Test drive Mitsubishi Outlander (Airtrek) 2003 - 2007 SUV

Scout Lander

Mitsubishi Outlander successfully made his debut in the summer of the year before last. The concept of a passenger station wagon put on a strong all -wheel drive chassis, having related roots with the Lancer Evolution Bolids, both customers and critics were to their liking. A year later, in August 2004, the model was restored. On our test, an updated car with a four -cylinder MIVEC engine is 2.4 liters paired with an InVeCS II automaton.

It would seem, why was it to restyled the appearance of the car, which appeared just a year before? After all, the model is quite modern, and theoretically should be relevant in terms of design. Theoretically - yes, almost, in the case of Mitsubishi Outlander, the picture is somewhat different. The Parnishman, designed in the best traditions of bio -design, was frankly lost against the backdrop of competitors, even more age -related ones. Outlander turned out to be too calm and unobtrusive, and something had to be done with this. So they did. The work done did not radically transform the appearance of the machine, but the fact that its appearance is now perceived somewhat differently is a fact.

Outlander looks more convincing due to beautiful 17-inch wheels. The plastic body kit has changed - the extensors of the arches appeared, the bumpers became more massive. The back door received other stamping. Naturally, they updated lighting equipment. The expression on the car is now more confident and, if you want, aggressive. Outlander pulled himself up, he looks more sports and energetic than the pre -sustained predecessor. Especially to the face of the novelty, the color is silver metallic, in which a test car was painted.

Inside the changes are not so radical. As in the case of Grandis, we are dealing with widespread plastic, soft in appearance, but absolutely oak to the touch. Yes, the front console looks pretty, in the cabin is comfortable, but already 2004 ends, we managed to get used to soft intra -axial panels and, you see, we would like to see something similar in a car worth about $ 35,000.

The interior decoration uses plastic, imitating polished metal, with which Pioneer's non-native CD-resort, which is already established here in Russia, is well in harmony. There is an air conditioner and a simple temperature control unit in the cabin, like on Lancer and Grandis. However, simplicity here implies primarily the convenience of management.

The assembly quality of the cabin is at a height, the car does not creak with panels even when it moves over rough terrain. There are no complaints about sound insulation, however, the motor at large revolutions is noisy.

In terms of transformation of the cabin, a standard option is proposed with the back seats folding together or in parts. Moreover, the surface of the trunk is not perfectly flat. Yes, and the floor is quite high, because under it a full-size 17-inch reserve is hidden.

Leather seats with good lateral support fix the body well, and finding the optimal planting here is much easier than in the same Grandis. However, there is a logical explanation for this: Outlander is actually a passenger car, a station wagon body put on a high platform. In fairness, we note that the adjustment of the steering position would not interfere with a wider range. The back is quite spacious, there are three adults without problems - only not a very large complexion, otherwise they will be crowded in the shoulders.

The black steering wheel, covered in leather looks poor and at first it seems unnecessarily tough, but then you get used to the steering wheel, it is quite convenient. Turning the key - the engine wakes up, completely silent at idle, the reddish lighting of the devices with white dials turns on, the gearbox lever slides along the slot, stopping in the Drive position, and the machine smoothly touches.

The suspension is energy -intensive, which has an increased rigidity of shock absorbers. Naturally, on large wheels, the car swallows a different little thing like joints and potholes well, but if a decent hatch is decently drowned, a blow is immediately transferred to the body. However, you will forgive the car this sin as soon as you move to a dynamic movement. It is on high -speed riding that Outlander is designed, and it is in this mode that he reveals his potential completely. It is unfortunate that these qualities will remain unclaimed by most of its owners ... Of course, in this case, it would be simply funny to draw parallels with the already mentioned cars of the Evolution family. But WRC genes that wander throughout the company's model tree are certainly found in Outlander.

Despite the high center of gravity, the car behaves adequately and predictably at any speed and on different coatings, allowing the driver not only to go quickly, but also to enjoy it. The suspension copes equally well with patches and seams on the asphalt and a broken primer. The car on the imperfect road does not scour, does not require steering, even at high speed. As for the smooth highway, here you can easily reach a speed of 180V190 km/h. At the same time, Outlander does not deviate from a given course, confidently performs rebuilding and equally confidently passes protracted turns; The steering wheel is slightly relaxed in the near -Stolium zone, does not adversely with excessive sensitivity or, conversely, with thoughtfulness. Almost a golden middle. Well, a high landing gives in the city stream the advantage of overview over cars.

Should I try to storm swamps and ravines on Outlander? Definitely not worth it - we did not try. What about the lanes or off -road of the middle hand with which the Russian driver has to deal so often? We decided to check. And it turned out that such routes, on which many all -wheel drive cars are saved, Outlander overcomes without problems. Still, the clearance is almost 20 cm and high -profile tires are serious trump cards in this case. The main thing is that the wheels are not posted, because the all -wheel drive chassis (equipped with a viscous coupling, which blocks the central differential) here is powerless. Yes, and not at all an off -road pattern pattern does not add.

A car equipped with an independent wheel suspension with actually passenger settings turned out to be generally quite dynamic. Well, the advantages of all -wheel drive, which allows you to more efficiently realize the power of the motor on any coating, is long known to everyone. The compromise, which was proposed by the creators of Mitsubishi Outlander, seems to be a very tidbit for a buyer who wants to combine trips around the city with sorties to nature.

I would like to once again praise a tandem engine/gearbox. We liked it even on Grandis and again pleased it now: switching without delay, timely transition to reduced gears, clear work in manual mode. I also liked the brake setting and the sensitivity of the pedal. The anti -lock system acts very correctly, recalling its existence only when it is really necessary.

The car that has visited the test is offered to customers for $ 35.990. Additional equipment, due to which the price has increased, includes, for example, a leather interior, a CD-resort with six speakers, a headlight washer, tinting, an electric package, two hatches in the roof (one of which, however, decorative-does not open, but the light passes through the light properly).

The budget version of Outlander is also provided - a two -liter all -wheel drive car with a mechanical gearbox can be purchased for $ 28.650. But on sale there will be a turbocharged version with a 200-horsepower deformed engine from Lancer Evo III and a mechanical five-speed gearbox (an automatic machine for this modification is not provided). Such a machine in the maximum configuration will cost approximately $ 38.500. By the way, this version of the crossover gains 100 km/h in less than 8 seconds!

Text: Leonty Tyutelev
 

Source: Motor magazine [No. 01/2005]