Mitsubishi Outlander 2013 Review

Mitsubishi Outlander ES, LS and Aspire

What we liked:
>> Ride quality
>> Seven-seat availability
>> Cabin space and quality

Not so much:
>> Split tailgate removed
>> CVT model engine noise
>> CVT overheating issues?

OVERVIEW

The new third-generation Outlander retains most of what made its predecessor appealing while making several improvements, chiefly in the areas of fuel economy, safety and quality.

It also adds a brand-new diesel engine to the mix. Hooked up to a six-speed automatic gearbox this engine will broaden the vehicle's appeal and Mitsubishi predicts big growth for the car. Currently selling around 600 Outlanders per month, the company is targeting 1000 sales per month in 2013.

Part of the plan to lure more customers is improved interior quality, something the company concedes it failed to deliver with previous models.

Add slightly improved ride quality to the mix, a new exterior design and high-end options such as radar-cruise control and automatic emergency braking and the new model appears to make significant strides forward.

The 2013 Outlander still isn't a class leading vehicle, but it has closed the gap with the opposition and is a more compelling vehicle than its predecessor.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

Entry-level 2WD models are not offered with the diesel engine or seven-seat configuration due to what Mitsubishi predicts will be low demand.

That a diesel model is now offered will go some way to growing sales of the new car, though Mitsubishi still expects petrol variants to be the bulk sellers, with around eight out of 10 vehicles sold to be petrol-powered.

There are three model grades in the new range, ES, LS, and Aspire, with a premium pack adding some tasty technology to the latter variants.

The entry-level 2013 Outlander ES gets a healthy amount of standard features, such as leather steering wheel and gear shifter, soft-touch dashboard, climate control air conditioning with pollen filter, steering wheel mounted audio, phone and cruise controls, Bluetooth connectivity, reverse parking sensors, six-speaker CD/MP3 stereo, USB port, plus electric windows and mirrors.

Safety equipment like seven airbags and electronic stability control is also standard. ES models are five-seat only, however.

With the exception of the 2.0-litre 2WD, mid-grade LS models and above are equipped with a third seating row for a total seven seats. The LS models generally add a swag of equipment over the ES including continuously variable transmission (CVT) with column-mounted paddle shifters, dual zone climate control, a 6.1-inch colour touch screen audio interface, reversing camera, colour LCD instrument meter, tinted rear windows, plus front fog lamps and 16-inch alloy wheels in lieu of the ES's 16-inch steel hoops.

LS models can be optioned with Mitsubishi's new 2.2-litre diesel engine too, which starts at $40,990 and is equipped with a traditional six-speed automatic, and a not the petrol's CVT.

Step up to the range-topping Aspire and you can add things like faux leather door inserts, chrome door handles, woodprint accent panels, smart proximity key fob with keyless start, automatic headlights and wipers, heated leather seats with power adjustment for the driver, 18-inch alloy wheels and exterior chrome accents to the standard equipment list.

Drop another $5500 and you can upgrade Aspire models to 'Premium' status, which buys several safety technologies including adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation (aka: auto braking), a Rockford Fosgate premium stereo with eight speakers and sub woofer, sat nav on a larger seven-inch screen, and power tailgate.

Capped price servicing is also offered on all variants and is priced at $340, $360 and $510 for the 2WD petrol, 4WD petrol and 4WD diesel models respectively. Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, and lasts for four years or 60,000km.

The car is also covered by a five-year/130,000km warranty and up to five years roadside assistance.

MECHANICAL

The entry-level 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol found in ES models outputs 110kW at 6000rpm and 190Nm at 4200rpm and is offered with either five-speed manual or CVT, and both deliver decent performance.

The 1395kg 2.0-litre petrol models are significantly lighter (by between 100 and 215kg) than the rest of the vehicles in the range. This lower weight also helps them achieve claimed economy figures of 7.0 and 6.6L/100km for the manual and auto models respectively. That's down from 9.2 and 9.0L/100km -- a big drop.

The larger 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine pumps out 124kW at 6000rpm and 220Nm at 4200rpm, and though there's more power on offer, the gains in performance are mild due to the extra weight of the CVT, all-wheel drive systems and in all but the ES's case, third row seats.

Both engines are relatively quiet at cruising speeds but as mentioned they become loud and intrusive when flattening the accelerator pedal. There's a touch of delay between the CVT and driving wheels when requesting more acceleration, but once on the boil the CVT gearboxes deliver good acceleration (better than Subaru Forester's for example). The 2.4-litre equipped Outlander has no trouble overtaking slower moving vehicles.

We did experience a minor transmission malfunction during the launch drive in an Outlander Aspire, flashing a warning that read "Transmission overheating. Slow Down."

This wasn't an isolated case as another car suffered from the same issue, which restricted engine revs to 3500rpm but still allowed 110km/h cruising speeds.

Driven at a more sedate pace, the CVT gearboxes were quiet and efficient so if you're not in a hurry you won't have much to complain about. There's also an ECO mode that reduces engine revs and air conditioning compressor levels, and is claimed to reduce fuel by around five to 10 per cent.

