The Mitsubishi Outlander is a mid-sized seven-seater sports utility vehicle (SUV) that is stylish, spacious and comfortable.
It was originally known as the Mitsubishi Airtrek when it was first introduced in 2001.
We had the chance to test drive the 2.4-litre variant powered by a four-cylinder MIVEC engine which delivers 167hp at 6,000rpm and 222Nm of torque at 4,100rpm. The engine is mated to a six-speed INVECS-III continuously-variable transmission.
It measures 4,695mm in length, 1,810mm in width, 1,680mm in height and weighs about 1,530kg. It has 591l of boot space and 60l of fuel tank capacity.
The Mitsubishi Outlander comes with LED headlamps with LED daytime running lights, 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, a sunroof, a 2DIN touchscreen head unit, keyless entry with engine push-start button, leather seats with heated front seats, dual-zone auto air-conditioning, cruise control, automatic headlamps, automatic wipers and a power-operated tailgate.
In terms of safety, the Outlander comes with active stability control, traction control, hill-start assist, anti-lock braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, two Isofix child seat mounts in the middle row, Mitsubishi’s Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) body, collapsible steering column and seven airbags.
The Mitsubishi Outlander is priced at RM168,600 without insurance, inclusive of Goods and Services Tax. It comes with a five-year or 100,000km whichever comes first warranty.
THE DRIVE
We managed to drive 400km in the Mitsubishi Outlander, driving through city, highways and urban roads. We found that the SUV is smooth and powerful.
Its medium weighted steering responded accurately and precisely. During high speed corners, the Outlander gripped very well on the road. It absorbed most road conditions reasonably well but we find that it lacks comfort. Most potholes and bumps were felt.
The wind and engine noise was low at low speed, but the tyre noise was noticeable. During high speed driving, the wind and tyre noise was quite loud.
The Outlander’s multiplayer system was user-friendly, although the sound system is quite basic. The bass is acceptable, but the system is short on clarity and sharpness.
Its multi-select 4WD system has three modes to choose from. 4WD Eco has the front wheel drive running as default, and channels drive to rear axle when its needed. 4WD Auto will automatically split torque to both axles and 4WD Lock for tough terrain road conditions.
The Mitsubishi Outlander has spacious front and middle row seats. However, the last row lacks legroom. We find that the cabin was quite comfortable and the air-conditioning was very cold, very well suited for the weather in Malaysia.
We clocked about 8.3l to 9.6l of petrol per 100km in the Outlander, during a combination of city and highway driving.
After hard driving, it consumed about 10.6 to 12.4l per 100km.
Even though the Mitsubishi Outlander is a very good package, it still has room for improvement. We find that there’s no auto locking system that locks the SUV when it starts moving. We also felt that having a blind spot indicator will certainly further improve safety.