2017 Subaru Forester vs Mitsubishi Outlander

What's the difference?

The Forester is a very solid, uncomplicated car. It does a lot of things very well and nothing badly. The range is wide and varied with petrol, diesel and turbocharged boxer fours, but the pick  has to be the 2.5i-S. Equipped with the EyeSight safety system, the engine best-suited to the transmission and an unstressed demeanour, it's got the goods as an excellent family SUV.

If we're all to be driving plug-in vehicles in the not-too-distant future, cars like the Outlander PHEV will go some way to easing that transition.

Easy, breezy suburban cruising in full EV mode, with the ability to knock off long distances with the help of its petrol engine. Plus, there's a ton of space in the boot. If you're after a spirited and dynamic drive, look elsewhere, but if fuel-budget-friendly (and mostly green) motoring appeals, then the Outlander PHEV does it very well indeed.

More than any other car in the segment, the Forester's exterior design tells the story. A big, boxy unit, the Forester's external dimensions give you a good idea of its generous interior space. Despite its size, it's never an imposing sight on the road.

The Forester's off-road capabilitiy is among the highest in its class. The front bumper sits high off the ground to maximise the approach angle (23 degrees), the rear bumper the same, for 25 degrees, and a 20 degree rampover angle is a result of the 22cm ground clearance. The owner’s manual lists the wading depth as 360mm and says the water “shouldn’t reach the undercarriage of the car”.Lower in the range, the slim side skirts are minimal and fitted to the door (unpainted on some models) to avoid muddy calves.

Inside is a huge cabin, with lofty headroom and lots of glass for a good view out. How many seats? Five, and they're all reasonably comfortable if a bit slippy in cars with leather trim. No Forester has a third row, despite looking like it might fit. Rear legroom is excellent and six footers (and over) are quite happy in the rear. Our interior photos show a big, airy space, with room for people and their things. Avant garde it is not, but it's a practical, easily cleaned interior that's focused on usability.

The driver is almost assaulted with information. As well as the comprehensive dashboard, there's a second information screen higher up, delivering various extraneous information and, of course, an electronic gyroscope for the off-road fans.

Most green-spec vehicles look, well, a little weird. And that's because they're purchased by people who smell faintly of homemade muesli and desperately want you to know they're driving an Earth-friendly vehicle.

But peel the 'hybrid' badging off the side of the Outlander P-HEV, and it looks identical to its full fuel-burning cousins, all of which are now rather handsome in an old-school and vaguely masculine fashion.

Up front, Mitsubishi's plasticky grille dominates the front end, and while it's a touch too busy for our tastes, it gives the Outlander some commanding street presence when viewed front on (or in a rear-view mirror). Elsewhere, though, it's a plain and unchallenging design, with a simple side profile and a rear view that looks skinny and tall.

Coolest of all, though, is the futuristic gear stick that makes you feel like you're shifting the Enterprise every time you select drive or reverse.

Inside the LS, the lovely leather-trimmed seats are centred with a chunky-ribbed suede. They're comfy, too, though they could use more side bolstering. The door panels are lined with quilted leather and some pretty unconvincing wood panelling, but a rock-hard plastic insert offers a tip that some cost corners have been cut.

The soft-touch dash is a quality addition and the centred 7.0-inch touchscreen is a big, clear and easy-to-use unit, even if satellite navigation is a glaring omission at this price point.

Coolest of all, though, is the futuristic gear stick that makes you feel like you're shifting the Enterprise every time you select drive or reverse. It's the only nod to that kind of gadgetry in the cabin, and it's cool.

The storage space is protected from prying eyes by a retractable blind, kind of like a tonneau cover on a ute. Luggage capacity starts at 422 litres with the rear seats up and 1474 with them down. While the boot dimensions seem modest, it's a good shape and will take plenty of luggage. In addition to the boot space, you've got roof rails for those awkward extras.

If there are four passengers on board, each will benefit from a cup holder - two up front, two in ther rear while each door will hold a small bottle. The glovebox holds the hefty set of books that come with the car, including the almost inch-thick owner's manual.

Mitsubishi's marketing schtick for the Outlander PHEV LS is that it's the "the EV with no compromises"  - all the load lugging space of a mid-size SUV with the fuel-sipping antics of a plug-in hybrid. And to be fair, it does make sense. Provided you're happy with a five seat version (there's no seven seat model available) there is no obvious practicality sacrifices in opting for the hybrid.

Boot space is a near identical 463 litres with all the seats in place, and climbs to a near enough bang-on 1602 litres when you drop the 60/40 rear seats. Interior space is unchanged, too, so the cabin remains a bright and airy place up front, with enough room for backseat passengers to ride in comfort.

Upfront, there are two cupholders, with room in the doors for bottles. Hidden in the central storage bin you'll find twin USB points and a 12 volt power outlet. Look up, and there's a purpose designed sunglass holder mounted in the roof lining, too.

Backseat passengers share two cupholders hidden in the pulldown divider that separates the rear seats, but that's about it. The second-row vents are floor mounted, and there's nada in the way of power or USB outlets. There are two ISOFIX attachment points, one in each rear window seat.

