Edmund's Long Termer(May Update)
#1
03-23-2007, 03:33 PM
Edmund's Long Termer(May Update)
http://blogs.edmunds.com/karl/462
"I just drove our newest addition to the long-term fleet, a 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander. The official long-term introduction will be up in a few weeks, but after 100 miles I have a good sense of the car's strengths and weaknesses. In terms of driving dynamics the Outlander scores, with a solid chassis and confident handling. The steering is responsive and well weighted, and body roll is limited (at least by crossover standards). Power from the 3.0-liter V6 is commendable at 220 hp, and the front seats provide both comfort and plenty of lateral support when you start to take advantage of the car's nimble nature.
But my favorite feature is the advanced Rockford Fosgate audio system. On our car it's bundled with thenavigation system, which I usually don't like. But the screen is bright and the touchscreen controls work well. It's actually a little bizarre to have such a premium control interface and audio system in a non-premium car. And, in case you need to be reminded of the Outlander's non-premium status, a quick scan of the interior materials will confirm it. Unlike its platform mate, the Caliber, where the cheap interior materials pretty much hit you over the head, the materials in the Outlander acutally look okay. But run your hands over them and it's like a Mattel factory exploded in the cabin. But I give Mitsubishi credit for knowing where to cut. While I like high-quality materials I need satellite radio and an auxiliary audio input in 2007. If they had to pick an area to cut versus an area to splurge they picked the right ones."
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Thinking about upgrading your wheels? Visit this site. Lets you see your car with the wheels on before you buy it. Sorry, no 2G outlander available yet.
http://www.wheelenvizio.com/?wheel=Envizio
[IMG]local://upfiles/10246/99A66D4C735646B6B69A445C6AED63D5.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/10246/5551FA6E42434BE18503D60647A35845.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/10246/1F4E104E12814A7BBF7E4ED206F9C907.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/10246/1D36D7468BDA45919902436B62D85591.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/10246/B00A3DEA5C174DAABAD16023CC35F0BF.jpg[/IMG]
"I just drove our newest addition to the long-term fleet, a 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander. The official long-term introduction will be up in a few weeks, but after 100 miles I have a good sense of the car's strengths and weaknesses. In terms of driving dynamics the Outlander scores, with a solid chassis and confident handling. The steering is responsive and well weighted, and body roll is limited (at least by crossover standards). Power from the 3.0-liter V6 is commendable at 220 hp, and the front seats provide both comfort and plenty of lateral support when you start to take advantage of the car's nimble nature.
But my favorite feature is the advanced Rockford Fosgate audio system. On our car it's bundled with thenavigation system, which I usually don't like. But the screen is bright and the touchscreen controls work well. It's actually a little bizarre to have such a premium control interface and audio system in a non-premium car. And, in case you need to be reminded of the Outlander's non-premium status, a quick scan of the interior materials will confirm it. Unlike its platform mate, the Caliber, where the cheap interior materials pretty much hit you over the head, the materials in the Outlander acutally look okay. But run your hands over them and it's like a Mattel factory exploded in the cabin. But I give Mitsubishi credit for knowing where to cut. While I like high-quality materials I need satellite radio and an auxiliary audio input in 2007. If they had to pick an area to cut versus an area to splurge they picked the right ones."
=========
Thinking about upgrading your wheels? Visit this site. Lets you see your car with the wheels on before you buy it. Sorry, no 2G outlander available yet.
http://www.wheelenvizio.com/?wheel=Envizio
[IMG]local://upfiles/10246/99A66D4C735646B6B69A445C6AED63D5.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/10246/5551FA6E42434BE18503D60647A35845.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/10246/1F4E104E12814A7BBF7E4ED206F9C907.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/10246/1D36D7468BDA45919902436B62D85591.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/10246/B00A3DEA5C174DAABAD16023CC35F0BF.jpg[/IMG]
#3
03-23-2007, 05:36 PM
RE: 2G Outlander is Edmund's Latest Long Termer
hmmm.
odd, i like the material in the new outie... maybe its just me?
odd, i like the material in the new outie... maybe its just me?
#5
03-23-2007, 09:48 PM
RE: 2G Outlander is Edmund's Latest Long Termer
Opinions about interior quality depends on what your used to. Coming from an 05 Escape, the interior of the Outie looks/feels downright luxurious. I often drive our inlaws Lexus RX330 and althogh the materials feel "softer" they don't look any better and there are TWO annoying as hell rattles coming from behind the dash. Deep behind the dash. Just goes to show that even a 38k vehicle has its problems. If the Outie is rattle free, thats all I care about. The Escape rattles like crazy...
