Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi may have been doing roaring business back in the early 2000s, but the Northward trajectory of Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices and a lacklustre model lineup had hit the brand hard, slowing sales down to a trickle.
But as a sign of better days to come and a statement of commitment to each other, Cycle & Carriage recently restarted passenger car sales at the refurbished Mitsubishi showroom in early October.
The new lineup now features four models, with the new seven-seater Outlander SUV you see here. The other offerings in its stable include the Lancer EX and Attrage sedans as well as the ASX compact SUV.
Flown in direct from Mitsubishi's factory in Nagoya, Japan, the 2.4-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated Outlander is Mitsubishi's third generation model. It is currently the only variant of the SUV offered here, although an electric plug-in variant is expected to feature next year.
But as a sign of better days to come and a statement of commitment to each other, Cycle & Carriage recently restarted passenger car sales at the refurbished Mitsubishi showroom in early October.
The new lineup now features four models, with the new seven-seater Outlander SUV you see here. The other offerings in its stable include the Lancer EX and Attrage sedans as well as the ASX compact SUV.
Flown in direct from Mitsubishi's factory in Nagoya, Japan, the 2.4-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated Outlander is Mitsubishi's third generation model. It is currently the only variant of the SUV offered here, although an electric plug-in variant is expected to feature next year.
Exterior
Aesthetically, the new Outlander maintains the same muscular stance as its predecessor but with notable updates. Instead of the distinctive fighter jet front grille, the car gains a more urban, twin blade horizontal grille that sits flush with the bonnet's edge. Complementing this 'softer' more cosmopolitan look is a sloping roofline that's not unlike what you'd find in a car like the Volkswagen Touareg.
Other elements that blend the Outlander's masculinity with the urban environment it's intended for include the 18-inch alloys it wears, silver roof rails, silver skid plates, black wheel arches and LED combination tail lamps.
At 4,655mm long, 1,810mm wide and 1,680mm tall, the new Outlander is similarly proportioned as before. Contrary to its generous size when regarded from the outside, it drives like a much smaller, niftier car until the need to parallel park or negotiate manoeuvres in a confined space. But with the help of the reverse camera that's equipped as standard, such situations can be easily managed.
Aesthetically, the new Outlander maintains the same muscular stance as its predecessor but with notable updates. Instead of the distinctive fighter jet front grille, the car gains a more urban, twin blade horizontal grille that sits flush with the bonnet's edge. Complementing this 'softer' more cosmopolitan look is a sloping roofline that's not unlike what you'd find in a car like the Volkswagen Touareg.
Other elements that blend the Outlander's masculinity with the urban environment it's intended for include the 18-inch alloys it wears, silver roof rails, silver skid plates, black wheel arches and LED combination tail lamps.
At 4,655mm long, 1,810mm wide and 1,680mm tall, the new Outlander is similarly proportioned as before. Contrary to its generous size when regarded from the outside, it drives like a much smaller, niftier car until the need to parallel park or negotiate manoeuvres in a confined space. But with the help of the reverse camera that's equipped as standard, such situations can be easily managed.
Interior
On the inside, the Outlander retains its time-tested formula of a comfortable albeit simple cabin. A mixture of soft-touch fabrics and hard plastics have been used to great effect, with many of the key touch points padded to give off a (subtle) sense of refinement. Apart from the driver, passengers will hardly notice the dull hard plastic thuds that sound whenever you shift gears.
What said passenger(s) will realise is the spaciousness of the interior. An adjustable second row helps ensure taller passengers get comfortable with extra legroom. The same can't be said about the rather cramped third row, which is better left for pets, little tykes or conveniently folded down for 591 litres of boot space, which can be easily accessed from an automated tailgate.
On the inside, the Outlander retains its time-tested formula of a comfortable albeit simple cabin. A mixture of soft-touch fabrics and hard plastics have been used to great effect, with many of the key touch points padded to give off a (subtle) sense of refinement. Apart from the driver, passengers will hardly notice the dull hard plastic thuds that sound whenever you shift gears.
