Mitsubishi Outlander: A competitive gestalt

We weren’t yet halfway to our destination, when my traveling companion threw me a curve. “When I’m ready to sell my Subaru, this might be perfect,” she said, more or less out of the blue. Knowing her love for her aging Impreza, I wondered why she’d consider the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander a worthy successor. Turns out it was more a gestalt than a single thing — or even a flurry of them — and pretty much a blow-by-blow summary of Mitsubishi’s hopes for its all-new compact crossover. A bit player in the U.S. market, Mitsubishi marshals scant resources to leverage its strengths and give buyers more than they expect. Or at least more than what the competition offers. In the case of the 2014 Outlander ($23,820, including destination), that means new sheet metal, a fully redesigned interior, with substantially improved materials, and a hefty standard-gear list that includes seven-passenger seating — a rarity among small crossovers; full power accessories; cruise control; foglamps; heated mirrors; second-row seating that splits, folds, slides and reclines; and tilt-and-telescoping steering. And then there’s fuel efficiency. Extensive use of high-tensile steel produces a 220-pound weight loss, helping the base powerplant, a 168-horsepower 2.4-liter four, achieve lofty EPA ratings of 25 mpg city/31 mpg highway/27 mph combined. With all-wheel-drive, the numbers remain strong at 24/29/26. The optional engine, a 224-hp V-6, which can only be had with AWD, returns 20/28/33, with premium fuel recommended. The small engine is paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT); the six is mated with a conventional six-speed automatic. My companion gave high marks to the redesigned interior, where family friendly functionality trumps luxury-lite. A light color palette and wide-open greenhouse lends a feeling of spaciousness and thoughtfully designed storage cubbies swallow phones and cameras and associated cables, as well as water bottles and coffee mugs. Seats are firm but comfortable and offer enough lumbar support for pain-free road-tripping. We folded both sets of rear seats and crammed the cargo compartment full of camping gear. In other circumstances, seven-passenger seating would have made room for grandchildren. Along with the weight loss, the Outlander gets a more rigid structure, allowing suspension engineers to dial back ride firmness without sacrificing body control. Montana’s serpentine 70-mph backroads provided abundant opportunities for the Outlander to showcase its high-speed handling, a quality my companion found less enchanting than did I. The electric-assist power steering system is responsive, accurate and more communicative than more expensive competitive systems. The CVT is the fly in the particular ointment; a firm foot on the throttle produces that characteristic CVT drone as engine revs struggle to catch up with the transmission ratio. Designed for the fleet and surefooted Evo rally car, Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel-Control (S-AWC) AWD system gives the Outlander better-than-average off-road chops. Around town, the CVT is less annoying than on the road and the Outlander’s revised suspension neutralizes potholed pavement and random railroad crossings. Added sound insulation and improved control of noise, vibration and harshness contribute to impressive cabin tranquility. As a gestalt, it’s not a bad way to go. Don Adair is a Spokane-based freelance writer. Contact him at don@dadair.com. 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4 SE AWD Vehicle base price: $22,995 Trim level base price: $25,795 Options included navigation system; lane-departure warning; forward collision mitigation; adaptive cruise control; sunroof; premium audio system; satellite radio; power driver’s seat; woodgrain interior panels; power remote tailgate; automatic on/off headlights; rain-sensing wipers. EPA ratings: 24 city/29 highway Regular unleaded fuel specified