Mitsubishi Outlander FL - profitable cosmetics
Although the third generation Outlander hit the market just two years ago, Mitsubishi has already decided on a slight facelift for the model. Let's see what we decided to change in Outlander 2014.
Probably, many of you are wondering what prompted Mitsubishi to break with the image of the "jet fighter" known from the second generation Outlander? Clients didn't like it? Yes, he really liked it. Or did he have some significant design flaws that prevented his further evolution? As far as we know, no. Perhaps the only reasonable explanation for this fact is that the second generation, produced in collaboration with the PSA concern, was too Japanese and corresponded to Mitsubishi DNA. Here the TDI engine from Volkswagen, here the body is almost identical to the Citroen C-Crosser or Peugeot 4007 - ok, it was nice, but now we will create our own SUV.
As decided, so done, and the results of our work were first admired in 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show. Opinions about the appearance of the car were, shall we say, mixed. And that's a bit of a problem, because even though you don't drive, many buyers take the visual aspect into account when making their decision to buy a car. Well, they don’t argue about tastes, but the Japanese have their own vision of design. The approach to design differs, as you know, from latitude. Asia, America or Europe have very different automotive tastes, but thankfully we live in a time where we (still) have a choice. Looking at Mitsubishi's sales statistics for the last year (04-2013/03), when the concern sold just over a million of its vehicles (an increase of 2014%), we can conclude that the product originality policy is working out. Actually, this is comforting information.
The third generation Outlander seems larger and more massive than its predecessor. Yes, it is more massive, which inspires me more in terms of travel safety. Euro NCAP tests also confirm my feelings - the new Outlander received 5 stars in crash tests, which is one more than its progenitor. When we look at the dimensions of the third and second generations, we notice that the only thing that has noticeably changed is the wheelbase, which has increased to 2695 mm. The width (1801-1679 mm) and height (4656 mm) remained virtually unchanged, and the length of the car (mm) even decreased slightly. What has changed outside after the facelift? If I had to shoot in the dark, I would, of course, rely on the use of LED lighting, which is ubiquitous in cars. The Outlander was no different, with daytime running lights and LED fog lights up front. In order to symmetrically divide the car with LEDs, the rear lights are also made using this technology.
Changes have also been made to the front grille, whose wide chrome trims spice up the Outlander's look a bit. The front and rear bumpers are equipped with an additional silver trim typical for SUVs. The Outlander's profile features new silver roof rails, while the 4×4 version boasts plastic moldings on the wheel arches. The changes are topped off with previously unavailable Orient Red paint, as well as a new pattern of eighteen-inch aluminum wheels. I admit that the designers are to be commended, as the cosmetic changes made the third generation Outlander more expressive. It's simple - the body of this car requires the right color, large wheels and accessories that break the monotony. Unfortunately, not all of these parts will be provided as standard, which means that in order for the car to look like our test kit, we will have to dig into our wallet. That is life!
In the interior of the Outlander, the changes were limited to only two new upholstery designs. And rightly so, because why change something that works well. There is still plenty of room for the driver and passengers (up to seven optionally), large and very comfortable seats, good quality materials and proper fitting of the elements. The third generation Outlander deserves to be called a family car - a full five seats and a luggage compartment of 490 liters (7-seat, to the back line), which can be expanded to 1608 liters (to the back line). roof height) are the best proof of this. Fathers of the family will appreciate.
The test version was equipped with a 2268 cm3 diesel unit developing 150 hp. (3500 rpm) and a torque of 360 Nm (1500-2750 rpm). This engine is characterized by excellent maneuverability combined with a moderate fuel appetite. A car with four people on board and a full trunk consumes on the road (at highway speeds) about 7 liters of diesel fuel for every hundred kilometers traveled. Given the weight, the dimensions of the car can be considered a more than satisfactory result. However, this engine has two drawbacks. The first is a capacity of more than 2 liters, which, unfortunately, is subject to increased excise duty in our country. The second is typical for diesel vibrations, which penetrate the interior of the car, but are annoying only in the parking lot. The cabin is well soundproofed, as measured by the decibel meter, so when driving on the motorway we do not have to shout when we want to talk to fellow travelers.
Traveling with a third generation Outlander makes you lazy. The car glides with dignity both on smooth and leaky asphalt, coping well with picking up bumps. The suspension is tuned in such a way that after the first turn it is driven into our heads that the comfort of travelers is a priority here, and not crazy cornering. Well, if you want, then you need to get used to the quick coordination of arcs with the Outlander. Although the electric steering system works accurately, we cannot cheat the laws of physics. The sequence of actions in a fast sharp turn is as follows: we turn the steering wheel, wait until all loose packages move from side to side, we ourselves change to the seat, and finally turn the car itself. Outlander can give a lot of emotions, but as I already wrote, we will quickly stop forcing him to such behavior. On the other hand, the test car eats highway miles very well. A comfortable and high driving position, good soundproofing, a flexible engine, cruise control and an automatic transmission are elements that every driver will appreciate. The weakest link in the chain of virtues I mentioned is the six-speed automatic transmission. Of course, this is not the worst automatic transmission in the world, and although the gear shifts faster than we would do it manually, we would like to demand a little more from modern transmissions.
With the advent of Mitsubishi Outlander 2014, the price list of the car has also changed. The minimum amount we have to say goodbye to if we want to buy this model is PLN 89 for the Invite Plus 990 2.0WD 2 MT (5 km) version. The price includes, among other things, a set of airbags, automatic two-zone air conditioning, cruise control, radio or a multifunction steering wheel. If we want four-wheel drive, unfortunately we have to take into account the cost of almost PLN 150 for the Intense 4 105WD CVT (000 HP) version. The cheapest diesel costs PLN 2.0 with the Intense 4 150WD MT (120 HP) model.
