ROOM FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY WITH A TOUCH OF LUXURY

Mitsubishi’s all-wheel drive Outlander has come a long way since it was first introduced in 2003. Back then it was fairly uninspiring in the looks department despite its surprisingly capable handling.
In 2008 though, things have mostly changed for the better. Our test vehicle was a 5 seater VRX which combines a stylish exterior with a surprisingly roomy interior. The stance of the Outlander has also improved and while its dimensions have increased in every direction it no longer appears to be as high and top heavy.
The Outlander is available as a 5 or 7 seater with a 2.4 litre 4-cylinder or a 3.0 litre V6. The base model in the 4-cylinder range is the LS, then there’s the XLS and the top of the range XLS Luxury which is only available as a 7 seater. With the LS configured to seat 5 you can choose from a 5 speed manual or a CVT. The rest of the 4-cylinder range is only available with the CVT.
There are three models in the V6 range too – the VR, the VRX and the VRX luxury. The first two can have either 5 or 7 seats while the latter is strictly a 7 seater. All of the V6 range drives through a 6 speed automatic transmission.
Mitsubishi has paid special attention to the quality of the interior on the VRX and has managed to get closer to the feel of a quality European SUV for a fraction of the price.
It has all the nice touches like power windows, cruise control, automatic airconditioning, parking sensors, bluetooth phone connection and Smart Key ‘keyless’ entry and operation. And for those that like a heavy duty sound system, the gutsy Rockford Fosgate fits the bill. The upper glovebox is a warm or cool ‘thermo box.’ The cruise controls, audio controls and phone controls are all on the steering wheel. Our test car also had the optional luxury of heated leather seats. Speaking of seats, the second row of seats easily fold and tumble forward, creating a very usable flat bed in the rear. The third row of seats, when fitted, is clearly only suitable for young children for any extended period. The Outlander now has a rear tailgate which folds down level with the rear floor, making loading a whole lot easier.
The super smooth 3.0 litre V6 MIVEC engine gives the Outlander plenty of power to move a family and all the luggage or camping gear they could want. Our first Outlander test drive was in 2005 and the thing we remember most was the brilliant all-wheel drive system. It’s still here, sort of, but now you have the option of selecting 2WD. We got sick of lighting up the front tyres and the healthy dose of torque steer off the line running 2WD, so fairly early on in our test switched to 4WD. In fact there are two 4WD settings. The first automatically switches torque to the rear wheels on demand when the front end can’t cope. The second locks in full time 4WD. Switching between these three settings can be done on the fly, up to 100km/h. The auto 4WD setting improved the handling around town quite markedly and really makes us ask why the 2WD option should be available at all - presumably only to save fuel?
ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist are standard across the range. So too is Active Stability Control and Active Traction Control. All seats have three point belts and dual front airbags are standard. Rear parking sensors plus Side and Curtain airbags are standard on all but the entry level where they are available as options (the curtain airbags do not however extend to the optional third seat row). The Outlander is also fitted with an aluminium roof to lower its centre of gravity. All this adds up to a safe package but eliminating the 2WD option altogether would, in our opinion, convert it into a very safe package. The latest Outlander has not been crash tested in Australia yet but has achieved the maximum 5 star rating for both frontal and side impact tests by the US Government’s NCAP programme.
Mitsubishi quote fuel consumption at 10.9 litres/100kms but expecting mid to high 12’s would probably be more realistic.
The VRX is priced at $43,490 for the 5 seater and comes with a 5 year/130,000km New Vehicle Warranty, a 10 year/160,000km Powertrain Warranty and a 5 year Perforation Corrosion Warranty. In addition the Outlander scores a 5 year Roadside Assistance Package (the ‘Premium’ package on the VRX includes a range of accommodation, medical and transportation options).
We took the Outlander away for the weekend – about 1½ hours south of Melbourne via the Mornington Peninsula Freeway.
We had three adults, two miniature Dachshunds and a large Greyhound on board. There was enough luggage for a month away, including food, dog paraphernalia, beds and car fridges.
The Greyhound travelled in super comfort in the rear luggage area which was secure but open to the cabin. We were careful however not to turn the sound system up too loud as the huge Rockford Fosgate “Woofer” is housed in the rear also.
The mini Dachshunds sat snugly in their basket on the front floor. The rest of the luggage was housed neatly in the back seat with our third passenger.
It was wet, windy and dark by the time we arrived at our destination at the seaside town of Rye. The Outlander however, gave us a warm and very comfortable trip and was certainly a vehicle that you could do a long stint in and remain perfectly comfortable. The VRX’s high intensity discharge headlights are self levelling, self cleaning and very effective.
There is a lot to like in the Outlander and it not only competes well in the mid size four wheel drive SUV market, but is clearly setting new standards in this category.

Tested May 2008
Vehicle provided by Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd