When you advised your mates that you just have been excited to drive a four-banger, three-row household SUV, they’d be baffled. And but, the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed Tourer is a surprisingly sensible automotive to drive, with fashionable luxuries and a humble price ticket.
The Outlander, usually, is a major enchancment over the past technology, nevertheless it hasn’t outgrown the Japanese marque’s off-roading roots. As Mitsubishi’s mid-size SUV, it’s designed to seat 5 adults, with two youngsters within the third row.
It sits between the Eclipse Cross and the droopy-taillight Pajero Sport within the model’s line-up. Regardless of being the medium-sized providing, the Outlander remains to be a behemoth within the flesh – and a putting one too we might add.
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The automobile’s proportions are excellent, however these chromed ‘dimples’ on the entrance are a tad polarising. We solely want Mitsubishi supplied a dechromed/blacked-out exterior bundle for a stealthier look.
As customary, the Exceed Tourer rides on 20-inch alloy wheels and sports activities two-tone paintwork, contributing to its upmarket look. This author drove the Outlander Aspire trim final yr and albeit, the Black Diamond paint is the best way to go.
The cabin is arguably the most important step up from the Aspire too, as you get leather-appointed seats and a monstrous panoramic sunroof. The supplies are a step up too; nearly each floor, from the aluminium drive mode selector to the dashboard, feels premium.
The format and ergonomics of the inside embarrasses a number of the Outlander’s costlier rivals. If we needed to criticise one thing, the infotainment and local weather management switchgear felt a bit low-cost. Mazda tends to do these things higher.
The 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is excessive definition and simple to function. It lacks the configurability of say Audi’s Digital Cockpit, and a devoted maps mode, however the crystal-clear head-up show makes up for it, with a projection of the pace restrict and GPS.
On the coronary heart of the sprint is a 9.0-inch touchscreen, which is stupidly simple to function. In contrast to some producers, Mitsubishi hasn’t tried fixing one thing that isn’t damaged: there are shortcut buttons, quantity/tuner dials, and bodily local weather controls – it’s subsequent to excellent.
The checklist of facilities is sort of beneficiant too, as you’ll count on for the range-topping petrol mannequin. You’ve got your normal Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wi-fi charging, energy tailgate and heated entrance seats.
Nonetheless, the Exceed Tourer is fitted with nearly each driver assist recognized to mankind, together with however not restricted to adaptive cruise management, lane departure warning, hill descent management and ahead collision mitigation.
Most significantly, the automotive acquired a decent five-star ANCAP security score final yr. What actually impressed us although was the 10-speaker Bose sound system, which is able to shake the automotive when you ramp up the quantity and bass.
It received’t match the crispness of a great Harman Kardon system, nevertheless it’s ok for non-audiophiles. We want our automobile was fitted with a subwoofer, however that’s solely out there within the new hybrid variant of the Outlander.
The second row is spacious for tall adults with wonderful headroom and legroom. It’s parent-friendly too, as there are ISOFIX little one seat anchors and little one restraint prime tethers within the rear. What’s not so good is the third row, which is simply appropriate for kids.
Most households will possible stow the sixth and seventh seats to bump the boot area from 163-litres to a extra cheap 478-litres. On the pothole-ridden roads of Sydney, the Exceed Tourer feels proper at residence.
The two.4-litre four-cylinder engine delivers an inexpensive 135kW of energy and 245Nm of torque to all 4 wheels. Whereas that will not sound spectacular, the automobile has a kerb mass of simply 1760kg. It weighs subsequent to nothing in comparison with its heavyweight German rivals.
Gear modifications are managed by a constantly variable transmission (CVT), which isn’t precisely becoming for a automobile that claims to make use of rally-derived expertise for its all-wheel drive (AWD) setup.
Nonetheless, the transmission is clean, and also you received’t have a problem overtaking on the motorway (assuming you aren’t planning on towing something). The steering is sweet, however the trip is even higher.
The automobile wafts over most imperfections on the street with none challenge. Mitsubishi do make smaller, 18-inch rims for the Outlander, however the trip was already nice with the 20-inch alloys.
The actual celebration piece is the Tremendous-All Wheel Management, which is marketing-speak for AWD. Do you want it? Most likely not. Yours actually drove the Aspire final yr on grime roads and it dealt with all the things, and not using a hitch.
That mentioned, the AWD system offered us with limitless grip within the moist and extra secure cornering. It’s even received drive modes for various surfaces, which will be chosen utilizing a knurled swivel wheel.
The trade-off is gas consumption, which is claimed to be barely worse than the 2WD variants at a mixed 8.1-litres/100km. We discovered ourselves struggling to maintain the typical under 10-litres/100km.
In a world of small displacement and turbocharged engines, the Outlander’s naturally aspirated four-pot feels refreshing. Energy and torque are delivered in a linear trend with no enter lag.
A primal intuition is invoked when behind the wheel; there’s something charming a couple of tall automobile with a meaty engine. It’s no LandCruiser 70 Sequence, nevertheless it’ll nonetheless put a smile in your face whenever you give it the beans.
The Exceed Tourer kicks off at $52,490 earlier than on-road prices, that means it calls for a circa $10,000 premium over the 2WD Aspire. When you fancy an opulent cabin, a plethora of inside tools and AWD, the Exceed Tourer is well-worth the premium.
No matter which trim stage you select, the Outlander comes with Mitsubishi’s spectacular 10/10 Diamond Benefit guarantee, which covers the automotive for as much as 10 years or 200,000km, and consists of 10 years of capped value servicing.
Whereas its seems to be are subjective, there isn’t any denying that the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed Tourer is an objectively sensible automotive.
You may construct your personal on the Mitsubishi Australia web site. As all the time, we advocate purchasing round to get a great deal, or you may go to PriceMyCar for one of the best value. When you’re eager on one and want finance, speak to CreditOne.
Our check automobile was offered by Mitsubishi Australia. To seek out out extra in regards to the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed Tourer, contact your native Mitsubishi supplier.
