Mitsubishi Outlander has launched a special edition of its premium SUV, the Outlander. Last month, Mitsubishi sold 33 units of the Outlander while on an average, the Japanese automaker has been selling around 44 Outlanders in 2011. A diesel engine is what could revive the sales of the Mitsubishi Outlander and offering such special edition bits won’t matter much. The CR-V has been doing similar numbers at the Mitsubishi Outlander.The Outlander has four-wheel drive which the Honda lacks
Our Mitsubishi Outlander Black Outlander Sport has All-Wheel Control with 2WD/4WD/LOCK modes for when you want to save gas (2WD), when you want to let the vehicle sort out the traction (4WD), and LOCK for when the road gets ugly or disappears under snow. On the geek side, the Outlander Sport uses a smart charging system to charge the battery when coasting or braking. "Sport" in this instance may be what a condescending bigger brother calls his sibling.
This week’s 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander test vehicle may not be the flashiest vehicle on the road, but it gets major kudos for passing pretty much every challenge posed by The Annual Camping Trip."
There are three Outlander trim levels available, with my tester being the entry-level ES with four-wheel drive.
Search available options for the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander
The downside is that the Outlander’s ride quality suffers. The driver and front passenger seats are pretty good (including over extended trips), but road imperfections are even more pronounced in the rock-hard second row seats.
The Outlander ES forgoes the XLS trim’s full-time “Super All-Wheel Control” for the non-super “All-Wheel Control”, which is activated manually by the driver via a knob behind the shifter.
Though I don’t have a chance to thoroughly test its abilities, it’s worth noting the vehicle can be changed to “four-wheel drive” and “lock” mode any time those unpredictable situations arise.
Compared to popular models from Honda and Toyota, however, the older Outlander models offered less interior space, and their breathless four-cylinder engines failed to live up to Mitsubishi's sporting image.
Current Mitsubishi Outlander
The Outlander is available in four trim levels: ES, SE, XLS and GT. Outlander ES and SE models are powered by a 168-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder, while the XLS and GT receive a 230-hp 3.0-liter V6. All Outlander trims are available with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive.
The Outlander XLS gets a Fuse hands-free link system, a third-row seat, automatic climate control, chrome accents in the cabin and voice-activated Bluetooth phone connectivity. Many options are grouped into packages and include a sunroof, the upgraded audio system, a hard-drive-based navigation system with real-time traffic updates, leather upholstery, front seat heaters and a power driver seat. A rear-seat entertainment system is a stand-alone option.
Used Mitsubishi Outlander Models
Debuting for 2007, the latest (second-generation) Mitsubishi Outlander introduced a few key attributes that the original lacked, namely V6 power, a third-row seat and additional cargo room. For 2008 Mitsubishi added the SE trim and the current car's four-cylinder engine. The first-generation Outlander was sold from 2003-'06. Throughout the first-generation Outlander's run, both front-wheel-drive and AWD versions were offered.
In addition to the LS and the XLS trims, Mitsubishi added a high-line Outlander Limited trim in 2005, with unique interior and exterior trim enhancements as well as leather seating. Models prior to 2006 reserved those safety features for premium models, making older LS-trim Mitsubishi Outlander less desirable for used car buyers.