{"id":2284,"date":"2014-02-02T09:47:40","date_gmt":"2014-02-02T16:47:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rickdebruhl.com\/?p=2284"},"modified":"2014-02-02T09:47:40","modified_gmt":"2014-02-02T16:47:40","slug":"car-review-2014-mitsubishi-outlander","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carcentrick.com\/?p=2284","title":{"rendered":"Car Review: 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mitsubishi is not giving up on America just yet. And they have the 2014 Outlander<\/a> to prove it.<\/p>\n

\"2014<\/a>
2014 Mitsubishi Outlander<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After the Galant and the Eclipse disappeared, people wondered if the end was near for the carmaker.\u00a0Mitsubishi is\u00a0still around. Admittedly, it’s searching for a personality, but the company is here. And the all new Outlander is trying to make a stand.<\/p>\n

Let’s call the Outlander a compact SUV. It’s measurements line up with cars like the Ford Escape and the Kia Sportage. It does have one big advantage that those cars don’t: a third row seat. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not huge. Your adult friends will grumble should you shove them back there. But if you have small kids or just like to know that you can carry seven people in a pinch, the Outlander will deliver.<\/p>\n

There’s one other impressive attribute for the Outlander. It has a great warranty.\u00a0Mitsubishi cover the car for\u00a05 years\/60,000, and the powertrain is covered up to 10 years and 100,000. Kia and Hyundai may equal that, but Mitsubishi does cover rust a bit longer.<\/p>\n

\"2014<\/a>
New Look for the Outlander<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So let’s talk about the car. It’s all new for 2014. Mitsubishi has softened up the looks of the front end. Gone is the big gaping snout. The old look didn’t bother me and it was distinctive. Having said that, the new look is more refined and less likely to turn off potential buyers.<\/p>\n

\"Mitsubishi<\/a>
Mitsubishi 3.0 Liter V6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mitsubishi has done some major work to the engine. Horsepower is actually down, but fuel mileage is up. You have your choice of two engines. The 2.4 liter 4-cylinder\u00a0delivers 166 horsepower. Not overly impressive, but the mileage is great. You’ll get 25 mpg\u00a0in the city and 31 mpg on the highway with a combined rating of 27. The second choice is a 3.0 liter V6 that bumps the power up to 223 horses. There is a price to pay. While the high mileage is only slightly lower at 28 mpg. The combined number drops to 23 mpg. My test car had the V6. It was enough, although nothing to get excited about. At least the mileage makes up for the power in the 4-cylinder. Incidentally, the V6 requires premium fuel.<\/p>\n

\"Mitsubishi<\/a>
Is This Different Enough?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can get an all-wheel version that has an ECO mode. It will only send power to two wheels under normal conditions, and when the road gets slippery it will automatically kick into all wheel drive. That allows it to get better mileage. It’s available on the Outlander SE and\u00a0the top\u00a0of the line\u00a0GT.<\/p>\n

The Outlander\u00a0has a Lane Departure Warning\u00a0system that uses an onboard camera to make sure you’re not\u00a0driving outside the lines.\u00a0It also has a Forward Collision Mitigation (apparently they think “mitigation” sounds sexy)\u00a0system that\u00a0can help you avoid accidents by automatically hitting the\u00a0brakes, if necessary. While I thought the lane control was just a bit touchy, I was impressed with the forward collision system (not that I almost hit anyone…).<\/p>\n

\"Mitsubishi<\/a>
Outlander Dash is Simple but Effective<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Inside, the new Outlander is nicer than the last model. Personally, I really liked the dash. It has a nice simplicity about it. It’s not trying to overwhelm you with space age design. The layout made sense. The faux wood trim gave it a nice look.<\/p>\n

\"Mitsubishi<\/a>
Check Out That Third Row in the Outlander I<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Base price for the Outlander is $22,995. For that money you get the 166 horsepower ES model. My test car was the GT S-AWD model that started at $27,795 and stickered closer to $34,000 with options.<\/p>\n

Mitsubishi needs to find\u00a0a niche. It’s not enough to be a good car. When you’re the runt of the litter you need to give people a reason to search you out. Some folks are always looking for something different, and the Mitsubishi Outlander will deliver a different grill than all their neighbors are driving. But is that enough? I guess Mitsubishi is about to find out.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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