The sport-compact of sport-cutes
Mitsubishi was one of the last companies to join the sport-cute fad, but it came in with one of the cutest when it introduced Outlander in 2003.
Based on Mitsubishi’s ASX concept, the vehicle hit Japanese roads in 2001 as the Airtrek. From the start, it was injected with a healthy dose of Mitsubishi’s racing adrenaline that had seen success on some of the world’s toughest rallying routes, most notably the various Dakar endurance rallies (the Pajero has a list of racing successes that would make a Formula 1 car blush Ferrari red).
Outlander was created on that foundation of sportiness and off-road ability, and the second generation builds on that with out-of-this-world styling that furthers a family resemblance with the recently arrived Lancer. The front-end looks are also reminiscent of more upscale models such as the Acura RDX and BMW X3.
The rear end was obviously inspired by an anime/sci-fi storyboard, with Cylon-like LEDs providing braking and turning indication in an armour-mimicking surround. By and large, it all works very well and many a passer-by’s gaze is drawn by the overall presentation.
The high floor conveys the Outlander’s off-road prowess as well as setting the platform for a coupe-like cockpit where the driver sits comfortably at arm’s-length from the wheel with legs stretched out in front. It’s in direct contrast to most manufacturers’ new design for SUVs, where the seating position is more upright.
Although this adds substance to the sporting imagery, it does suffer from coupe-like shortcomings. Coupes are not generous with their space allocations, and Outlander fits that theme to a T.
In contrast to the more modern, upright seating arrangements, seating in any position is constrictive. Front occupants’ adjusting their seats for leg comfort will seriously impede the legroom of middle seat occupants. The middle seat is slightly adjustable front-and-aft, which aids in reclaiming lost legroom but at the cost of the third row. The third row is barely usable at the best of times by short occupants and seems like a total failure.
Its deployment also takes the abilities of a Rhodes Scholar — you have to have the intellect to know which of the three straps to pull and how to get at them; you have to have the strength of character to not get totally frustrated at the process and just kick the damn thing into compliance; and, you have to have the physical ability to yank the metal contraption into proper position for the next steps to work (whether you’re putting it up or stowing it).
In my opinion, it’s a total waste of engineering and design energy. Even when it’s ready to use, it’s nearly impossible to easily access due to the middle seats’ equally convoluted fold/flip operation, offers room for maybe one child (since there is really no legroom) and positions said person right opposite the powerful sub-woofer (that will pound the tuberculosis out of any should-be-quarantined globe-hopper’s lungs).
When the bench is securely stowed, the cargo room is generally flat, with plenty of bumps and ridges. The middle seats flip and fold against the fronts, which means you won’t get a flat load floor. Overall, it’s fairly roomy, but turning up the volume on the audio while carrying groceries will likely curdle your milk.
Our tester XLS’s Rockford Fosgate system is the stuff of much pricier models, and provides a level of sport-compact attractiveness to go along with the exterior looks, with its ability to play MP3s and plug in external audio devices. It also comes with a 30-gig hard-drive to store CD music to a personal server (accessible as an audio source through radio or steering wheel controls).
It all goes toward forwarding the enjoyment of a ride that is a bit more sporting than many of the Outlander’s competitors. It’s neither harsh nor overly uncomfortable, but it is a bit firmer than expected with some jarring over severe upheavels. The upside is that occupants are subjected to the typical off-roader’s jitteriness.
Power from the 3.0 V6 is sufficient when the Outlander isn’t loaded up, and the variable valve timing system helps return a fairly decent economy figure. The six-speed automatic features sequential shift paddles on the steering column (so they don’t move with the steering wheel), which grants the driver better control over driving enjoyment and fuel economy.
Outlander is a definite driver’s vehicle, encompassing many of the attractive cosmetic and functional features attributed mostly to sport compact coupes. That said, it also suffers from a lot of the space-inhibiting and ride-comfort drawbacks. Definitely not a vehicle for everybody.
Competition: Dodge Nitro; Honda CR-V; Hyundai Santa Fe; Kia Sorrento; Mazda CX-7; Toyota RAV4; Saturn Vue
Strengths: Great looks; sporty ride and handling; good power/economy mix
Weaknesses: Useless third-row bench; constrictive room all around
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