I will be in the market for a new vehicle and I have driven the 2016 Sport GT and the SEL w/S-AWC. I have also driven the Jeep Renegade and the 2016 Civic 2.0. I own a 03 Cadillac CTS w/the 3.2 V6. The cadillac has been reliable and has its appeal to the enthusiast although aftermarket support is very limited. Honestly, the car is drum tight (no rattles) and has excellent steering, but it is thirsty and as I get older I think I would like something with a more commanding-meaning higher-seating position. Aftermarket support is important also. The Renegade impresses with its style and I really like the interior but the engine is a bit gruff and I feel the transmission could be smoother (The Cadillac has an excellent 5-speed-very smooth). There is also the matter of reliability. The Honda has an excellent motor and transmission (love the cvt) but it is low and a little cramped for my 6'2'' frame; but this is a well-engineered car that is a blast to drive. Which brings me to the Mitsubishis.
There is something about them that I just like. I drove the Sport GT first and I thought the drivetrain was very smooth and responsive. I liked the SEL even more although it is heavier and slower. I shall drive the GT for a final comparison. Before I pull the trigger, I have a few questions for the owners of these vehicles:

1. Does the Outlander w/o the v6 have a sport mode which automatically changes the the shift patterns and fuel delivery? The salesman that accompanied me on my test-drive wasn't certain. How does the GT drive?

2. What is your honest opinion about the performance of these vehicles when merging on the highway and at speed? Are you satisfied with the performance of the engine and transmission?

3. What has been your experience with Mitsubishi service?

4. Has anyone used any products from RRM? Particularly the timing controller and crank pulley?

5. Are you concerned about the viability of Mitsubishi in North America? After all, they have a limited product portfolio and they rarely advertise. Remember Suzuki?

 

Get a Subaru Forester XT, done. The subaru shares the engine and platform with the impreza WRX. So all of the aftermarket engine parts are pretty much compatible except for maybe the intake piping and exhaust. Many of the parts are the same, which means a much larger aftermarket. Mitsubishi has almost no aftermarket, other than the EVO.

The outlander V6 wasn't designed for performance, it was designed for low end torque and when you mash the throttle it feels torquey off the line, but power falls flat as the revs move up.

The forester XT is the best CUV for modders. Also the 2.0 subaru turbo is actually pretty fuel efficient. At least it is in my friends WRX.

 

Can't go wrong with The Mitsubishi Sport 2.4 GT AWC! Mitsubishi has the best bang for your buck including Features, Technology and Warranty. They even have 0% for 72 months! We have owned three Mitsubishis and loved every single one!

 

I would recommend getting the top of the line model in the Outlander Sport or the Outlander.

 

Outlander w/o the v6 does have a sport mode. Basically you will get higher RPM's than a normal D. And the gas mileage drops like crazy.


However, if you give the car right signal, it will rev high RPM too even on D. I got 4K RPM two days ago on an open empty road. And I did not even floor the gas.

 

OP: you have a pretty varied range of cars in consideration. They are all in different classes. Hard to say if it's the right car for you. I agree with gggplaya regards to the Outlander's purpose, at least for me. It's a people mover and I don't drive it for performance. The v6 isn't lacking power, but it is low end power. Merging or overtaking isn't an issue, but I'm not going to bomb the car up a mountain road. It's a hauler. It has a soft SUV suspension made for comfort, so even with power, you don't want to drive it on turns at speed. That being said, it's good at what it's for, hauling comfortably.

 

Outlander GT

1. It drives great. I think how it handles. The suspension is a middle of the road between comfort and sporty for a cuv. The standard equipment is awesome. The mpg sucks in the city. I get around 15mpg.

2. The torque is low end. Ramps in Philly are short and I've never had an issue merging. I think it should be around 8 secs 0-60 or slightly better.

5. Not worried about it. Don't buy extended warranty obviously. I think Mitsubishi is easy to repair and I don't think it will be too expensive if you had to go to a private mechanic. But I do feel that the car is reliable so I'm not worried.

 

I have driven the SEL and I found the performance of the 4 cylinder quite acceptable, however, I did not venture onto the highway to assess its merging and passing capabilities. Honestly, 15 mpg city for the GT is pretty alarming; I think even my CTS does slightly better. I don't have any children so my hauling needs are minimal. I think the 4 cylinder may be the way to go(perhaps with the RRM timing controller and aluminum crank pulley to liven things up.) Guxu, are you satisfied with the performance of the 4 cylinder in varied conditions?

 

I just bought an 2016 Outlander SEL S-AWC with 2.4 and it is good enough for me. I drove the V6 and saw the gas mileage rating and.... honestly my 2008 Corvette gets better gas mileage.
I traded in my 2001 Montero Sport V6 and still feel like I betrayed an old friend, i'm sure this will pass but having the truck for 15 years is a long time.

 

What did you think of the V6 apart from the gas mileage?