Mitsubishi Outlander test drive since 2012 SUV

Mazda CX-5 VS Mitsubishi Outlander. Ice and flame

Outwardly, these cars are very far from each other. Mitsubishi Outlander a sort of block. Mazda CX-5, on the contrary, is elegant and dynamic, like fire.
Nevertheless, both of them are crossovers, with similar dimensions, characteristics and price. So, direct competitors.
Mazda CX-5. Price: from 929 000 p. On sale: since 2011
Mitsubishi Outlander. Price: from 969,000 p. On sale: since 2012

Oleg Kalaushin, a journalist, 43 years old, driving 24 years, travels to Renault Logan.

Mitsubishi Outlander is greater. And this is visible. However, it is worth climbing into the TTX table, as you understand that its dimensions are only a designs. After all, in fact, he is larger than Mazda CX-5 only in length, and even then for some ten centimeters. The priority in height is 10 mm and it’s funny to talk completely. Nevertheless, he looks more impressive. Mazda, on the contrary, seems to be shy of its size, so the designers tried in every possible way to veil them with a flowing style. And we must admit, they succeeded. But let's leave the size and move on to a more detailed study of competitors.

So, the first thing that catches the eye when you get behind the wheel of Mitsubishi Outlander is that he has a perfectly visible hood, and almost to the edge. The latter allows you to well control the front dime of the car in width, and in traffic jams to push with such a guideline guideline. In general, the review from the driver's place is very good. Outdoor mirrors are also good. When maneuvering reversing, the camera will also help. The picture from it is displayed on the central monitor.

The salon is generally very pleasant and neat. The seats are quite convenient, but many people may not like the lack of a lumbar backup. And in order to use the armrest for its intended purpose, you will have to sit below. In addition, he does not move in the longitudinal direction.


The central console crings the active monitor, this is what causes the presence of only one pen next to it. And although its dimensions could be a little larger, apparently, for the sake of cleanliness of the lines, the designers did not increase its. There is no dispute, it looks elegant. But large inscriptions about belts and a pillow of safety on the central console, on the contrary, are not added. They are very intrusive and resemble tips in army cars. Since it came to miscalculations, it will also be appropriate to mention the location of the button of the route computer. It is located to the left of the driver and is closed from the gaze by the steering wheel switch. The place is clearly uncomfortable, it would be more logical if it was on the steering wheel. The steering wheel, in turn, allows you to manipulate a cruise control, an audio system and a ligament. Despite the fact that we got the car almost in the maximum configuration, the instrument panel to the left of the driver abounded with plugs. Having estimated what else you can put, we were able to use only two, but there are five of them. A few words about the instrument shield. Like the dashboard, in general it is quite neat and most importantly, it is not overloaded with information. In this connection, it is a pleasure to read information from him.


The instrument shield is replete with readings

Let's look at the back row. It is quite spacious here. You can literally fall apart by collapsing, while the knees do not even reach the back of the driver's seat. There is also an adjustment on the angle of inclination of the back. Yes, and with an armrest, the rear passengers were more fortunate. Only the utility of lighting is embarrassed: the inclusion is carried out archaic in shape and content of the slider.

Well, of course, do not ignore the trunk. Its dimensions make an impression, and if you also fold the backs of the seats, then ... You can shove the little things into a rather roomy organizer under the false floor, which in turn has many compartments. But the reserve is under the belly.


The backs of the seats fold in a rather smooth floor

We move to CX-5. Her salon is visually more interesting, but the obsessive thought that it had already seen it has already left. After wandering around the back streets, you come across the department where BMW information lies. And for sure, everything is very similar here. However, if you recall that the Mazda SC-5 was primarily hidden under road conditions, such a road interior looks quite appropriate. Puzzled by the interior design, the Japanese did not forget about ergonomics. However, it is not very different from the ergonomics of Mitsubishi. Even the control on multi -line is similar in terms of functions. The only difference is that the route computer is on the steering wheel, and this is very convenient. You can manage the audio system both through buttons and directly from the active monitor. Well, if this is not enough, you can also use the joystick on the beard of the central console.


The second row of seats is spacious, but the angle of the back is not regulated

The review from the driver's place is basically acceptable, but the glass of the fifth door is clearly inferior in dimensions to what is on Outlander. Result: a little worse review in the salon of the rear view. By the way, later we drew attention to the fact that the external mirrors of the CX-5 in motion slightly mandract, which, you see, is not very good. But we will continue.

There is no lack of space in CC-5. Spacious and in the second row, but not as much as in Mitsubishi. The knees are pulled to the back of the driver's seat closer, although they do not touch it. Not bad and central armrest. But the lighting ceiling here is double, which allows the rear passengers to use it separately from each other. It is only strange that the seat does not have an adjustment of the back of the back.

The trunk is not impressive as a competitor. Although the folding mechanism is very convenient. It is enough to pull the corresponding handle, and the backs will turn out automatically. Moreover, you can add either only the central part or seats separately; By the way, they are the same in size. But the underground is not here. The latter is due to the fact that the stock-peroka is located in the cabin, and not on the street.