What said passenger(s) will realise is the spaciousness of the interior. An adjustable second row helps ensure taller passengers get comfortable with extra legroom. The same can't be said about the rather cramped third row, which is better left for pets, little tykes or conveniently folded down for 591 litres of boot space, which can be easily accessed from an automated tailgate.
Once you get settled, the Outlander's cabin feels more like that of a luxury sedan than an SUV. At cruising speeds, the car cocoons you like a sleep pod, insulating so well against road noise and tyre roar, one won't even notice the speed.
The only complaint here, though, is when you hit a speed hump a little too quickly. Unexpectedly for a high-riding SUV, the firmly sprung shock absorbers don't quite soak up the imperfections in the road the way you'd expect it to, which can have jarring consequences like waking the sleeping baby.
The only complaint here, though, is when you hit a speed hump a little too quickly. Unexpectedly for a high-riding SUV, the firmly sprung shock absorbers don't quite soak up the imperfections in the road the way you'd expect it to, which can have jarring consequences like waking the sleeping baby.
The Drive
At the heart of the Outlander is Mitsubishi's 2.4-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder MIVEC engine that's paired to an upgraded INVECS-III CVT gearbox. This lets the car make 165bhp with 222Nm of torque and power it from nought to 100km/h in a relaxed 11.2 seconds before going on to a top speed of 195km/h.
Contrary to what these numbers suggest, the new Outlander offers a sprightly drive, although it is best eased to speed in order to achieve a fuel return that's not too far off the published 12.8km/L. However, should there be any urgency, the large paddle shifters behind the steering will allow you to manually work the gearbox's six speeds.
However, while the car does have four-wheel drive for improved traction and handles well on the road, it still dishes out a fair amount of body roll when you take a corner and noticeable steering vagueness when driven at speed.
At the heart of the Outlander is Mitsubishi's 2.4-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder MIVEC engine that's paired to an upgraded INVECS-III CVT gearbox. This lets the car make 165bhp with 222Nm of torque and power it from nought to 100km/h in a relaxed 11.2 seconds before going on to a top speed of 195km/h.
Contrary to what these numbers suggest, the new Outlander offers a sprightly drive, although it is best eased to speed in order to achieve a fuel return that's not too far off the published 12.8km/L. However, should there be any urgency, the large paddle shifters behind the steering will allow you to manually work the gearbox's six speeds.
However, while the car does have four-wheel drive for improved traction and handles well on the road, it still dishes out a fair amount of body roll when you take a corner and noticeable steering vagueness when driven at speed.
Conclusion
The Mitsubishi Outlander may not come with the rip-roaring performance its sports sedans are known for, or the dynamic drive characteristics its looks may suggest, but it is a neatly crafted everyday SUV that's happiest working day-to-day in the city.
For the $145,999 (as of 6th Nov 2014) you'd have pay to drive away with it, it's impossible to ignore the value you'd be getting: a car for seven, exemplary levels of interior refinement, and an extensive list of features like automatic headlights, wipers, keyless entry, cruise control, automatic start-stop and a touchscreen infotainment system.
Will the new Outlander help Mitsubishi on to its glory days? Most certainly.
The Mitsubishi Outlander may not come with the rip-roaring performance its sports sedans are known for, or the dynamic drive characteristics its looks may suggest, but it is a neatly crafted everyday SUV that's happiest working day-to-day in the city.
For the $145,999 (as of 6th Nov 2014) you'd have pay to drive away with it, it's impossible to ignore the value you'd be getting: a car for seven, exemplary levels of interior refinement, and an extensive list of features like automatic headlights, wipers, keyless entry, cruise control, automatic start-stop and a touchscreen infotainment system.
Will the new Outlander help Mitsubishi on to its glory days? Most certainly.