Towing capacity has dropped slightly compared to the equivalent petrol-powered model, now 1500kg instead of 1600kg.

The Outlander arrives in two trim levels, the entry-level (but not cheap) LS - the car we've tested here - and the more luxurious-feeling Exceed.

The $50,490 LS arrives comprehensively equipped, with leather-trimmed seats, dual-zone climate control and keyless entry and start. You can also expect 18-inch alloy wheels, auto headlights and wipers, along with an Apple CarPlay/Android Auto-equipped 7.0-inch touchscreen that partners with a six-speaker stereo. LED DRLs join LED head and tail-lights, along with roof rails, rear privacy glass and front fog lights.

Shell out another $5k - lifting your total spend to $55,490 - for the Exceed model and you can expect to add full-leather seats that are heated in the front, an electric sunroof, powered boot and a cool 'EV remote' function that displays the car's electric vitals on your smartphone. Your standard safety equipment also gets an almighty boost, but we'll come back to that in the Safety section.

The Forester is available with a range of horizontally opposed four-cylinder units, a lovable Subaru (and Porsche) quirk that gives them their unique sound. The engines vary in size, type and fuel - a 2.0-litre, a 2.5-litre, a 2.0-litre turbo petrol and a 2.0-litre turbo diesel. Every one of your choices is all-wheel drive (or, depending on how you were brought up, 4x4), meaning no front-wheel drive or 4x2 versions.

The 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four produces 110kW at 6200rpm and 198Nm at 4200rpm and is paired exclusively with the manual. Moving up to the 2.5-litre, the ratings improve to 126kW at 5800rpm and 235Nm at 4100rpm, but it's CVT only. Both of these engine specfications run on standard unleaded and feature stop-start.

Next up is the diesel, producing 108kW at 3600rpm. The torque specs are the eye-opener here, with 350Nm available from 1600rpm to 2400rpm. A diesel particulate filter ensures a clean exhaust even under load.

At the top of the range is the 2.0-litre turbo petrol in the XT pair - 177kW at 5600rpm and a diesel-equalling 350Nm, but delivered at 2400-3600rpm.

You won't be tossing up between auto vs manual on all Foresters - only the 2.0-litre petrol or 2.0 diesel have a six-speed manual transmission option. Subaru is not a fan of a "normal" automatics, preferring to fit a continuously variable transmission, or CVT. Depending on driving style, the CVT impersonates a six-speed or seven-speed auto.

Also not available are EV or plug-in hybrid versions (no room for a battery) or LPG. 

The gross vehicle weight is rated at a tick over two tonnes, with a further tonne added when towing.

Oil type is dependent on which type of fuel the engine drinks. The question of timing belt or chain is an easy one - all of them have a low-maintenance timing chain for for improved durability, and to avoid the reliability issues related to unserviced rubber-belted engines.

A scan of the usual internet forums yielded little in the way of diesel-engine problems.

Towing capacity differs between the naturally-aspirated and turbo models. 2.0 and 2.5 petrols can drag 1500kg with a braked trailer and 750kg unbraked while the 2.0 turbo diesel and 2.0 turbo in the XT can pull 1800 braked and 750kg unbraked.

Performance figures differ across the range. The 2.0i does the 0-100 sprint in around 10.6 seconds, the 2.5i slightly quicker at 9.9, with the XT dropping below eight seconds.

The gross vehicle weight is rated at a tick over two tonnes, with a further tonne added when towing.

The conventional power is delivered via a 2.0-litre petrol engine that will produce 87kW at 4500rpm and 186Nm at 4500rpm. It's joined by two electric motors - one at each axle - which can kick in another 60kW to the total.

It's a dark art, measuring official fuel consumption in an EV vehicle.

How much power you get, though, depends on how you're using it. Leave it in pure EV mode, and 60kW is your total output. Venture into 'Series Hybrid' mode and the engine will help deliver another 60kW, bringing your total to 120kW.  Finally, drive entirely on petrol power, and you'll be using the petrol engine's 87kW. Mitsubishi claims maximum combined power at 120kW and combined torque at 320Nm.

That power is fed through a single-speed automatic gearbox and ultimately sent to all four wheels.

Fuel-consumption figures are important to many buyers. Each Forester has the same tank capacity of 60 litres.

The 2.0i's combined figure is listed at 7.2L/100km, while the 2.5 returns a claimed 8.1L/100km. Peter Anderson's long-term 2.5i-S is returning 10.2L/100km in mixed driving, diving to 9.0L/100km in highway running.

Stepping up to the turbo petrol, the combined consumption nudges to 8.5L/100km, probably to do with the fatter torque figure. Our most recent run in the XT saw a return of 11.4L/100km. 

The diesel vs petrol argument is unlikely to be settled on horsepower or torque but by diesel fuel economy - the oil burner delivers a claimed 5.9L/100km (manual)/6.6L/100km (CVT) .

