TAKE A DIFFERENT ROAD
OUTLANDER
REFLECTING YOURSELF
On the one hand you relish adventure – you appreciate the joy of an open road and the lure of an empty track. On the other hand you acknowledge the practical side of life – the frequent, sometimes tedious need to transport a number of people and varying amounts of kit from point A to point B as
safely as possible. Reflecting your attitude to life, the Mitsubishi Outlander ensures that the demands of an active family no longer mean that you must sacrifice your fun on wheels. ”Practical, comfortable, attractive and good to drive”, the highly-respected motoring independent, Parkers, rates
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the Outlander just half a star short of perfect. And, unlike so many of its kind, this is one SUV which doesn’t simply look the part – it is genuinely accomplished when you elect to venture off the beaten track.
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GREEN MACHINE
In an Outlander you can have your fun with a clear conscience, for this is one SUV which doesn’t ride roughshod over your respect for the planet. It’s a car which will seat seven on the school run yet its footprint is smaller than that of most family estates. In normal road conditions it operates in two-wheel
drive so its average fuel consumption is on a par with that of an ordinary family saloon and its emission levels are remarkably respectable for a seven-seater SUV. Furthermore, although it provides all the big-car protection you are looking for, it has been designed to do so in such a way
as to minimize injury to pedestrians or damage to vehicles lighter than itself. In fact, it’s so lean, green and responsible that even The Independent newspaper agrees that this Outlander is “the acceptable face of SUV-ism”.
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NATURALLY IT’S THE BEST-LOOKING SUV
The Outlander is neither a butch off-roader nor a jackedup estate; it’s an SUV with attitude. Quintessentially Japanese, its handsome lines are clean and clear of gimmicks, making it one of the best looking cars of its kind. From the front it is chunky and purposeful, clearly inspired by the 2002 Pajero Evolution concept car. From the side the combination of a rising waistline, downward sloping roof whose curves are echoed in the rear spoiler, and slash-back
rear windows give an illusion of perpetual forward motion. From the rear its solid stance is softened by wrap-around lights and tailgate glass, a distinctive design unhampered by an external spare wheel. The Outlander has no need for window-dressing for it has nothing to prove – with seventy years expertise in manufacturing 4x4 vehicles Mitsubishi are simply doing what comes naturally.
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SIGNATURE STYLE
Dynamic and athletic the Outlander’s bold, signature ‘Mount Fuji’ grille is flanked by piercing headlamps – a clear visual link with Mitsubishi’s stable of 4x4s, the Shogun and the L200 pick up.
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AN ATHLETE ON ASPHALT
The Independent newspaper really likes the Outlander: “agile, natural and car-like”; Auto Express magazine agrees: “a compact SUV that’s not only good to drive, but should prove great to live with”. You’ll like it too, for on the road the Outlander is far more of an athlete than you can reasonably expect of any SUV – after all the high ground clearance and raised seating position of a 4x4 are not normally conducive to a sporty drive. But Mitsubishi’s
aim was to lower the centre of gravity (thus reducing body roll) and enhance the steering response without resorting to stiffer suspension, since this rarely makes for a comfortable ride. One solution was a lightweight aluminium roof. This is a trick borrowed from that supreme master of precision handling, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, and it is three times more effective in lowering the centre of gravity than utilising lightweight materials for any other body part.
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A taut body, wide tracks and a chassis specifically designed for sporty handling also play a significant part in the Outlander’s fine driving, as does the positive, well-weighted steering, re-engineered for Europe where drivers demand greater feedback. And, to cap it all, the Outlander’s braking and four-wheel independent suspension systems have also been tried and tested in the Lancer Evolution, so it will come as no surprise to learn that the former provide impressive bite and good, progressive pedal feel whilst the latter has been tuned for a smoother, more forgiving ride.
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POWERING ALONG
Not only is the Outlander a genuine driver’s car, it also offers a choice of power. Equippe, Warrior and Elegance models are all available with a punchy 2.0 litre, 16v, direct injection diesel engine with a variable geometry turbo charger and an advanced fuel injection system – a pump-jet system which works at the highest operating pressures to give higher power and torque values with lower emissions and fuel consumption. The proof is in the numbers – impressive fuel economy averaging in excess of 40 mpg and CO2 emissions in the lowest VED band of
any seven-seater SUV. Maximum torque is achieved at just 1750 rpm and the engine pulls well throughout the rev range through a precise, six-speed manual transmission to give a spritely time of 10.8 seconds for the 0-62 mph dash and a top speed of 116 mph where allowed.
Of course, if you desire more low-down punch the equally sophisticated and even more powerful 154 bhp, 2.2 litre diesel unit utilised in the Diamond model will be the engine for you. An impressive 280 lb.ft. of torque is
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available at just 2000 rpm, allowing you to pull away effortlessly in any gear whilst cutting almost a second off the 0-62 mph time and adding 8 mph to the Outlander’s top speed.
But if petrol is your fuel of choice the 2.4 Elegance CVT Automatic provides the ultimate answer. Equipped with Mitsubishi’s variable valve timing system this is a smooth performer made even smoother by the CVT automatic system with which it is partnered. CVT – Continuously Variable
Transmission – does exactly what its name implies, it provides an infinite number of ratios and so continuously changes the relationship of the engine speed to the vehicle speed. You never hear or feel the transmission shift, it simply raises and lowers the engine speed as necessary, calling up higher revs for better acceleration, and lower revs for better fuel economy whilst cruising. Of course, since there may be times when you really want to stamp your own authority, six factory programmed ratios provide you with a sports-shift style manual override.
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