Mitsubishi Outlander 2019 Review

Since the first Outlander arrived here in February 2003, Mitsubishi’s mid-size SUV has changed a lot. Slotting into an even-then quite densely-populated SUV segment defined as “Compact” – and now categorised as mid-size – where it faced-off against the likes of Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-TRAIL, Subaru Forester and Honda CR-V, the Mitsubishi featured a full-time, three-differential AWD system derived from the ferocious Lancer Evo VII and was driven by a 2.4-litre 100kW/205Nm four-cylinder engine. It was defined by its flaring, twin-nostril front end and – particularly on gravel roads – its neat handling.

As is the way of things in the segment, the importance of all-wheel drive has diminished over the last 16 years, to the point where front-drive has become increasingly common – and, in many smaller SUVs, even exclusive. So today’s Outlander is not only bigger overall – it’s also available either as a front-driver, or with a part-time, two-differential AWD system that is mechanically far simpler than the rally-proven original.

It’s also become something of a requirement in the category that more than five seats, where possible, should be offered so the Mitsubishi addresses that too. And rapidly-advancing safety tech has brought pressure not just on the containment of pricing, but also on keeping weight down – while, in this climate change-conscious era, also squeezing the most out of economy and emissions figures.

Today’s anonymously-angular third-generation Mitsubishi Outlander came here in 2012 and blended into the market without creating a ripple. Not by any means the biggest presence in its class today – there are too many mid-size big fish to allow that – the Outlander nevertheless holds its head high, finishing sixth in its category for outright sales in 2018, ahead of the Kia Sportage, Subaru Forester and Volkswagen Tiguan.

With a light dusting-over last year that sharpened-up the on-road behaviour with quicker steering, more-rigid structural bonding and suspension tweaks, the Outlander also became more comfortable via a re-modelling of the front seats and more oxygenation for back-seat occupants though rear vents in the centre console. The mid-life changes also addressed the looks with a bolder, fussier “Dynamic Shield” front end and a re-modelled rear bumper.

Although it surprisingly runs exactly the same 2670mm wheelbase as the small-class Mitsubishi ASX, https://www.motoring.com.au/2020-mitsubishi-asx-revealed-116933/
the Outlander equates most of its mid-size rivals in overall size while, at 1475kg for the front-drive, mid-spec LS petrol reviewed here along with the heavier (1630kg) AWD turbo-diesel Exceed its overall weight is at the lower end of the mid-size SUV spectrum.

The large windows help a lot with all-round driver vision and cabin space is right up there with its competition – apart from a crop in headroom that afflicts the sunroof-equipped Exceed. The remodelled front seats (powered only on the driver’s side) with extra lateral location proved comfortably supportive on medium-length up-country trips.

The boot is pretty good, too, opening up to a maximum all-seats-folded 1608 litres which, though it might not challenge Holden’s 1798-litre Equinox, remains very generous, certainly big enough to easily accommodate a wheels-intact full-size mountain bike.

I was flummoxed by the clumsy mid-row seat-folding arrangement though. To achieve a flat floor, it’s first necessary to lift the double-fold seat cushion to expose an unlock lever that drops the seatback flat – all very non-intuitive and unnecessarily complex.

However, access to the tiny third-row seats, though denied to any adult bar a supple ballet dancer, is made as simple as possible by a single lever atop the centre-row backrest. The Exceed’s powered tailgate proved a bit tricky: Our test car refused to open unless first given some slight manual encouragement.

The Outlander’s mildly revised interior presents nicely enough with its new trim and adequate soft-touch cladding on the dash and doors. The controls, generally, are presented for easy understanding and there’s a tactile rocker switch on the right-side steering wheel spoke that sets the cruising speed without fumbling or resorting to a visual search.

Not so the touchscreen display located at dash centre. Not only do all Outlanders demur on the provision of built-in cruise control (at least there’s Apple CarPlay/Android Auto), the small touch-points do nothing to promote safe use while on the move. At one stage, the screen refused to respond to repeated attempts at selecting a pre-set radio station – a frustration that was further exacerbated in both test vehicles by deactivated voice-control systems.

And although it was easy enough to activate Bluetooth, the speaker located in the lower passenger-side front door was difficult to hear at times, regardless of how the volume was wound up. And I would have liked more space around the front cabin to store small items such as mobile phones and wallets.

Safety is addressed via standard autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane-departure warning on the LS, while the Exceed adds blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and extra cameras to provide a bird’s eye view when parking.

On the road, there’s not really much evidence of the suspension changes.

The quicker steering ratio, though it fractionally improves the Outlander’s response to driver input, still doesn’t make it feel nimble, or anything like sporty. At nearly three turns from lock to lock there’s still a bit of twirling required and the result, despite both review cars running on decent 225/55R18 tyres, is that the Outlander feels a bit reluctant to turn in. Although far from excessive, it rolls a bit too, a characteristic you would expect to accompany a truly cushy ride – which the Outlander doesn’t really have.

LS and Exceed spec Outlanders are standard with seven seats and leave the base 2.0-litre petrol engine out of the mix: They come with either Mitsubishi’s 124kW/220Nm 2.4-litre normally aspirated petrol engine, or with the 110kW/360Nm 2.3-litre turbo-diesel. The bigger petrol engine, in LS spec, is available in front-drive or AWD, using a continuously variable transmission (CVT) across-the-board; while the diesel, also available in front-drive or AWD, hooks up to a regular six-speed automatic transmission. Our AWD Exceed review car was diesel-equipped and the front-drive LS was petrol-engined.

Considering it runs essentially the same capacity as the original Outlander’s 2.4-litre four-cylinder, today’s 124kW version does a good job propelling a bigger, heavier and more tech-laden car. Although the performance equates with most of its competition, the quoted consumption and CO2 emissions figures – 7.2L/100km and 7.2g/km for the petrol, 6.2L/100km and 163g/km for the diesel – tend to be at the more favourable end of segment expectations. Neither test car came near those figures and we consistently saw the petrol LS nudging 9.0L/100km while the supposedly more frugal diesel hovered around the 10L/100km mark.

Coupled to Mitsubishi’s CVT, the 2.4-litre petrol Outlander does a ballpark job. With its normally-aspirated power and torque outputs it needs to be hustled along at times, but it doesn’t really mind that. And the CVT helps plug most gaps in power delivery without getting too frantic.

The less powerful but more torquey turbo-diesel (though, at 360Nm not especially so for a 2.3-litre) evens all that out. Its more linear delivery works well with the conventional six-speed auto without need to hunt through the ratios on gentle freeway climbs. Like the petrol version, the diesel was acceptably quiet on the open road, although the typical engine chatter did intrude noticeably on start-up and at low speeds.

Towing capabilities vary quite a bit: While the front-drive petrol LS will pull a respectable-for-class 1600kg, the AWD diesel is altogether more capable with a braked towing capacity of two tonnes which, although short of Volkswagen’s 2400kg-capable Tiguan Allspace, is comfortably above front-drive Nissan X-TRAIL (1500kg) and Honda CR-V (1000kg) models.

If you’re after a mid-size SUV that goes about its business without any fuss and doesn’t confront the kerbside viewer with anything offensive (hang on, what about that lavish, complex front end?) then the Mitsubishi Outlander could work for you. Its success is confirmation of the thoughts shared by a good many Australians.

2019 Mitsubishi Outlander LS 2WD pricing and specifications:
Price: $33,790 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 124kW/220Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 166g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

2019 Mitsubishi Exceed AWD diesel pricing and specifications:
Price: $45,790 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 110kW/360Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 163g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP