Mitsubishi Outlander Review: 2015 XLS Seven-seat 4WD CVT Petrol
What's Hot: Much improved CVT auto, quiet and comfy on-road, standout styling.
What's Not: Inadequate front-passenger legroom, fuel consumption not the best.
X-FACTOR: Family friendly seven-seat capability in a comfortable, easy-driving, light duty SUV.
Vehicle style: Medium SUV
Price: $36,490
Engine/trans: 124kW/220Nm 2.4 litre petrol | 6spd (virtual ratios) CVT.
Fuel consumption claimed: 7.0 l/100km on 91RON unleaded | tested: 10.5 l/100km.
OVERVIEW
It's not often in the motoring business that just two weeks after its debut at a major international motor show, a new car arrives in Australia.
This is exactly what has happened with Mitsubishi's Outlander SUV.
The medium-large SUV had its global unveiling at the New York Auto Show, and, a couple of weeks later, here it is.
It's a bit over a decade since the first Outlander was launched in this country and, since then, the car has established itself as a solid, if unspectacular, performer.
It sits mid-pack in the segment among a huge selection of competing petrol and diesel models - a growing number of which offer seven seats.
In the case of the Outlander, there are three variants - LS (in both 2WD and 4WD versions), XLS (with the same driveline choice) and the top-spec Exceed which is a four-paw-only vehicle.
Only the XLS and the Exceed are available as diesels. All petrol variants have a continuously variable transmission while the diesel is mated with a six-speed automatic.
For this test, we drovee the mid-spec XLS petrol.
THE INTERIOR | RATING: 3.5/5
- Digital audio, Bluetooth with voice command and steering-wheel controls
- Colour LCD display, satellite navigation
- Reversing camera and reverse sensors
- LED daytime running lights and rear lights, front-and-rear fog lights
- Automatic headlights and wipers
- Cruise control
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
- Dual zone air-conditioning
- Cargo blind and 18-inch alloy wheels
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