Review: 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander

The all-new Mitsubishi Outlander looks like an executive limousine with its classy appearance and sharp lines. Yet it's equally ready to get your family on vacation or footy practice. The best of both worlds!

INITIAL IMPRESSION

The all-new Mitsubishi Outlander looks and feels like it ticks all the right boxes: smart looking, classy, futuristic yet familiar and of course, with seven seats. That makes the Outlander perfect for the whole family, while you can also rock up with it for a work meeting or carry a new piece of furniture in the trunk. It has the looks, the goods and the right price tag to match. Time to see how it drives!

DRIVEABILITY

The new Outlander also has a new engine: a 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder that puts out 135kw of power & 245Nm of torque. Plenty to get around town or get up and going on the highway. It's not the most powerful unit, but also doesn't slack behind. Thanks to the CVT gearbox, you can rest assured there is always power on hand when you need it and no wrong gearing is used. For the size of the car, the engine is also extremely fuel efficient with a usage of 8.1L/100km.

LIVEABILITY

The classy looks are evident on the inside of the all-new Mitsubishi Outlander. Especially in the combination we drove, with the dark interior and stitched leather seats. The fully digital dash shows you all the information you need in the blink of an eye, while the 9.0-inch infotainment screen does everything else. From Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to digital radio or navigation, it's all included.

An interesting new feature is the gear lever, which required a bit of getting used to as you don't really switch it into gear as much as you push it to the right position, but once you get the hang of it you can see the advantages - plus it looks cool. The same goes for the driving mode dial, which allows the Outlander to go off the beaten path and gives you more comfort when driving in harsh conditions.

As expected every passenger can expect all the creature comforts like air vents, cup holders and charging ports, even on the third row. With the third row up though, the boot space is limited to 167 litres.  In 5 seater mode, boot capacity increases to 478 litres.  Drop all seats and you've got a massive 1461 litres, more than you'll ever need.

COST

There are five variants of the new Mitsubishi Outlander, starting with the entry-level ES 2WD as five seater for just under $35k before on-road costs. If you want the seven seater version, you've got to add $1000, where AWD costs an additional $1500.

The next step up is the LS, which comes with the same options for anything between just under $40k to just over that amount. It does have seven seats as standard and you gain a leather wrapped steering wheel and gear selector next to keyless entry and some safety technology.

In the middle, we find the Aspire, all in the low $40k, which gets you the upgraded 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and heads-up display.

Another trim level is the Exceed, in the mid-upper 40k's, which boosts tri-zone climate control and a 10-speaker Bose sound system next to a panoramic sunroof.

The top-of-the-line Outlander is the Exceed Tourer, which sits just under $50k. In this one you'll get leather and massaging front seats.

Standard safety equipment includes autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, traffic-sign recognition, and eight airbags, including one between the front seats to prevent occupants' heads colliding in a side-impact collision.

The Outlander comes standard with 10 year/unlimited kilometre Mitsubishi factory warranty with 5 Years/60,000km Capped Price Servicing for just $199 per visit, after which it goes up to $499 per visit.

CONCLUSION

The all-new Mitsubishi Outlander solidifies the flagship SUV as a vehicle that can boost both a classy appearance, with practical use.  With Seven seats, the latest safety technology in abundance and an engine that won't let you down when traveling from sport club to music class or on a long road trip to your favourite holiday destination.  The Mitsubishi Outlander has it all and above all it comes with a very pretty price tag. The perfect combination!