Mitsubishi

Review: 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS All-Wheel Drive

Family Friendliness: 7.8

Recommended: Yes

Specifications apply to this test vehicle.

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By Keith Buglewicz

The Mitsubishi Outlander is the company's small crossover, designed to compete with the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, among many others. When it was redesigned for the 2008 model year, Mitsubishi made a third row of seats available in this compact crossover, but only in more expensive, V-6 powered models. For 2010, Mitsubishi significantly restyled the Outlander, giving the 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander a nose that's virtually a clone of the popular Mitsubishi Lancer compact sedan. At the same time, it expanded the availability of the third row, making it an option in four-cylinder models. We were anxious to try out this compact crossover, mainly because we wanted to see if a third row -- especially one that folds into the floor -- could really be comfortable enough for daily use. Unfortunately, a four-cylinder model with a third row wasn't available, so we borrowed a V-6 powered 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS All-Wheel Drive for a week to find out.

Model & Pricing

One of the first things we noticed about our test Outlander was the price tag. The base price of a 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS is $27,155, including the $765 destination charge. It sounds high, but the basic vehicle already includes all-wheel drive and a V-6; add in the standard third row and it's actually at the lower end of similarly equipped vehicles. It also includes things like Bluetooth 2.0, which allows music streaming over Bluetooth, an advantage if you don't want to hook up to the included USB or AUX inputs each time you get in. There's Mitsubishi's Fast Key entry technology, which along with keyless ignition allows you to unlock the doors just by touching the handle as long as you have the key fob in your pocket. Mitsubishi's all-wheel drive system includes a Drive Mode selector, which by turning a knob lets you choose from front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or a "locked" position that's intended for off-road excursions. Driving up the price was a Luxury Package that included bright xenon headlights, leather upholstery on the front and second row seats, a power driver's seat, rain-sensing windshield wipers and auto on/off headlights. The total price: $28,805.

Safety

The 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander offers up good crash test scores, with five stars in federal front and side impact, and four stars to the rear. In the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) tests, it got "Good" in front and side impact, but "Acceptable" in rear. While better crash test scores would help its Family Friendliness numbers, overall this is a crash-worthy car. To help you avoid seeing those scores in real life, the 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander comes standard with stability and traction control, and a full compliment of airbags as well. Two LATCH points are available in the second row, but the third lacks any sort of LATCH support. The Outlander XLS's all-wheel drive system can be seen as a safety enhancement in wet or foul weather as well, although modern stability systems mitigate that advantage some. What's missing is some form of brake assist, a technology that senses panic braking and helps provide full braking force in an emergency.

Utility & Comfort

So, is that third row really useful? When we first unfolded the seat, we have to admit that we were disappointed. The seat itself is thin, and the bottom cushion isn't even padded, just a suspended mesh fabric. The headrests are absurdly tall to compensate for the short seatback. When the seat is up, it also eliminates the Outlander's otherwise generous cargo room.

However, after living with the 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander for a week, we changed our attitude. See, the Outlander isn't really a seven-passenger vehicle, at least, not full-time. Instead, we started thinking of it in the same way we think of sport coupes. Cars like the Ford Mustang are sometimes called a "2+2," that is, two front seats, and two rear seats for occasional use. In that light, the Outlander becomes a "5+2," and its stowable third row starts looking pretty good as a seat-of-last-resort option. Note that for adults the limited leg and headroom make it virtually useless, even though both second row seats flip forward quickly for access. For kids in a booster seat it's fine, but there are no LATCH points there, so an infant seat must be in one of the second row positions. There's more to say about the 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander's third row, so we've put together a short video; check it out here.

With the third row stowed, there's plenty of cargo space, and when you fold the second row up against the front seatbacks, the Outlander offers up a tall cargo area. The 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander also features a unique-for-the-class tailgate, which makes loading and unloading large items easier, and also provides a convenient seat for tailgate parties.

The second row seats are comfortable, and not only recline but also slide rearward a few inches for additional leg room for tall passengers. The driver and front passenger also have generous leg room and headroom, along with plenty of storage space for various items; we especially like the dual gloveboxes. However, the interior materials are a mixed bag. For example, Mitsubishi has a leatherette insert on the dash and the hood over the gauges that looks and feels nice, but it also serves to emphasize that the rest of the dash plastic feels cheap. The leather feels durable and features contrast stitching, but it's also quite stiff.

Family Friendliness

Despite our initial qualms about the third row, we found the 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander to be quite family friendly, especially when used as a five-passenger vehicle. The second-row lower LATCH mounts are located under a small slit in the seat fabric, making them much easier to access than the more common stuffed-between-the-seat-cushions variety. There's plenty of room to maneuver when cinching down the seat, too, and the sliding rear seat means there's still enough room for a rear-facing infant seat behind a tall driver.

Mitsubishi claims that there's 14.9 cu.-ft. of cargo space behind the third row. We wonder exactly how that's measured, because we could barely squeeze our large Graco stroller behind the third seatback and the tailgate, much less put any groceries or other items behind it. There is room to the side of the seat however. Once that third row is stowed, there's ample room for our stroller plus a week's worth of groceries.

The 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander's cell phone integration was handy, and the voice commands were quite accurate. However, sound quality in our test vehicle wasn't very good, with lots of background static. In addition, the audio system would spend several minutes "Loading" our iPod every time we connected it to the system's USB port. Once it was done it worked fine, and we liked the accurate voice commands, but if you have a long list of songs on your iPod, the wait may be even longer. Curiously, neither the upgrade Rockford Fosgate audio system nor then navigation system are available on the XLS V-6 model we drove; you have to step up to the more expensive GT to get them.

We were a little concerned that the V-6 engine in the Outlander would make this compact crossover a gas hog. However, during our time it averaged 18.2 mpg in mostly city driving, and the fuel computer showed marked increases whenever we were on the highway; this is spot on for the EPA's estimate. The Outlander's paddle-type shifters on the steering wheel column are intended for sporty driving, but you can also use this manual gear selection to rapidly put the Outlander in the highest available gear for maximum fuel economy. Speaking of the engine, power was more than adequate, but it's a noisy little beast, especially at high revs. Combined with the wind noise at highway speeds, the Outlander's cabin is anything but tranquil.

Conclusion

If you have three or four kids and are thinking that the 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander might be a good pick, well, we can't really say that it is. The third row, though handy, doesn't offer the comfort or cargo space to be in use full-time. However, if you have one or two kids, and occasionally Billy or Sarah wants to bring a friend or two along for the ride, then the 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander's third row suddenly becomes a handy option for hauling extra people. Do we recommend the Outlander? Yes, as long as you remember that this is a "5+2," and not a full-time seven-passenger crossover.

Video: Mitsubishi Outlander Third Row Demonstration

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