over mixed driving of 21.7 mpg.
Why you would buy it:
You’re smitten by the Outlander’s unique style.
Why you wouldn’t:
You took it for a test drive.
Leftlane’s bottom line
We wanted to like the Outlander, we really did. Most of us think it looks great inside and out thanks to its Evo-meets-crossover styling. But there’s more to a car than just its appearance, and, unfortunately, that’s where this Mitsubishi really comes up short. Some of the miscues we experienced – like the overly firm ride – can be avoided by selecting a different trim level, but overall Outlander is outclassed.
It simply lacks the refined feel we’ve come to expect from segment leaders from Detroit, South Korea and Japan. But we know Mitsubishi is full of innovation; we just hope they can channel some of that into a new model soon.
2011 Mitsubishi Outlander GT base price, $27,795. As tested, $33,275.
Touring package, $2,700; Navigation, $2,000; Destination, $780.
Words and photos by Andrew Ganz.
Review: 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander GT
Reviewed by
Andrew Ganz on
October 31
.
Mitsubishi’s stylish seven-ish seater offers a glimpse into an oft-maligned brand.
Not exactly a recipient of a lot of positive press lately, Mitsubishi is about to undergo a massive transformation. Gone, the automaker says, will be its Evo halo car as we know it. Bold move. While it won’t banish performance entirely, the brand thinks it will find a new niche with eco-friendly cars.
Or so it hopes. Frankly, word coming out of Japan and even Mitsubishi’s Southern California regional headquarters is shrouded in mystery these days. To get a grip on Mitsubishi’s current situation, we decided to check out one of the company’s mainstream, best-selling models, the Outlander GT. Read on.
What is it?
Redesigned for the 2007 model year as a larger replacement for the decidedly compact first-generation Outlander, the current crossover was most recently refreshed for 2010. At that time, Outlander received a version of Mitsubishi’s unique corporate front fascia treatment.
European shoppers can order up an Outlander with Citroen or Peugeot badging thanks to a relationship the three automakers share. While those Outlander clones are built in the Netherlands, Outlanders bound for North America are built in Japan.
Mitsubishi reused the Outlander name for its smaller – but generally unrelated – Outlander Sport, the company’s newest offering in North America. That car, which seats five, rides on the same platform but is more compact and is powered exclusively by four-cylinder engines.
Our Outlander GT tester was optioned up with Mitsubishi’s 3.0-liter V6, a six-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive and a host of features that brought it to an eye-popping $33,275 as tested.
What’s it up against?
Although our tester includes a third row of seats, we wouldn’t advise any human (at least not one we cared about) to climb into steerage class. As a result, we consider this one a five-seat crossover.
Rivals, then, include the Ford Edge, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mazda CX-7.
Any breakthroughs?
Since this basic design as been on the market since 2007, it’s a little short on “wow†features. Still, it offered up aromatic and especially soft leather trim, a punchy Rockford-Fosgate audio system and a 40 GB hard drive for music storage.
On the mechanical side of things, a three-position knob located just aft of the gear lever allowed us to select between “tarmac,†“snow†and “lock†(center differential) modes for traction. We saw no snow during our evaluation, but we did engage the locked mode for a brief jaunt down a rutted road.
What’s it look like?
From some angles, Outlander clearly shares Evo DNA. From its gaping front snout to its angled D-pillars and chromed out tail lamps, the design is edgy and pleasingly modern. Although we were mixed on the overall appearance, the general consensus seemed to be pretty positive, especially in colors more expressive than our tester’s Diamond White Pearl.
The long snout and distinctive, albeit almost Audi-esque front fascia give Outlander a sporting look further emphasized by our tester’s 18-inch alloy wheels (included with the GT trim level). From the side, chrome dresses up the black rocker panels, but the big news is certainly the aggressive D-pillar. Keep going around the rear and the look is a little more mixed thanks in part to an innovative split tailgate. Like wagons of yore (and Range Rovers of today), the rear window opens upward, while the base of the tailgate flops down. This design is generally a hinderance for luggage loading, but Mitsubishi thoughtfully made the flop-down tailgate as short as possible to reduce reach over. In addition, the tailgate opens deeply into the rear bumper to make the loading area as convenient as possible.
