The 2016
Mitsubishi Outlander has done just that.
Thoroughly
redesigned and improved for the 2016 model year – more than 100 tweaks, according
to Mitsubishi engineers – the reasonably-priced Outlander is stuffed with
standard features covering all bases, from safety to cruising comfort.
My tester was
the higher-end 2016 Outlander 3.0 GT S-AWC … That last part stands for
Super All-Wheel Control, by the way.
Kind of self-explanatory.
This Outlander GT, which means you get the 3-liter V-6 making a max 224 horsepower,
started at a reasonable $30,995. Remember,
this is a three-row, up-to-seven-passengers SUV.
Naturally, the
tester was dressed up with around $3,300 in extras that included a top-notch
navigation system, a forward collision-mitigation system, adaptive cruise control
and a lane-departure warning system.
Nice to have
these things, but frankly, I’d be OK with the standard package. For the record, this 2016 Outlander not only was
awarded the max five-star safety rating from the federal government, it was a
“Top Safety Pick” of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
If I listed
all the standard features, this would have to be a two-part review. The tester was liberally loaded with perks
that included leather interior appointments, under-floor cargo/storage area, a
power/remote liftgate and heated exterior mirrors.
The exterior
look has been jazzed up, with aggressive, sporty styling, especially on the front
end.
But the best
news was in the driving: The tested Outlander was stronger, smoother and much
quieter than Outlanders I’ve tested in past years.
Mitsubishi
touted thicker door glass and more use of sound-insulation materials. The ride also is enhanced by a more-rigid
body structure. Consequently, the
Outlander was a silky freeway cruiser, and it was agile in downtown traffic
when I wanted to hustle to my next appointment.
Fuel mileage
with the V-6 comes in at an OK 20 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on
the highway.
Some auto-reviewing
colleagues complained that the 224-horsepower V-6 was not powerful enough
for their tastes. I found the power
plant more than adequate in virtually all driving situations. The engine did strain on extremely steep hill
climbs, but that just puts the Outlander in a very large group.
Simply put,
the Outlander bumps up from a previous “B” grade to an “A-minus” with all the
changes. Translation: It competes well
among the crossovers.
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