Mitsubishi Outlander: Well equipped, can carry 7 people

The high-end Mitsubishi Outlander stands out thanks to its ability to carry 7 people, imported completely from Japan, but has a higher price than the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5.

Mitsubishi Outlander 2016 is a rookie in the crossover segment priced at 1 billion VND in Vietnam. Outlander has 3 versions, including 2.0 CVT STD priced at 975 million VND, 2.0 CVT priced at 1.123 billion VND and the highest-end version 2.4 CVT priced at 1.275 billion VND.

Outlander is a rookie in the mid-size crossover segment in Vietnam.

The car used in this review is the highest-end version (2.4 CVT, priced at VND 1.275 billion). This is also the only model in the segment imported completely from Japan.

The Outlander is a mid-size crossover first introduced in Japan in 2001. It has the qualities of an off-road SUV with high ground clearance and four-wheel drive, but is still economical thanks to its small engine and moderate size.

Appearance

The fourth generation Mitsubishi Outlander has a new design, using the "Dynamic Shield" language, a new design style on most Mitsubishi vehicles.

According to Mitsubishi, Dynamic Shield is centered on two chrome bars at the front, forming an X shape, shiny and protruding forward to form a shield to protect the occupants of the car. This idea comes from the company's famous Mitsubishi Pajero, which has a front bumper that protrudes quite a long way forward.

The front end impresses with large chrome trims.

Design has been Mitsubishi's weak point for more than a decade, so the Japanese automaker hopes to create a revolution by changing the design language on most of its new models. The conservative lines of previous generations of Outlanders are completely replaced. The strong, decisive and seamless lines from head to tail replace the soft, weak lines of the previous generation.

The grille also adds two large chrome bars that occupy most of the area with the logo in the center. The LED positioning strip creates an accent with the headlights combining LED lights and projector lights for a seamless feel. At the corner of the front bumper, there are also two more fog lights.

The convex taillights and rear spoiler design look sporty.

At the rear of the car, the LED taillights protrude, in the style of the Lexus LX570. With the 2016 Outlander, Mitsubishi tried to refine the design to make the lines more coherent.

The ground clearance is up to 19 cm, 20 mm higher than its rival Honda CR-V. However, the overall height of the Outlander is 10 mm lower than the CR-V.

The hood is designed smoother, no longer muscular lines but only two small ridges. Overall, the 2016 Outlander is a neutral-designed vehicle, suitable for families who want a multi-purpose vehicle that can accommodate many people and luggage.

Interior

Inside, the interior is quite simple, the control panel has few buttons thanks to the reduction of functions into the touch screen. The layout is quite reasonable, the driver can control the car while adjusting the temperature, increasing and decreasing the volume through the small volume knob on the control panel.

Simple interior, few buttons.

The best position inside the cabin is the driver's area. Outlander gives the most priority to this position. The driver's seat is 8-way power adjustable, the control buttons are within reach, the touch screen has an easy-to-use interface. The volume and menu control buttons are integrated on the steering wheel.

The second row of seats can be moved forward and backward.

The interior is almost entirely covered in leather, giving a warm and spacious feel. Wood-like plastic panels appear on the dashboard and behind the doors with high-quality finishes. Basically, the interior materials are on par with competitors such as the Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V.

The third row of seats is a highlight compared to competitors.

The Outlander is a quiet, comfortable car for passengers in the first and second rows. The third row of seats is only available on the high-end version, but is only suitable for small children or folded flat into the floor to increase luggage space.

Overall space is more spacious than the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester. The Outlander has power-adjustable front seats that give the driver and passengers good visibility and a comfortable sitting position.

The second row of seats is uneven and a bit hard, but it is quite spacious compared to other cars in the same segment. It is comfortable enough for two adults, but if three people sit together, it will be a bit cramped.

The best part of the Outlander's interior design is the completely flat, spacious and quiet luggage compartment.

The trunk is wide and flat.

Vehicle equipment includes keyless entry with remote locking/unlocking, rear door opening. Push-button start, automatic air conditioning, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls, Bluetooth connectivity, 6-speaker, 140-watt sound system. LED taillights, 18-inch alloy wheels, electric rearview mirrors and windshield wiper system. Headlights automatically turn on when it's dark.

In addition, a rather interesting feature when driving on Saigon streets during the rainy season is the rain-sensing wipers, whose speed will increase according to the intensity of the rain.

Driving feel

In addition to the new design, the 2016 Outlander also gets a new, more efficient transmission system.

The electric power steering wheel gives a fairly light driving feeling. For those who are used to using oil power steering like on the Toyota Fortuner, they will feel a little bit awkward when driving the Outlander for the first time. However, the feeling of control will become interesting when you start to get used to this car, easily controlling with one hand, and the other hand is placed on the automatic gear lever or adjusting the entertainment system, navigation...

Outlander has very fast acceleration.

The Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4 CVT version produces 166 horsepower, not too much for a 1.5-ton car. However, the response from the accelerator is surprisingly quick. Just a slight push of the pedal, the car immediately jumps forward. The reason comes from the CVT automatic transmission, making the car more responsive.

The inline-four is so smooth that there are times when you can't tell if it's started. The best way to do this is to shift into neutral and try flicking the accelerator or looking at the tachometer.

The CVT gearbox is effective in the acceleration phase, however when reaching a speed of about 100 km/h, there is a feeling of slack and a slight lack of decisiveness, which the traditional gear box still does better.

The cabin soundproofing is quite good, the engine noise does not echo much even at high speed. The car glides quietly on the street, and the image outside the window is like a silent film. To achieve this, Mitsubishi has inserted a layer of sound-absorbing material behind the car body to minimize outside noise. However, the soundproofing under the chassis is only average, this is a disadvantage on most crossovers because of the use of a unibody frame.

The two 2.0 versions have only front-wheel drive, while the 2.4 version used in this test has 4-wheel drive.

Ground clearance is 19 cm so it can run off-road.

Although targeting family customers, Mitsubishi still emphasizes the off-road capabilities of this model. Thanks to the 19 cm high ground clearance, the car can overcome rough terrain or muddy puddles quite easily. The front shock absorbers have been strengthened. According to Mitsubishi representatives, the change is to bring a sporty feel.

Safety Features

The Mitsubishi Outlander has the highest safety profile in its class, both active and passive. It achieved the highest possible score in IIHS tests, with four stars in the frontal crash test and five stars in the side crash test.

Outlander gets 5-star safety score.

Active safety features include four-channel ABS, electronic brake-force distribution, electronic stability control, hill-start assist, emergency brake assist, traction control, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control.

Passive safety features include 7 airbags, including knee airbags and curtain airbags. Impact-absorbing chassis.

Overall, the Outlander is a low-key, introverted, warm, and space-conscious vehicle. According to the EPA, the 4WD Outlander gets 26 mpg city/highway, for an average of 26 mpg.

According to Zing