• Polite Outlander will see you

    by  • January 11, 2012 • Car Reviews, Test Drives

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    2011 Mitsubishi Outlander exterior

    You don’t really realise just how big the Mitsubishi Outlander is until you go to park it

    It’s not every car that says goodbye to you when you turn off its engine but the Mitsubishi Outlander does just that with its quirky ‘See You’ on the display panel.

    A little quirk like that is not really what you’d expect from a big authorative looking vehicle like the Outlander but it’s a nice touch all the same (it doesn’t say hello to you when you turn on the engine though).

    The Outlander is one big car. Officially a seven-seater, there are five main seats with two cleverly hidden in the boot – they fold out of the floor and click into place.

    While leg room in the front is massive and the second row is practically in their own time zone, the extra seats in the massive boot are strictly the territory of the smallies, unless you like sitting cross-legged.

    2011 Mitsubishi Outlander interior

    The Mitsubishi Outlander boasts an excellent sound system

    The interior, cloth with leatherette trim in the vehicle I was driving, is definitely more a driver’s
    paradise, although the Outlander does boast an excellent sound system, which includes MP3 and USB.

    Cruise control, Hill Start Assist, Bluetooth, autolights and folding electric mirrors are just some of the features which come as standard in the Irish spec.

    In the model I was driving there was a choice of 2-wheel drive, 4-wheel drive or Lock 4-wheel.

    The six-speed auto also offers a choice of drive modes – normal, sport and manual paddle gears.

    I preferred the auto sports mode because I though it offered the smoothest gear change.

    The Outlander handles really well and you’re not conscious of how big the car is until you try to park it.

    Rear parking sensors are not as standard but I would recommend them – supermarket parking with a wall to the rear was not my idea of fun.

    It does have very good visibility though.

    I was very impressed with the way the SUV handles in tight spots, namely my narrow, at an angle and on a slope driveway, nice, smooth manoeuvering.

    Overall, I found the Outlander to be a big, comfortable, sturdy car that’s lovely to drive and can really go in normal as well as sport mode.

    I also really liked that it gave you the option of driving in 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive.

    The Mitsubishi Outlander is available in three 2.2l diesel models – 2WD manual, 4WD manual and 4 WD Automatic, with prices starting from €36,544 for the 2WD manual. The model I was driving, the 4WD automatic, cost from €41,673.

    Tech Spec
    Engine: 2.2L DiD 4 Wheel Drive Automatic
    Transmission: Automatic SST
    Acceleration: 0-100kph in 11.1s
    Maximum Speed: 198kph
    Combined fuel consumption: 7.2l l/100km
    CO2 emissions: 189g/km
    Annual road tax: €677

    A version of this article first appeared in Metro Herald