For the test, we took cars with the same engines and automatic transmission. True, unlike Mazda, on Outlander there was not a machine gun, but a variator. But for the layman, this does not matter by and large, the main thing is that the box eliminates it from unnecessary occurrence with the clutch pedal and the gear handle. Nevertheless, you can switch programs yourself to Mazda and Mitsubishi. Only on the first can this be done by means of an automatic transmission selector, and on the second steering wheel petals. The second option, of course, is more driver, but to be honest, having pampered once, you forget about this function. On good asphalt, cars behave approximately the same, except that the information content of the steering on Outlander is worse. Mitsubishi is inferior in dynamics, and although the engine is weaker by four horses, the difference in acceleration to a hundred reaches two seconds. It should be noted that noise insulation is much better for Mazda, especially when accelerating with a pedal into the floor.


The pardon on the asphalt does not particularly affect either cars or passengers, but in fairness it is worth noting that, contrary to expectations, Mazda was slightly softer, and its suspension is more energy -intensive. The last quality was then useful when driving on the road. Longer moves allowed the wheels not to lose contact with the road on the slopes and bends. Outlander, under equal terms, and strove to hang one, or even two wheels into the air. Somehow painfully not in the present-resistant. Nevertheless, it is in the cabin of this crossover that there is a button through which you can choose the transmission mode. By pressing it again, you can stop only on the front -wheel drive, allow the transmission itself to choose between the front and all -wheel drive or constantly use the drive to all the wheels.

In the CX-5, something similar is absent, which encourages the idea of \u200b\u200binsufficient preparation of this car for a meeting with off-road. However, our experience showed that not everything is so unambiguous. At first it really seemed that Outlander significantly exceeds CX-5 in this discipline, but ...

Small obstacles of the car were really relatively easily taken. We quite calmly made our way along an abandoned road abounding with deep puddles, with a cracked rut. We drove along dense wet sand to the beach. And even a little bit on the shallows, lifting the fan spray. But all the most interesting began precisely when we decided to find out how plentiful the loose sand is for cars. At first I succeeded in this Outlander. A pre -driven all -wheel drive allowed the machine to move quite easily on such a coating. The CX-5 was not so vague. The traction control system kept choked the engine, not allowing the car to go with a flat thrust. Only by transferring the box to manual mode and turning off the electronic bridle, you can achieve something from the car. It would seem that everything is clear, Outlander is better, but we decided to complicate the task. In the end, you can overcome the sand trap on the front drive, but how will the cars behave if you make an intermediate stop? Started with Outlander. He easily flew up on a small sandy hill, smoothly stopped and could no longer move without outside help. No matter how the driver tried, he could not move the car with a seemingly even place. The engine flatly refused to untwist above 2000 revolutions, and transmission transmissions from it torque to wheels. He jerks, throws a signal into the brain that the conditions is not a fountain, and then the engine goes out. Apparently, in this way, manufacturers decided to protect the variator from overheating. As soon as the car was slightly pushed, Outlander again vigorously began to dissect on the sand.

With Mazda, everything turned out to be much worse. Having climbed to the same place, it turned out to be much easier to move on the road, but when you turn off the traction control system, you need to very clearly control the moment when the wheels are turning, but still pushing the car forward, and when they turn and dig. Striving from the place, the driver ranged this moment, and the CX-5 immediately buried. The Outlander invited as a tugboat was also powerless, because, barely pulled, he himself turned into a captive due to the features described above. There was no possibility to push it, because it is impossible to draw a stretched cable. So this ligament stood, while we penetrated Mazda, put improvised ramps from the boards found in the vicinity of the wheels. After forty minutes of diligent labor of three people, we still managed to raise the front of the CX-5 above the surface and put the boards under the front wheels. But the rear wheels stuck in the sand nevertheless kept the car in captivity, while the front were helplessly polished by parts that once former the table. Without much enthusiasm, they decided to try to pull the outlander again, and a miracle happened. Either the variator has cooled down, or he was overwhelmed by the attached to Mazda, but to universal surprise and joy, he still provided the prisoner with the push that was so lacking. And ten minutes later we were already racing towards the city, to which twilight fell.


The instrument panel is quite elegant

Mazda CX-5 from 929 000 r.
Driving
On a good road from driving in this car you enjoy. The car is not very disappointed on the lane. But on the off -road you can meddle only by thinking well before that.

Salon
From the point of view of design, not boring. But not original. Moderately spacious. The finishing materials correspond to the car class.

Comfort
High -quality sound insulation, energy -intensive suspension, good audio system. Comfortable seats.

Security
The basic configuration is 6 pillows, ABS and ESP.

Price
At the level of competitors.
 

Outlander from 969 000 r.

Driving
To complete the sensations, the steering is not enough information content. On the off -road from the car you are waiting for a clearly larger one.

Salon
Really very spacious, both in front and behind. The trunk also impressed with its volume.

Comfort
The seats are moderately comfortable, although the driver clearly lacks an adjustable lumbar backup. Noise insulation is clearly insufficient. And the suspension could be a little more comfortable.

Security
In the database 2 airbags and ABS.

Price
Pretty attractive, given the dimensions of the car.


Under the false floor is a rather impressive organizer
 
Our verdict
Both Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander are quite comfortable and quite modern cars. Yes, they are comparable both in price and in equipment, however, when choosing one or another, you still need to think well what you expect from the car, and then finally make a choice. Outlander, for example, unequivocally captivates the size of the cabin, Mazda shines with its dynamic characteristics. However, in terms of the ratio of consumer qualities, they are still very similar.
 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [December 2012]