#6
03-23-2007, 10:01 PM
RE: 2G Outlander is Edmund's Latest Long Termer
"Cheap" looks is indeed in the eye of the beholder. I don't have "dashboard" fetish, so I can live with hard plastics. Last time I checked, both the 03 RAV-4 and CR-V have way too much hard plastics in the interior too. The sunvisor mirror isn't any better than in the 07 Outlander either. But you won't hear negative comments like this from paid Auto reviews for Toyotas and Hondas. That's why reviews don't appeal much to me. Especially when it's loaded with personal opinion. I can tell what's good and what's bad, and I did my assignment before buying my Outlander, so I know first hand what to expect, and I don't need some "auto expert" to tell me all that.
#7
03-23-2007, 10:31 PM
RE: 2G Outlander is Edmund's Latest Long Termer
having 3 kids now and another on the way. Not to mention a wife that loves to prop her prego feet on the dash, i dont mind the plastic dash. I fact, as a whole the car is alot easier to clean, and keep clean. If only they offered the outie with vinyl flooring.. then I wouldnt have to worry about kids droppinig crumbs, french fries, and cokes in the floor... then again, I'll deal with it, I like the carpet too.
#8
04-12-2007, 04:41 PM
RE: 2G Outlander is Edmund's Latest Long Termer
And so it begins...
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=120390
Introduction
Mitsubishi's 25-year history in the U.S. market hasn't always been a thing of beauty. Over the past few years it's become the sort of convoluted headache an accounting professor might put on your final exam. The 2007 Outlander offers us insight into the company's plan to revive its product line and its fortunes.
What we bought
Just weeks ago we filled the vacant space in our long-term test garage with a 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS in Cool Silver Metallic. We chose the XLS trim for our second-generation Outlander over the midlevel LS and economy-level ES choices. All three trim levels are powered by a 3.0-liter MIVEC V6 producing 220 horsepower and matched to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting capability.
The Outlander XLS offers a long list of standard equipment to project a personality that's as practical as an Endeavor SUV yet as sporty as an Eclipse coupe. Some of these features include electronic stability control, part-time 4WD, four-wheel independent suspension and even a pair of magnesium shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. Keyless entry and start-up is one of the more notable convenience items. Bluetooth wireless capability further reinforces the hands-free convenience of the Outlander.
We chose the seven-passenger XLS, which offers a third-row seat. The third row folds flat while the 60/40-split second-row seats adjust fore and aft, recline and then fold to create a flat load floor. The bottom element of the two-piece tailgate hinges from the rear bumper to create a lift-over height of less than 24 inches.
Our desire for a heated driver seat meant we needed the $1,600 luxury package. To our surprise, this included our prescribed bun warmers for both front- and second-row seats. We wanted a sunroof, too, which fell into the XLS Sun and Sound package. This $1,580 charge also bumped up our stereo system to a 650-watt, nine-speaker Rockford Fosgate audio system with a subwoofer the size of a personal pizza. Since we happened upon the 30GB digital music server in our Outlander full test, we knew it was a must-have regardless of the additional $1,800. We purchased it as part of the Navigation package. The MSRP of our Outlander rose by $5,514 from its base to a total of $30,615 after options.
Why we bought it
The Outlander's entry into the booming market for compact sport-utilities is a significant opportunity for Mitsubishi to regain market share after several troubled years. The Outlander shares a platform engineered in conjunction with Chrysler that also lies beneath vehicles as different in character as the Dodge Caliber and its highly anticipated cousin, the 2008 Lancer Evolution. Mitsubishi tells us that the Outlander should be sporty and fun to drive as a result, and we plan to put that claim to the test.
The all-new 2007 Outlander also has a significant look. Interior and exterior design elements of this SUV represent Mitsubishi's new direction in this segment, one intended to evoke a sense of sports car rather than sport-utility. This is a tall order, considering that the new Outlander's dimensions are actually larger than its predecessor. Our 12-month test will determine whether this sports-car depiction holds true or is merely a state of mind.
Finally, the addition of the XLS to our fleet now gives us a basis to compare our long-term Toyota RAV4 and Ford Edge. With the growing popularity of this segment, we felt it important to draw examples from several manufacturers for long-term testing.
Track test and impressions
We pulled up to the starting line on the drag strip as the odometer turned 1,400 miles and our testing began. Our XLS reached 60 mph from a stop in 8.2 seconds and completed the quarter-mile in 16.4 seconds at 84.8 mph. To achieve this time, we engaged the Outlander's 4WD and switched off its stability control. Our 3,885-pound Outlander V6 didn't feel exactly sprightly.
In the slalom test, Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot drove the Outlander to a 61.6-mph run and noted, "It feels heavy through the transitions. There is a lot of wind-up and spring-back in the suspension, resulting in high steering effort." After the XLS recorded 0.74g around the skid pad, Jacquot added, "There is tire-abusing understeer and the car does not respond intuitively to steering and throttle inputs."
Our XLS displayed good brake feel and response as it took just 30 feet to bring its 18-inch Goodyear Eagle LS2s to a stop from 60 mph. This is slightly better than the figure recorded in early testing of our long-term Toyota RAV4.
