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2018 Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi

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2018 Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi

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2018 Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi

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2018 Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi

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2018 Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi

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2018 Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi

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2018 Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi

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2018 Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi

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2018 Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi

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Having a Mitsubishi to drive for a week is always a treat for us! There is now a Mitsubishi store located in Springville. The fact that this week’s ride was a top of the line Outlander of course had absolutely nothing to do with it at all!

It was not our first opportunity to have an Outlander, it was however, our first time in the V6 powered version of the 100 year old company’s family SUV. And yes, it does make a difference in the power of the Outlander. Craig can always tell things are good, when the first words out of Deanne’s mouth after a solo ride are “that one has more power than I expected.”

The V6 version of the Outlander continued to impress us throughout the week. Not only with the power that came with it, but as an outstanding vehicle that had all the extras that we always enjoy, and have become accustomed to being included on our test rides.

Mitsubishi is not one of the larger manufactures here in the U.S. for automobiles, they are however, a very large company in Japan. There they are considered a conglomerate with revenues in 2015 of 542 billion U.S. dollars, making them responsible for 10% of Japans Gross Domestic Product.

During 2017 Mitsubishi celebrated its 100 year anniversary in the automotive business, quite a feat for any manufacture but for one that makes so many things worldwide besides autos it’s just part of another year in business. Big news to come out of the L.A. Auto show will be the reintroduction of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. Not in the form of a 2 door sports coupe, but Instead, a midsized SUV to bolster the line and help them to compete in this ever popular segment.

During the past year, the biggest news to hit the Japanese car manufacturer was the acquisition of 34% of its ownership by Nissan; making it part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, now the largest manufacturer of all electric vehicles in the world. Note the word alliance; as this was not a merger or takeover, but a way to strategically align the different manufactures to better improve sales. This is very unique approach to the automobile manufacturing industry.

This alliance has brought about thoughts that there may be some kind of trading of platforms between the two manufactures jointly developing future vehicles. Who knows, someday we may see a Mitsubishi Altima or some version of a truck, like Titan. This could be a real shot in the arm for a manufacturer with a very fine line of models to sell.

With this in mind, just hitting showrooms, is the Outlander PHEV which is a new version on the Hybrid scene. It will have two electric motors, front and back that can power the vehicle, along with a front mounted gas powered generator that can provide power to the electric motors and charge the battery if needed. As well as, a 2.0 liter gasoline engine that can be used alone or in conjunction with the electric motors.

Judging from our week with the Outlander, this should prove to be a very unique way of hybrid driving, and if it works as it sounds, should get extremely great gas mileage for a larger 3 row SUV; coming in somewhere in the 70 plus mpg range.

Right now, the Outlander is one of the best choices in the market for a 3 row SUV from a cost standpoint alone. Choosing the 3.0 liter V6, brings the GT trim level with along with almost every feature offered by Mitsubishi as standard equipment. While the starting price point of the Outlander is just under $24,000, the GT starts at $32,000.

During our week with the V6 224 horsepower, and a strong 215 ft.lb. of torque, we managed 23.3 mpg which was above the EPA estimate but still on the lower side. However, the power was worth it. We look forward to the PHEV, which should change these numbers dramatically, and with a projected starting point of $34,000, if they include all the standard equipment that is in the GT, it will not take long to payback the extra $2,000 in gas savings.

There is also the warranty to consider. Mitsubishi has one of the best in the industry, with a 10 year 100,000 mile warranty on the powertrain, and a 5 year 60,000 mile unlimited new vehicle warranty that also includes unlimited road side assistance. These are some pretty big numbers for any manufacturer, yet Mitsubishi has been standing behind this kind of warranty for a number of years now. This is definitely something we would look at when making a purchase that we intended to use for a longer period of time, especially when it involves our family.

There is no navigation offered with the Outlander, instead all models come standard with Apple Carplay and Android Auto capabilities. These systems allow access to the user’s smart phone making the GPS navigation available on the 7 inch center console touchscreen that will display the navigation right off of your phone. This can all be done through the voice recognition hand free system on your phone and managed through the Outlander.

At first we thought it was strange not to offer navigation on a vehicle, but come to think of it, we are more often drawn to use Siri instead of a nav system simply because she is easier to use, and having the same map appear on the vehicles infotainment system is just like having a navigation system come with the car.

The GT set up comes with all the great safety features we would have expected from a top of the line vehicle. A multi view all around camera when backing, collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, automatic high beams headlights, and LED headlights. We feel that these types of safety enhancements are something every vehicle should be equipped with.

There was also a heated steering wheel, when combined with the heated seats are a necessity in the cold winter months. The 710 watt Rockford Fosgate stereo system was the bomb, keyless entry and start made the Outlander a real joy to get around in.

Our week with the Outlander included everything from 6 inches of new snow to sunny weather and it performed well in any of the driving conditions we were presented with. It is a great entry level SUV that comes with way more than we would have expected for the money involved, was easy to maneuver and had a smooth ride. Check one out today at Cougar Mitsubishi in Springville at 2065 West 500 North, (801) 225-6866.

Base Price: $32,095

Price as Driven: $33,220