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Mitsubishi Outlander (2010 - 2012)

KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Andy Enright

Introductionword count: 132

Mitsubishi is a company that has long been full of hits, misses and maybes. In a way that makes it one of the more interesting car manufacturers for industry observers to follow because you're never quite sure whether their next product is going to be brilliant like the Lancer Evo or the Shogun or, well, something different. One car that caught most of us on the hop with its excellence was the Mitsubishi Outlander, a relatively compact but 7-seater family-sized SUV. The first generation version showed promise, but was too gawky and not well enough finished to make a big impact with British buyers. The second generation car was a revelation and when this model was facelifted in 2010, it became really good. Here's how to track down a decent used example.

Modelsword count: 6

5dr family 4x4 (2.2 diesel [Juro])

Historyword count: 190

The original Outlander was a car that came to market just as the SUV market really took off in the UK and also at a time when offerings from Nissan, Land Rover, Honda and Toyota massively upped their games. It was therefore left a little behind the curve, but Mitsubishi played catch up very well with the second generation Outlander that arrived in 2007. This was far bigger, much more handsome, better finished inside and also became very keenly priced. In a partnership deal with Peugeot and Citroen, Outlanders were restyled and badged as the Peugeot 4007 and the Citroen C-Crosser. After a slow start, when Mitsubishi didn't really get the pricing and equipment balance quite right, the Outlander 's sales really picked up and it was soon outselling the French cars quite comfortably. The model we look at here was introduced in 2010, and it rationalised the range to one variant, refreshed the styling to give it an Evo-look nose, introduced a clever SST twin-clutch gearbox and boosted the specification. It continued in this form through to the Autumn of 2012 when it was replaced by an all-new model.

What You Getword count: 388

The styling of older Outlanders always used to be aligned with Mitsubishi off-road products like the Shogun family 4x4 and the L200 pick-up. This one though, shares its look with the smaller and more dynamic ASX crossover model which, in turn, bases its front end on the 'jet fighter' nose the brand first used on its Lancer Evolution rally-replica. So it's a more purposeful approach that makes this car appear lower and more planted on the road. And it's one complemented by a smarter front skidplate, chrome bezels for the front foglamps and restyled side sills. At the wheel, it's all very neat and well built, if essentially unmemorable, and in true Mitsubishi style, feels built to last. But this is a car for families, so let's look a little further back. Certainly, the Outlander's 7-seater capacity will continue to prove a big draw. The 'Hide & Seat' third row is big enough for smaller children but will only suit consenting adults if they're not too fussy - or hefty - and the journey is quite short. If you are sat back here though, you'll appreciate the neatness of this clever switch system that automatically folds the seat in front of you for ease of exit - or for when you're trying to reconfigure the boot layout. There should certainly be no complaints about space in the middle row. Legroom is excellent, even for taller passengers, especially if you choose to extend that further by using the backwards and forwards sliding mechanism. Here, the seats are mounted higher than those in the front so that children can get a good view out but this does restrict headroom a little and may be a problem if you're over six feet tall. Just as well that they recline too, for greater comfort on longer journeys. As for the boot, well a split tailgate, capable of supporting 200kg, provides easy access to a 541-litre space, which can be extended to a vast 1691-litres with the second row of seats folded away flat into the floor. That's enough to swallow a couple of mountain bikes whole, despite a vehicle footprint smaller than that of most family estates. Plus there are at least 20 storage compartments dotted around the car. Plenty of room, in other words, for all the paraphernalia of family life.

To see the full road test text contact us on 0330 0020 227

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Scoring (subset of scores)

Category: Crossover or SUV 4x4s

Performance
70%
Handling
70%
Comfort
70%
Space
80%
Styling, Build, Value, Equipment, Depreciation, Handling, Insurance and Total scores are available with our full data feed.

This is an excerpt from our full review.
To access the full content library please contact us on 0330 0020 227 or click here

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