The Far-out Mitsubishi

With the exception of the Lancer Evolution rally car, Mitsubishi’s small SUV must be the most inspired, locally available design to come out in a decade. The high beltline, the flaring grille, the swelling flanks don’t scream "Look at me" as much as "You got a problem, punk?". I like it, and a good number of friends liked it, too. No one likes the steep P1.270M asking price, of course, but that’s just how it is with the new taxation scheme. The Outlander is quite late to the small SUV party, and it will be interesting to see how it will fare against heavy hitters like the Nissan X-Trail, the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, the Toyota RAV4, and even the Subaru Forester.

I have no idea why the ads bill it as something for the urban jungle or whatever, because all one really needs in the city is a car like the company’s Lancer sedan. Or perhaps a Hummer H2 if you have too many enemies to count this coming election season. As a multipurpose vehicle in the same class as the CR-V and RAV4, of course, the Outlander is better in some respects, at par in others, and deficient in some more. There’s noticeably more legroom in the back than with the RAV4, for example. The cabin fabrics, resins, and plastics are top of the class in quality feel. Cockpit design is also simply wonderful.

That 60s-inspired dash, that Batmobile-esque instrument binnacle, that circular motif with the a/c vents and analog clock, everything apart from the stereo works harmoniously for a cutting-edge, pseudo-retro ambience that won’t look dated several years into its product life-cycle. So you can’t afford a BMW X5 with its high-zoot cockpit? Try out the Outlander; it’ll make you feel almost as good just sitting behind the small, leather-wrapped steering wheel. I miss the darn thing already.

On the other hand, it’s not that versatile as an SUV. The rear seatback, for example, only split folds 60:40; this at a time when a hot SUV like the Nissan X-Trail has those nifty flat-folding seats. Attempt to load a bike or two in the back and you’ll find there’s not enough headroom to clear the saddle; not a problem in other SUVs. Neither is there enough space to stow them without removing the wheels, which is not a problem with the Honda CR-V. Okay, okay, real Outlander buyers would get a roof rack as well. But that just goes to show you that cargo space wasn’t very high on the designers’ list of priorities. The spare tire is also stowed under the floor, cleaning up the rear hatch but at the expense of usable cargo space. Right. Shut up and drive the thing already.

And it drives very well, thank you very much. The first thing one will notice is the uncannily smooth steering. Quick to turn-in but with just enough heft, and with just enough road feedback to tell you how much traction you’ve got, it is better than the Lancer’s. Even better than the Honda Accord’s, actually. It’s almost as good as a BMW’s, even. It’s a very nice and communicative steering system that shouldn’t be described as "car-like" because it’s actually better than a lot of cars’.

Of course, steering feel hardly defines an automobile, but it does provide a very pleasant introduction to what the rest of the car can do. With only 136PS from the large 2.4-liter engine, it’s down a couple of horses from the CR-V and RAV4, but the Mitsubishi likes to play anyway. Large displacement pays off in the form of a not-unsubstantial 21 Kg-m of torque at a low 2,500 rpm. The result is eager acceleration off the line and immediate throttle response.

The only available transmission is a 4-speed automatic with INVECS II programming and the nifty Sportronic manual mode. I must be old-fashioned if I consistently insist that pure manual transmissions are the way to go for power transfer and control, but the 4-speed in this one makes a convincing argument. "Drive" makes the Outlander a comfortable cruiser in traffic, but the Sportronic mode really delivers when it’s time to make like a World Rally Champion out in the hills and mountains.

Nudge the shifter forward for upshifts and backward for downshifts; go ahead and bang off successive downshifts if you want. The computer smoothly does the work, never over revving or over torqueing the wheels. I doubt I could shift so quickly and smoothly with a real manual transmission. Pity the action’s a bit counter-intuitive. I would prefer forward for downshifts (as your body moves forward from decelerations) and backward for upshifts (as you’re pushed back in the seat from accelerations). Maybe inertia works differently where Outlanders are made.

In any case, there is no other way to enjoy the all-wheel drive of this Mitsubishi than to throw it around a fast set of curves. The full-time system balances torque between the front and rear wheels, and it’s most apparent when you find yourself digging deeper into the throttle in the hairpins rather than laying off it. Anybody up for some power slides? Not that we actually condone such driving on public roads, mind you.

Truthfully, we never really did such a stunt, but this car-based SUV can do it given the right mix of curves and insanity. The Lancer-based suspension is also up to the task of hauling butt on dirt roads. We saw 90 kph on the unpaved roads of San Juan, Batangas before I lost my nerve and risked the ire of the locals with all the dust I was raising. All without a misstep from the all-wheel drive, pare. There is some body roll as a consequence of relatively soft but supple suspension tuning, though. It is perhaps a concession to saner drivers who don’t relish speedy driving like I do. Still, this is a very nice driver’s platform, with little slack in its responses and just enough shock and rebound control to keep the pace up without being choppy.

So it’s a shame that brake feel is sub-par. The front discs and rear drums are supplemented with ABS, but the pedal is mushy and inconsistent with the rest of the chassis’ dynamism. There’s also some brake fade after repeated, hard use. Brakes aside, the Outlander’s appeal lies in its driving character. Naturally, it has all the power and safety features one would expect for its price, like dual airbags, power everything, a premium stereo, headlamp washers...that sort of stuff. It’s not a better multi-purpose vehicle than what’s already out there, but as a sports wagon masquerading as an SUV, the Outlander has real teeth behind that flaring grille.