It's a dark art, measuring official fuel consumption in an EV vehicle. The official claimed/combined figure is 1.7 litres per hundred kilometres on the claimed combined cycle, but we returned closer to 7.5L/100km after a long day of fairly placid driving. Combine that with a 45-litre tank and it means long-distance touring is going to require plenty of fuel stops. Official C02 emissions are pegged at 41g per kilometre.

You'll get a claimed 54 kilometre range in pure EV mode, and plugged into normal power, the battery will take 6.5 hours to charge. A fast charger will give you an 80-per cent charge in 25min.

First impressions of the naturally aspirated Foresters are good. The electric power steering is light, but weights up in the corners for that bit of extra feel. The car isn't afraid to roll, but it's well-controlled.

While you wouldn't call them all-terrain tyres, the Foresters standard rubber will contribute to reasonable off-road performance, if not the quietest when it comes to noise. There is good grip available on road - the all-wheel drive certainly helps there - but when you're on the slippery stuff, the tyres come into their own.

When you're entering challenging terrain, the 2.5i cars and up have an X-Mode switch. Rather than a traditional diff lock, X Mode controls the behaviour of the various diffs to handle mud and moderate rock-hopping. You can activate at speeds of up to 40km/h.

Manual cars - and there are very few of those - have Subaru's traditionally firm clutch.

With the exception of the XT, none of the Foresters offers startling acceleration figures, but once you're up to speed, there's enough pulling power to keep things calm on the freeway. The surge of torque in the turbo seems to occasionally overwhelm the CVT, which is much happier in the 2.0 and 2.5 cars.

You'll see plenty of Foresters hauling trailers and we've certainly filled the 2.5i-S long-termer with all manner of things, and its load capacity continues to impress.

On the move, the Starlink system is blessed with a snappy interface, but unfortunately the software itself isn't too flash. The sat nav that comes with Starlink is basic but perfectly usable.

Despite its all-wheel drive and larger wheel sizes, the turning circle is 10.6m, which will let you get away with a U-turn in most suburban streets.

Lower in the range, the front seats aren't particularly comfortable on long drives - they're really flat in the base and don't have much support, particularly in corners. Even the "luxury pack" XT Premium doesn't have particularly sporty seats, so if you get a bit ambitious, you might have to hang on.

The reversing camera is handy, but without rear parking sensors, you won't know what's out of the camera's radius.

Mitsubishi might have cracked the code in making electric vehicles (even those with a little help from a petrol engine) interesting, and that's in handing control back to the driver. The huge paddles behind the steering wheel which would flick up and down through the gears in a conventional Outlander have been tweaked to control the level of regenerative braking, with five levels (one being not much, five being lots) that control how much power is fed back into the battery packs.

It's smooth and quiet in full EV mode, and seamless in the way it flicks between power sources.

That, paired with a gauge in the driver's binnacle that tells you when you're recharging the batteries, adds a weird sense of achievement to the whole experience. And strange as it sounds, we were glued to the dials trying to pump power back into the batteries. A long drive with plenty of downhill runs will significantly charge the batteries, too.

Elsewhere, though, sliding into the wide and comfortable driver's seat of this plug-in hybrid Outlander is a comfortingly familiar experience, whether you've driven EVs before or not. And if you keep it on surface streets in the CBD or suburbs, it's smooth and quiet in full EV mode, and seamless in the way it flicks between power sources.

The acceleration in this refreshed model has been mapped to be "more aggressive", though we suspect the words "than a marshmallow" might be missing from that statement. Pack a lunch for a flat-footed sprint from 0-100km/h, but it feels plenty perky enough when pulling away from a light, or when you're already up and running.

One issue, though, is that the Outlander PHEV's extra weight and its location makes cornering something of a mystery. The steering offers little in the way of feedback, and there's plenty of play in the wheel, so corners can require a sudden, second turn in. That, combined with soft suspension that's great at ironing out road bumps, but less so at preventing the vehicle rocking, left us feeling genuinely seasick when we tried pushing the boundaries.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV LS arrives with seven airbags (dual front, side and curtain, along with a driver's knee bag), which join hill start assist, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors and a full suite of traction and braking systems including EBD, ABS and traction and stability control.

Stepping up to the Exceed model unlocks adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with AEB and lane departure warning, along with blind-spot monitoring and front parking sensors.

The Outlander range scored the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating when crash tested in 2014.

Foresters come with a three year/unlimited kilometre warranty and one-year roadside assistance. An extended warranty is available occasionally during promotions. It won't be difficult to convince a dealer to sell you one, but it may not be a Subaru factory warranty.

You can keep your maintenance costs in check with capped-price servicing across the range. All the details are published on the Subaru website.

Resale value appears reasonable - trade-ins seem to fetch arond half of the orignal purchase price, with private sales fetching over 60 percent of the new-car price.  

Again, a good look across the internet failed to uncover any common faults, problems, complaints or issues. Similarly, reports of suspension problems and gearbox issues are few and far between.

The Outlander PHEV range is covered by Mitsubishi's five-year/100,000km warranty, which includes the battery, and will require servicing every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres.

The brand's capped-price servicing program limits maintenance costs to $250 per year for the first three years.