Mitsubishi Outlander 2004 Review

Toyota's RAV4 was slowly sagging in the market until it beefed things up with a bigger engine, producing 120kW of power.

It now competes favourably against the Nissan X-Trail's 132kW, Honda CR-V's 118kW and Subaru Forester's 112kW, while Mitsubishi's Outlander was languishing on 100kW.

But now Mitsubishi has introduced its innovative Mitsubishi Innovative Valve lift and timing Electronic Control (MIVEC) engine which has been incorporated in all its new products.

The Outlander also has received a tart-up that almost makes it a substantially new vehicle and helps complete the model range makeover which incorporates a new Colt, the full-blooded Lancer Evolution VIII and Grandis people mover.

MIVEC uses a single overhead cam with three distinct profiles for various speeds, giving the engine 20 per cent more power and a wider spread of useable and greater torque – up 15Nm to 205Nm.

It is a perfect marriage with not-too-sensitive fly-by-wire throttle and an automatic four-speed transmission featuring Mitsubishi's INVECS II Smart Logic and sports mode sequential gearshift.

On the launch, journalists criticised the gearbox for hunting between third and second. Mitsubishi said it was a software problem and promised to fix it.

They obviously have because I could not fault it, except to say that it needs a fifth gear for the highway.

And engine noise is much better than its class competitors. Either the MIVEC doesn't rev as robustly or there is better noise damping in the firewall. What I could fault was the body roll and incompatible rubber.

The Forester also is shod with Geolanders but doesn't howl or scrub its tyres the way this does.

Not that there appears to be huge handling problems associated; just a little body pitch and roll. But the tyre noise on sweepers is most disconcerting.

It sounds like something ominous is about to happen, yet the Outlander's chassis feels sturdy and the drive is a balanced 50:50 torque split using a modification of the Evo.

Perhaps the 17-inch rubber and sports suspension on the VR-X will work better.

Apart from the tyres, it feels just right. And all the controls in the cockpit fall readily to hand as if you have been driving it for years.

This all equates to a comfortable, if unexciting drive experience.

Brakes are also now more biting, thanks to a rear disc instead of a drum and electronic brakeforce distribution which keeps it straight when the pedal starts kicking back under ABS activation.

Outside, the XLS I tested is fitted with flared mudguards; together with the restyled Mitsubishi pug nose it looks a little like an armadillo.

However, simplified badging and body paneling, especially at the rear, make it a not-unappealing vehicle.

It also now features a roof-mounted spoiler and tasty roof racks.

And all this for $1100 less than the previous XLS model.