The diesel engine was my favourite. This is partly because it delivered smoother, effortless acceleration but also because it uses a conventional six-speed automatic gearbox, and didn't constantly rev the bejesus out of the engine (and make a racket doing it) at higher road speeds.

Inside and out the new turbo-diesel is a remarkably quiet and smooth engine.

Output is 110kW at 3500rpm and 360Nm of twist at 1600rpm and though the diesel models are pricier, they have the best braked towing capacity – 2000kg compared to 1600 for the others. The 2.2-litre DiD diesel engine also delivers the lowest fuel consumption of the bunch, at a claimed 5.8L/100km.

All-wheel drive models features a simplified one-button interface, which cycles through 4WD ECO, 4WD AUTO and 4WD LOCK modes.

All models get a hill-start assistance program but an engine stop-start system is not offered in Australia despite availability in Europe. Mitsubishi Australia says the cost involved would have increased the sticker price too much, but hasn't ruled out its implementation at a later date.

PACKAGING

The moment you step inside the vehicle it becomes clear the cabin has had plenty of attention, and the ambiance is much improved as a result. Soft-touch plastics, simple but elegant instruments, good touch-screen tech and glossy piano black accents around the infotainment system create a more pleasant and upmarket feel.

Gone is the cheap and cheerful feel of its predecessor.

Even the entry-level ES model's interior makes a positive impression, while the numerous bottle, cup and incidental storage cubbies of the previous generation Outlander thankfully return. Telescopic steering adjustment has been added now.

It's a roomy car too, with scads of space up front and a surprising amount of middle row room too. Even with the front seats moved back as far as they could go I had adequate leg and foot room in the back seats, and head room is likewise very impressive.

The middle row seats are slightly elevated too, providing a good view ahead.

Although I managed to squeeze into the third-row seats, it's clear they're designed for children, not adults. That said, it wasn't disastrously cramped, and I could have spent a short trip back there without too much whinging.

While the packaging is generally very good, there are a couple of hiccups. The redesigned third row seats fold flat into the floor space, but this eats into cargo room which drops more than 100 litres from 597/1691 litres to 477/1608 litres. And this is despite a 335mm increase in the boot length.

Another gripe is the removal of the split tailgate, which made loading smaller items into the boot just that little bit easier.

SAFETY

Rear parking sensors, an engine immobiliser and hill-start assist are also part of the safety suite.

Aspire models fitted with the $5500 premium pack also benefit from the Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) which can automatically apply brakes if it senses a collision is imminent. An Adaptive Cruise Control system is also part of the primo pack, using similar sensors to accelerate and brake the vehicle based on the proximity of the car you're following.

COMPETITORS

Add perennial favourite Nissan X-TRAIL and new segment leader Mazda CX-5 to the mix and you've got the making of a battle royale in 2013.

ON THE ROAD
>> Closing the gap
First impressions of a new car count for a lot, and Mitsubishi has done some great work improving the look and feel of the Outlander, inside and out. Though the exterior design may not be to everyone's taste, it cuts a sharper figure in the metal than on an computer screen and in motion the car makes for a solid mode of family transport.

Ride quality has improved slightly over its predecessor and the car is capably cushioned from most bumps in the road. It performed well on dirt roads too -- even top-spec models fitted with 18-inch alloys and 55 profile tyres gliding over all but the deepest of ruts.

The steering is par for the course in this SUV segment (light enough for easy manoeuvring in tight car parks) and though the car wallows and rolls a little as you tip it into a corner, the suspension has been calibrated to deliver predictable handling should you want to hustle the car along a winding country road. A short amount of local chassis tuning was undertaken in Australia to ensure the car is better suited to our roads.

You can push the car into corners without having to worry too much about running out of grip and the brakes are also up to scratch, slowing the car effectively and with relatively ease in most situations, both sealed and unsealed roads.

It's a comfortable car to drive and though not as quiet as the new Subaru Forester, it feels quicker both from a standing start and especially when overtaking. Where Subaru's boxer engines felt lethargic at higher revs, the Mitsubishi's inline four-cylinder engines celebrate, delivering a good amount of shunt which takes the guess-work out of overtaking.

Freeway cruising is second nature to the Outlander and is where the CVTs do their best work, working quietly and efficiently. However, engine noise becomes intrusive under full throttle on the CVT models.

Mitsubishi claims to developed a "more natural feeling" with the CVT, but though it does do a good job of hustling the car along, I think more sound damping around the transmission tunnel would do wonders for noise and comfort levels.

This is an area that doesn't affect the new diesel model, however, and because it's hooked up to a regular six-speed automatic gearbox. It is a more pleasant drive as a result and has a classier feel too.

It's not the beefiest oiler in this class, but the Mitsubishi-built engine goes about its business with a minimum of fuss and is remarkably quiet and refined.

Despite a couple of quibbles, the 2013 Outlander is a more competitive vehicle now. But it needs to be, in what is becoming one of the most lucrative and hard fought new vehicle segments in Australia.

The new diesel engine is a pearler, the seven seat option is appealing, and interior quality improvements all go a long way to elevating the Outlander's status and closing the gap with its rival.

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