MITSUBISHI’S FACELIFTED AND UPDATED Outlander range has been launched in Australia, offering a bold new look, more advanced drivetrains and a refreshed interior.
The biggest change is, of course, the entirely new front. Now sharing the more aggressive snout of the Lancer (with which it also shares the platform), the new trapezoidal ‘jet fighter’ grille and narrow headlights add a sense of dynamism to the 2010 Outlander’s face.
The bonnet and front quarter panels are entirely new stampings; the wing mirror housings, side skirts and rear bumper are all-new as well.
Seat, door and dashboard trims are also revised for 2010. Extra touches of chrome, double stitching, a new instrument cluster and leather trim on premium models freshen up the cabin of Mitsubishi’s high-riding crossover.
The 2.4 litre MIVEC four cylinder of the outgoing model returns largely unchanged for 2010, producing 125kW of power at 6000rpm and 226Nm of torque at 4100rpm.
The 3.0 litre MIVEC V6 is similar to the engine it replaces, but a low-restriction intake manifold, a higher compression ratio and some camshaft timing tweaks bump power up by 7kW to 169kW, with torque rising from 276Nm to 291Nm.
Mitsubishi’s Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel drive technology is now mated to the 3.0 V6, and features an active front limited-slip differential and the ability to apportion torque between individual wheels to enhance traction.
The 2.4 is available in the LS, XLS and XLS Luxury variants and is paired with a five speed manual or a CVT automatic in the base LS - the CVT being standard in the XLS and XLS Luxury.
The 3.0 comes in VR and VRX guise and is mated to a six-speed automatic as standard. All auto and CVT-equipped Outlanders also get a new-for-2010 Hill Start Assist function, which prevents roll-back when moving off on inclines.
The entry level LS gets air-conditioning, electric windows, remote-control locking, Hill Start Assist and a USB input for the stereo. LS models with the CVT transimission can also be optioned with third row seats, taking total passenger capacity to seven.
XLS variants get all the features of the LS plus 18-inch alloy wheels, Smart Key remote entry, premium cloth trim, climate control, cool/warm box, aluminium pedals, and Bluetooth connectivity.
The XLS Luxury trim level adds unique 18-inch alloy wheels, leather seats, a 710 watt Rockford Fosgate premium stereo, dusk sensing headlamps, auto-on wipers, a sunroof and a reversing camera. Mitsubishi’s MMCS integrated sat-nav system is also available as an option on the XLS Luxury.
The V6-powered VR receives all of the LS model’s equipment plus a set of fog lamps, reverse parking sensors, alloy pedals and improved interior trim. The range-topping VRX model is specced similarly to the XLS Luxury, albeit with MMCS as standard.
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Same engines = FAIL.
Where is the diesel engine? Does the Triton engine not fit?
I like the styling upgrade though.
It looks alright, despite being an Lancer front chopped onto the old Outlander.
Not bad, although I liked the old one better, with the nudge bar the 09 Outlander looked pretty darn good IMO, for a soft roader.
LIke the new front, gives it a more purposeful look.
They’ve bumped the power a bit in the V6 but any word on improved fuel consumption?
I don’t think of Jet Fighter looking at the new face, more Darth Vader really. Equally menacing nevertheless. It is nice to have a sort of Corporate look to it, too may companies have a mix of different looks and change them too often.
My thoughts exactly, Dale. It’s the Mitsubishi version of what Porsche has with the Cayenne.
Not a big fan of the redesigned front. I hope that there is a slight improvement on the fuel consumption. Any pictures on the interior changes?
The new exterior reminds me of the old VR4 days, if Mitsubishi is considering placing a Turbo engine in, please have enough torque down low.
No 7 seats for the XLS, VR & VRX model. I wonder what Mitsubishi were thinking! They only offer the 7 seats on the LS as an option.
A slight improvement on fuel consumption for the V6 model with a return of 10.5 compared to 10.9 on the engine it replaced.
I like the look of the sports steering wheel on the VRX. I wonder why Mitsubishi did not carry the steering wheel to the whole range?
I don’t like the new appearance at all. It looks unfinished, as if some panels are missing. I don’t see anything “assertive” or “aggressive”, and certainly not “inspired by a jet fighter”. It just looks like they forgot to finish it.
It’s a shame really, as the old Outlander was a very pleasant little SUV, apart from the cheap interior plastics.