2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Review

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander

The 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander 3.0 GT S-AWC sport utility has been made more competitive with a claimed 100-plus improvements.

by: Dan Jedlicka

Price: $30,995

The Outlander has a price advantage over major rivals and a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty. But even the top line 3.0 GT S-AWC sport utility lacks the promotional firepower of competitors.

Mitsubishi says it has made more than 100 improvements to its 2016 Outlander to make it more stylish and to provide better comfort and quietness.

The new Outlander has a redesigned fascia that gives it a more aggressive look, although some might say it looks overly aggressive. It also has a more refined feel due partly to a beefed-up structure. There also are chassis improvements, and added sound insulation results in a quieter interior. In all, occupants feel more isolated from the road.

The interior is upgraded to give it a more upscale appearance, and there are a fair number of cabin storage areas. A third-row seat provides seating for seven.

I tested the $30,995 2016 Outlander 3.0 GT S-AWC with its all-wheel-drive system called "Super All-Wheel Control" with an active front differential. The base front-drive Outlander, which I didn't test, costs $22,995 with a 2.4-liter, 166-horsepower four-cylinder engine and less equipment.

The Outlander 3.0 GT S-AWC has a strong 3-liter 224-horsepower V-6 and stable handling. It also has a power glass sunroof, remote power hatch and a premium 710-watt Rockford-Fosgate sound system with 9 speakers.

Additional equipment includes a color multi-information display, touch panel display audio system, supportive heated leather power front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, tilt/telescopic wheel and power folding side-view mirrors to prevent damage in parking lots.

There also are cruise control, a pushbutton start, rearview camera, roomy split 60/40 second row seat and the 50/50 third-row seat.

The third seat is mainly for kids and is tough to enter or leave, but folds flat to provide an impressively large cargo area.

In fact, getting in the Outlander 3.0 GT's first- and second-row seats calls for a little extra effort because of a high floor, but occupants sit high and have good all-around visibility.

My test Outlander had a $3,350 option package that included a navigation system, forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warning.

Helping keep this SUV stable are active stability control and traction control "logic." Anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist provide good stopping power.The electric power steering has the right amount of quickness for a high, heavy SUV.

The ride is supple, but gets a little bouncy over some irregular surfaces.

The V-6 provides fast acceleration, while the 166-horsepower Outlander , likely gives average acceleration because the Outlander is rather heavy at approximately 3,500 pounds.

The V-6 works with a responsive 6-speed automatic transmission that can be manually shifted via steering wheel paddles. The four-cylinder model has a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

While the V-6 provides faster acceleration, the four-cylinder beats it on fuel economy, delivering an estimated 25 miles per gallon in the city and 31 on highways. Figures with the V6 are 20 city and 27 highway.

Safety features include a driver's knee air bag and side curtain air bags.

Nissan is buying a major stake in Mitsubishi. So expect Mitsubishi to become more visible in the United States, likely because Nissan will help give it more nameplates. The improved Outlander thus may get the extra exposure it deserves.

Dan Jedlicka

Dan Jedlicka joined the Chicago Sun-Times in February 1968 as a business news reporter and was named auto editor later that year. He has reviewed more than 4,000 new vehicles for the Sun-Times--far more than any newspaper auto writer in the country. Jedlicka also reviewed vehicles for Microsoft Corp.'s MSN Autos Internet site from January, 1996, to June, 2008.

Jedlicka remained auto editor at the Sun-Times until October, 2008, and continued writing for the newspaper's AutoTimes section, which he started in 1992, until February, 2009. While continuing his auto writings at the Sun-Times, he served as assistant financial editor of that newspaper from 1970 to 1973, when he began his automotive column.

He has appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including NBC's "Today," ABC's "20/20" and "The CBS Evening News." He was a host, consultant and writer for Fox-TV Channel 32's 1991 New Car Preview show and that Chicago-based station's 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995 Chicago Auto Show Previews.

Jedlicka's auto articles have been printed in national magazines, including Esquire and Harper's. His auto columns have been reprinted in U.S. government publications and economic textbooks and he is profiled in the "World's Greatest Auto Show" history book about the Chicago Auto Show. In late 1975, Jedlicka was host and technical advisor for three one-hour television specials, "Auto Test 76," which aired nationally on PBS and were the first nationally televised auto road test shows.

In 1995, Jedlicka was the recipient of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois Inc.'s Consumer Education Award, given annually to a person who has gained distinction in the field of consumer education. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Media category and inducted into the Legends of Motorsports Guild at the Carquest World of wheels custom car show in Chicago in January, 2006.

Jedlicka was a member of the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury, composed of a select number of auto journalists from throughout the country, from 1995 until 2009. From 2010 to 2012, he was a member of Consumer Digest magazine's auto experts panel that gave Best Buy new vehicle recommendations.

He is a 1987 graduate of the Bob Bondurant Race Drivers School and later of the BMW "M" and Skip Barber Advanced Driving schools. He was a member of the U.S. team that participated in the 1987 1,000-mile Mille Miglia race/rally in Italy and has been a race winner at the Chicago area's Santa Fe Speedway.

Jedlicka has owned 25 classic cars, including 1950s and 1960s Ferraris and 1950s and 1960s Porsches, a 1965 Corvette, a 1967 Maserati and a 1957 Studebaker supercharged Golden Hawk. Jedlicka resides with his wife, Suzanne, in the Frank Lloyd Wright historic district of Oak Park. They have two children, James and Michele.

For more reviews from Dan, visit Facebook.