Mario James, Gleaner Writer
The 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander with V6 engine, available at Motor Sales for $4.695 million.
Mitsubishi was once the brightest jewel in the crown of Japanese engineering. Mitsubishi Corporation has produced everything from autos to aircraft at some time or another in its storied past. But when the themselves with Chrysler in the last decade or so, they seemed to have lost their way, divorcing themselves from their parent company and producing products that were too much in the mould of the American way of doing things.
They became insolvent and un-business like, entering into a kind of corporate midlife crisis. But at the end of it all, like a loving mom, Mitsubishi Corps has welcomed the prodigal back into the fold. Gone are the glitzy buildings and other trappings of corporate excess. Revitalised and refocused, Mitsubishi Motors is now set to reclaim the position that the public has bestowed on them, with products like the new Outlander.
The market (for some reasons Automotives cannot discern) needs crossover SUVs, which are cars that are somewhere between a station wagon (not much of those around anymore) and a mid-size SUV like a Pajero or Prado.
true trail credentials
The Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4 and Suzuki Vitara are strong contenders in the lower end of this market, which was where the previous generation Outlander did battle. While that car had its merits, it followed the standard too closely and didn't break new ground. The new gen Outlander has grown past this battle ground, though, and competes directly with Toyota's Fortuner in the Jamaican marketplace.
While it seems as if the status quo has been to serve up vehicles that only hint at the promise of off-road ability, Outlander has true trail credentials, a comfy interior and an engine in its option line-up that must set the standard for smoothness and available power still available with the 2.4-cylinder MIVEC engine, the upgraded Pajero 3.0-litre V6 pushes the envelope when it comes to power, providing 230 well-fed horses at 6,500 rpm!
Exploring the upper reaches of the tach will find a grunt that is just not there in some sports cars, much less SUVs! In the hands of a capable driver, this vehicle will become a time machine. To put it in perspective, the turbo Impreza WRX tested this week did not provide as much oomph! Our tester was provided with this bent six, and it did not disappoint. Cruising speeds are definitely a cut above more mundane vehicles, the 250 lb-ft of torque effortlessly wafting the 3,500 lb vehicle along both tarmac and trail with aplomb. Off-road, the vehicles tuned McPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension impresses with a car-like ride over tumultuous terrain. It was designed with the American market in mind, and those folks know a thing or two about ride quality and interior comfort ... Body roll is minimal, even with the soft suspension setup, and approach and departure angles, combined with ten inches of clearance, means that there's not too much that will be able to stop this truck. Performance in the sand by Palisadoes and trails up in the hills of Temple Hall did nothing to shake confidence in the unit. Even in sticky situations, with various wheels in the air and grip less than perfect, one wheel providing traction was enough to pull the unit out. Awesome!
The interior and body held pleasant surprises as well. First, the Rockford Fosgate eight-speaker and 400-watt subwoofer combination partnered with the Lancer GT has found a home in the new Outlander. Intuitive to use, with an integral six CD changer, its levels of sound quality and volume are rivalled in Jamaica only by another Motor Sales marque, the Jeep Patriot/Compass and Dodge Caliber Products, both produced by Chrysler. Their Boston Acoustics set-up will go toe to toe with the Fosgate systems. Audi has Bose, which is truly a sonically transparent system, but just doesn't have the slam that is present in the systems by Fosgate and Boston Acoustics.
tough resistance
Any other vehicle's onboard entertainment system (at least in Jamaica) pales in comparison. And the double tailgate gives beach and tailgate parties a whole new dimension! Outlander's piece de resistance is, though, its instrumentation. Sure, the deriguer gauges and such are where they are supposed to be, but included in the package is a computer that monitors fuel consumption, interior/exterior temperature and stuff like that.
The fuel monitor mode, though, teaches the driver how to drive economically by charting fuel consumption over time and visually displaying the results. It even shows traffic consumption, and the computer also tells the driver when to break if he's been driving too long!
This package has so much going for it. The engine line-up, wheel tyre combo (225x60x18 V6, 215x60x17 MIVEC) swoopy new look, great ride and fabulous interior amenities all add up to a ride that, pound for pound, should stack up as one of the best automotive values in Jamaica today. It is being launched at Motor Sales on Tuesday, February 19, (V6, $4.7 million, MIVEC 2.4, $3.995 million) so you don't have to take our word for it. Show up and see for yourself!
