TOP CUV REVAMPED
Mitsubishi moves up with new Outlander
Competing in today’s automotive landscape requires much more than just showing up. Realizing this, Mitsubishi is making some big moves, which means boosting its topdrawer Outlander CUV. The Outlander is one of two different CUVs (Outlander Sport is the other) Mitsubishi offers. I took a look at the all-new 2014 Outlander.
In some Mitsubishis I’ve tested, the interior quality has been less than premium. However, the 2014 Outlander Mitsubishi is making amends. I first experienced the new 2014 Outlander at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and I was pleasantly surprised by the considerable time Mitsubishi spent to make it current.
The first thing that pops are the premium surfaces, chiefly the soft-touch instru- ment panel, grained plastic surfaces, cloth/leather seats and fingerprint-friendly gloss black center console panel.
To compete in the mid-size SUV/CUV segment, you need seven-seat capability and the Outlander has it. Seating positions also have been completely reconfigured for improved comfort/ergonomics. A better use of space allows up to 128.6 cubic feet of passenger room, and the ease of operation of the fold-flat seats in the second and third rows has been improved. Seating in the split-fold third row is tight. The second split-row has improved head and foot room, and the seats have improved bolstering. Overall, the interior is a pleasing mix of materials, design and comfort.
Standard upscale appointments are a high-resolution meter cluster, air conditioning with micron filter, a powerful six-speaker AM/FM/CD/ MP3 audio system, privacy glass, cruise control, tilt and telescopic steering column, and a newly designed steering wheel.
Slick is a good way to describe the exterior styling of the new 2014 Outlander. It has a completely redesigned look that distances itself from the previous generation’s entrylevel Lancer styling cues. It now cuts a more futuristic, upscale design profile, with the standout feature a streamlined front fascia accentuated by a more urban feel. The new body also sheds 200 pounds over the outgoing 2013 model.
Outlander offers a choice of two gas engines: a 2.4-liter four-popper or a 3.0-liter V6 for the stepup Outlander GT. Neither engine delivers necksnapping acceleration, but unless fully loaded with passengers and cargo, both will be adequate. Standard Outlanders have a continuously variable transmission, and V6 GTs get a six-speed automatic.
Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC), optional on the Outlander SE, standard on GT, is lighter and more efficient than previous offerings. If you press the Eco fuel-saving button while the car is in fourwheel-drive mode, it blocks off the two rear wheels unless slip is detected and then all four work to regain traction.
Outlander is available in base ES, SE and GT versions. The SE a six-inch touchscreen display audio system; rearview camera system; HD radio; fog lamps; 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control; heated front seats; FAST key passive entry system with push-button engine ignition on/off switch; and Mitsubishi’s FUSE Handsfree Link system with USB.