It has been two decades since Mitsubishi officially started its operations in India and unlike its Lancer days, it has become a niche player. The Outlander, which started as a compact-sporty SUV, has now become a full-size SUV with seven seats and competing with its own sibling, the Pajero Sport. But while the Pajero Sport is a burly old-school SUV, the Outlander is a civilised car with a monocoque chassis and a more car-like character.
It does look big especially with that long hood and square lines that have been rounded at the corners for elegance. There is a good amount of chrome which make sure it looks premium and it is offered in only one fully loaded trim with alloy wheels, LED headlamps and fog-lamps.
This Outlander is a new-gen car and hence the interior layout has changed. The black and beige dual-tone interior gets leather upholstery. The driver seat is electrically adjustable while all the other six seats can be adjusted/folded manually. Add to that a touch-screen display, push-button start and cruise control besides all the other bells and whistles, and we are looking at a premium seven-seater.
Finally, the 2.4-litre MIVEC engine has always been a gem and this one pumps out 167bhp of power. Mated to a CVT automatic gearbox it also comes with a torque-on-demand AWD which can run in two-wheel mode as well to conserve fuel. In terms of safety, there is a posse of electronic control programs along with seven-airbags to save the occupants from harm.
The Outlander now joins the league of the upcoming Honda CR-V, the Fortuner and the Endeavour, the Pajero Sport and the Isuzu MUX. There's also the Skoda Kodiaq and the Volkswagen Tiguan, the premium sophisticated SUVs which are slightly more expensive but have diesel engine options.
At about Rs 32 lakhs, one can also avail of luxury sedans like the Skoda Superb, the Toyota Camry and the Volkswagen Passat. While these limousines are great, if you want a luxury brand, you might have to spend more to get smaller cars like the Audi A3 or the Mercedes-Benz CLA.