And on the inside?
At first glance, there’s much to like here. The design is modern and well-organized, with bold use of black and silver trim throughout. But there’s more than meets the eye, unfortunately, as Mitsubishi appears to have tried to cut costs wherever possible.
First impressions are lasting; open and close the side doors and they sound hollow and tinny like Japanese cars used to sound. From there, the interior materials disappoint throughout. Outlander GT models receive a dressy white-stitched leather-like surface above the instrument cluster and a few other places, but otherwise trim is distinctly below class norm. We’re talking paper-thin, rock hard plastics on the doors and center console and a chintzy headliner straight out of a 1980s subcompact.
Our tester was optioned up with a $2,000 navigation system, which boasted graphics straight out of 1985 and lacked a simple volume control knob. Do you know how frustrating it is to change volume by repeatedly pressing a small button? For $2,000, this system should be state-of-the-art. At least sound quality was robust thanks to the 710-Watt audio system. Other switchgear generally felt subpar; the air conditioning and window switches and knobs felt scratchy and cheap. Heated seat buttons tucked near the seatbelts were an obvious afterthought.
A three spoke steering wheel wrapped in rubbery leather comes loaded with buttons. Just behind it sits the Evo’s magnesium paddle shifters. Like the classy leather seats and leather-like substance scattered throughout the dash and door tops, the paddles felt distinctly out of place.
The front seats are soft and have unusually good bolstering. Second row accomdations are comfortable, but the third row would be laughable if we didn’t worry that somewhere, in some distant city, a child is strapped into the seat. A six-step process deploys the two-seat bench, which has all the padded comfort of a worn military cot. Particularly egregious are the head restrations, which snap into place just fractions of an inch from the rear window. Moreover, the seat rattled in place regardless of our efforts to quell it. Shop the Outlander as a five-seater, please.
But does it go?
Displacing just 3.0-liters and putting out 230 horsepower, Outlander’s V6 feels a little out-classed in this segment. The SOHC V6 features Mitsubishi’s so-called MIVEC valve-timing control system but is otherwise short on high tech features.
The six-speed automatic did its best to keep the V6 in its power band, but with just 215 lb-ft. of torque on tap at a fairly low 3,750 rpm, we spent a lot of time revving the engine. And that’s not really a great thing since this V6 doesn’t emit the refined burble of, say, the 3.5-liter Ford uses in its Edge or the 3.6-liter Jeep Grand Cherokee. At idle, we noticed a prominent thrum from the engine bay, not to mention a series of curious clicks and whirrs that indicated something was going on up there.
In terms of outright handling, Outlander proved generally entertaining to drive. Steering is firm with reasonable feedback, while the paddle shifters provided rapid-fire up and down-shifts. But ride quality is exceptionally stiff and road noise from the Goodyear Eagle LS street-oriented tires was intrusive at all speeds.
Our tester exhibited some surprising torque steer when we stabbed the throttle, but the all-wheel-drive system seemed to kick in quick enough to quell any major issues. With the lock mode engaged, Outlander had no difficulty traversing a muddy and rutted road, which suggests to us that it would be well-suited to winter driving.
Fuel economy, according to the EPA, is 19/25 mpg. We saw about that, with an average over mixed driving of 21.7 mpg.
Why you would buy it:
You’re smitten by the Outlander’s unique style.
Why you wouldn’t:
You took it for a test drive.
Leftlane’s bottom line
We wanted to like the Outlander, we really did. Most of us think it looks great inside and out thanks to its Evo-meets-crossover styling. But there’s more to a car than just its appearance, and, unfortunately, that’s where this Mitsubishi really comes up short. Some of the miscues we experienced – like the overly firm ride – can be avoided by selecting a different trim level, but overall Outlander is outclassed.
It simply lacks the refined feel we’ve come to expect from segment leaders from Detroit, South Korea and Japan. But we know Mitsubishi is full of innovation; we just hope they can channel some of that into a new model soon.
2011 Mitsubishi Outlander GT base price, $27,795. As tested, $33,275.
Touring package, $2,700; Navigation, $2,000; Destination, $780.
Words and photos by Andrew Ganz.
Rating:
