Road Test
Mitsubishi Outlander 2.0 Di-D
Test date 07 March 2007
Price as tested £24,692
For Styling, steering, economy, reasonably practical, well equipped, quite fast
AgainstEngine refinement, textured plastics, rivals are cheaper, driving position
The first-generation Mitsubishi Outlander might have failed to capture the imagination of the enthusiast or the UK buyer, but this time it’s a lot more relevant. The search is on for a guilt-free SUV that has all the looks, drama and interest of an off-roader, but without the thirst and weight.
No surprise, then, that the latest Mitsubishi Outlander should prove far more popular than the car it replaces, and Peugeot and Citroën will be keeping a keen eye on reaction to the new Mitsubishi, too, since their forthcoming 4007 and C-Crosser SUVs will be based on Outlander architecture. In the same way that the Suzuki SX-4 spawned the Fiat Sedici, Peugeot and Citroën’s versions of this car will be little more than re-badged, re-nosed Outlanders. All three models will roll from Mitsubishi’s Mizushima production line in Japan.
This time, as last, Mitsubishi has geared the Outlander more for on- than off-road use and has based it on the next-generation Lancer platform instead of using of its traditional off-roader chassis. It’s a platform conceived while Mitsubishi was part-owned by DaimlerChrysler, which is still launching cars on derivatives of the architecture, despite the two companies splitting in 2005.
The Jeep Compass and Dodge Caliber are Outlander relatives (see tech panel, p73) and the Outlander shares their compactness. At 4.6 metres long and 1.8 metres wide, the Outlander is a similar size to a D-segment hatchback with a footprint slightly smaller than a Ford Mondeo’s. It’s only 1.7m tall and weighs well under two tonnes. All good on the low-guilt front so far, then.
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