Not outlandish: But neither is it boring to look at. The Mitsubishi Outlander’s bold exterior is harmoniously modern.
The Outlander is an important car for Japanese marque Mitsubishi. It represents a new era in its evolution and, fan or not, whether of the brand or this particular product, the Outlander won’t leave you unmoved.
It’s a departure from previous iterations in that it is void of most of the features that were criticised in the past. It is Mitsubishi making the statement that it can rise to the ever-escalating number of challengers in the mid-size SUV game.
For a start, its design is bold. The split headlight units are a talking point. The top strip houses the daytime running lights and indicator lamps, while the lower, odd bit holds the headlight beams.
Like it or not, flanked by a brash chromed grille, stylish 21-inch alloys (on this Aspire model) and recessed pieces around the wheel arches, the Outlander is anything but boring. In fact, apart from the headlight concept, the whole car is approachable and harmoniously modern.
The interior takes that up a notch. If you’re vaguely familiar with any Mitsubishi product, you will immediately be drawn in by the design. The diamond-quilted seats are strong cues for a comfortable cabin.
The build quality is even better than one might expect from a Mitsubishi, and that’s saying something — the brand is not known for shoddy build quality.
New elements on the dashboard architecture modernise the car, including a soft-grip, multi-function steering wheel and a sizeable 12.3-inch driver’s display, complemented by a 9-inch touchscreen. The overall user experience isn’t complex, although the layout in this car isn’t as slick as others in the segment.
The connectivity options are as expected, with smartphone mirroring for Apple/Android and the usual mix of Bluetooth and USB-A or C ports, plus 12-volt charging sockets in the front and rear of the cabin.
It is a comfortable place to be and feels ably engineered and equipped for the price.
The Outlander has a few other features in its arsenal.
It’s a 7-seater, offering two recessed seats in the rear. With the seats pulled up, there’s not much “boot space”, beyond room for some small shopping bags but, with the seats folded down, you’ll discover 770 litres of space, which is a big selling point — segment-leading, in fact.
On the negative side, the third-row seats proved cramped and uncomfortable, even for my little people who have become quite well versed in third-row accommodation.
Even with the second row pushed all the way forward, which eats into most of the legroom, the rear-most row still is relatively small. Toddlers and average-sized six-year-olds, at best, would be okay there.
Family choice: The Mitsubishi Outlander is a comfortable drive and as a passenger, even on rough terrain, and has five-star safety features.
The Outlander proved to be a wonderful surprise in terms of its performance on the road. The biggest improvement points to on-road refinement, a category in which almost every car in the segment scores well. The Outlander drives with compelling compliance doing all of the essential things well.
Comfort levels are high, driving position and outward visibility are excellent, and everything is in easy reach. Venture off the highways of Gauteng onto dusty gravel roads or even into the grasslands, as our test required, and the Outlander comes into its own. Gravel is its happy place, riding with the same poise on rough surfaces and sand as the Subaru Outback.
Mitsubishi’s all-wheel-drive management system, Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC), uses torque and slip-and-yaw sensors to actively distribute power and/or braking a specific wheel to ensure maximum traction at all times.
With 210mm of ground clearance, the Outlander sits high in its segment when it comes to off-road and slippery conditions. The system also uses pre-configured driving programmes selectable via the toggle wheel below the drive shifter.
The engine is the 2.5-litre, naturally aspirated petrol version mated to a CVT transmission with paddle shifters behind the wheel for 8-stepped transmission speeds.
It produces 135kW of power and 250Nm of torque. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the Nissan X-Trail, another Japanese product, has the same engine and powertrain components. Come to think of it, the new X-Trail drives similarly, too.
You could bemoan the use of this powerplant, and complain about the lack of plug-in hybrid and turbo engines, but in this application, here in South Africa, the engine is sufficient for the purpose. If you’re looking for engine options, the Outlander isn’t your pick but I’d recommend driving it before deciding.
Where the overall driving experience is lacking is in that driving aids only include a cruise control system. Even in the flagship specification, it lacks adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance. This might be introduced later — and it could explain the competitive pricing.
I approached the Outlander with indifference but it outperformed my expectations in many ways. It is a solid product to drive and experience as a passenger. It rides with near-consummate refinement, looks bold and modern and shouts practicality, unlike many other contenders.
Despite the CVT gearbox and naturally aspirated engine, I achieved an average of 8.2 litres/100km, slightly above Mitsubishi’s claimed figures.
Its safety features are five-star, so as a family SUV, the Outlander makes a compelling choice.
Price: R759 995.