Review
The new Outlander has chosen a particularly crowded part of the market in which to try and make an impression, facing the stern challenge set by such luminaries as the Honda CR-V and Land Rover Freelander.
Fortunately for Mitsubishi, a combination of strong design and excellent standard equipment means the Outlander has the best possible start in life. The styling gives off plenty of rugged SUV cues and the standard of fit and finish is impressively high, both externally and inside the cabin: a clear improvement over the plasticky, cheap-feeling first-generation Outlander.
Even the most basic "Equippe" version gets plenty of standard equipment, with the mid-ranking "Warrior" and full-spec "Elegance" positively groaning under the weight of goodies, including a very advanced hard drive satnav/ audio system (with the ability to "rip" mp3s from audio CDs) on the range-topper. All benefit from plenty of room for front and rear seat passengers, although the optional fold-out third row seating is cramped and impractical.
The Outlander's natural habitat is tarmac, and it puts in a predictably strong on-road performance with a well-insulated, supple ride and reasonable roadholding.
Only one powerplant is available, a 2.0 litre turbo diesel that's been bought in from Volkswagen. And the resulting combination isn't a particularly happy union as the Outlander suffers from lots of engine noise under acceleration and the motor needs to be revved surprisingly hard to deliver on its performance claims. A 2.4 litre petrol and a more advanced 2.2 litre diesel motor will follow later.