After 1,700 miles we are averaging 19.4 mpg, just a shade above the EPA estimates for city driving. We are still far from attaining the projected 26 mph/highway but there is hope considering our best tank has been nearly 24 mpg.
Our first visit to the track seems to suggest that the Outlander isn't exactly a sports car in performance, but we'll see if it feels differently during normal use. Check in regularly over the next 12 months for updates in the long-term blog.
Current Odometer: 1,710
Best Fuel Economy: 23.6 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 13.9 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 19.4 mpg
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=120390
Introduction
Mitsubishi's 25-year history in the U.S. market hasn't always been a thing of beauty. Over the past few years it's become the sort of convoluted headache an accounting professor might put on your final exam. The 2007 Outlander offers us insight into the company's plan to revive its product line and its fortunes.
What we bought
Just weeks ago we filled the vacant space in our long-term test garage with a 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS in Cool Silver Metallic. We chose the XLS trim for our second-generation Outlander over the midlevel LS and economy-level ES choices. All three trim levels are powered by a 3.0-liter MIVEC V6 producing 220 horsepower and matched to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting capability.
The Outlander XLS offers a long list of standard equipment to project a personality that's as practical as an Endeavor SUV yet as sporty as an Eclipse coupe. Some of these features include electronic stability control, part-time 4WD, four-wheel independent suspension and even a pair of magnesium shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. Keyless entry and start-up is one of the more notable convenience items. Bluetooth wireless capability further reinforces the hands-free convenience of the Outlander.
We chose the seven-passenger XLS, which offers a third-row seat. The third row folds flat while the 60/40-split second-row seats adjust fore and aft, recline and then fold to create a flat load floor. The bottom element of the two-piece tailgate hinges from the rear bumper to create a lift-over height of less than 24 inches.
Our desire for a heated driver seat meant we needed the $1,600 luxury package. To our surprise, this included our prescribed bun warmers for both front- and second-row seats. We wanted a sunroof, too, which fell into the XLS Sun and Sound package. This $1,580 charge also bumped up our stereo system to a 650-watt, nine-speaker Rockford Fosgate audio system with a subwoofer the size of a personal pizza. Since we happened upon the 30GB digital music server in our Outlander full test, we knew it was a must-have regardless of the additional $1,800. We purchased it as part of the Navigation package. The MSRP of our Outlander rose by $5,514 from its base to a total of $30,615 after options.
Why we bought it
The Outlander's entry into the booming market for compact sport-utilities is a significant opportunity for Mitsubishi to regain market share after several troubled years. The Outlander shares a platform engineered in conjunction with Chrysler that also lies beneath vehicles as different in character as the Dodge Caliber and its highly anticipated cousin, the 2008 Lancer Evolution. Mitsubishi tells us that the Outlander should be sporty and fun to drive as a result, and we plan to put that claim to the test.
The all-new 2007 Outlander also has a significant look. Interior and exterior design elements of this SUV represent Mitsubishi's new direction in this segment, one intended to evoke a sense of sports car rather than sport-utility. This is a tall order, considering that the new Outlander's dimensions are actually larger than its predecessor. Our 12-month test will determine whether this sports-car depiction holds true or is merely a state of mind.
Finally, the addition of the XLS to our fleet now gives us a basis to compare our long-term Toyota RAV4 and Ford Edge. With the growing popularity of this segment, we felt it important to draw examples from several manufacturers for long-term testing.
Track test and impressions
We pulled up to the starting line on the drag strip as the odometer turned 1,400 miles and our testing began. Our XLS reached 60 mph from a stop in 8.2 seconds and completed the quarter-mile in 16.4 seconds at 84.8 mph. To achieve this time, we engaged the Outlander's 4WD and switched off its stability control. Our 3,885-pound Outlander V6 didn't feel exactly sprightly.
In the slalom test, Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot drove the Outlander to a 61.6-mph run and noted, "It feels heavy through the transitions. There is a lot of wind-up and spring-back in the suspension, resulting in high steering effort." After the XLS recorded 0.74g around the skid pad, Jacquot added, "There is tire-abusing understeer and the car does not respond intuitively to steering and throttle inputs."
Our XLS displayed good brake feel and response as it took just 30 feet to bring its 18-inch Goodyear Eagle LS2s to a stop from 60 mph. This is slightly better than the figure recorded in early testing of our long-term Toyota RAV4.
After 1,700 miles we are averaging 19.4 mpg, just a shade above the EPA estimates for city driving. We are still far from attaining the projected 26 mph/highway but there is hope considering our best tank has been nearly 24 mpg.
Our first visit to the track seems to suggest that the Outlander isn't exactly a sports car in performance, but we'll see if it feels differently during normal use. Check in regularly over the next 12 months for updates in the long-term blog.
Current Odometer: 1,710
Best Fuel Economy: 23.6 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 13.9 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 19.4 mpg
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
#10
04-13-2007, 03:01 AM
RE: 2G Outlander is Edmund's Latest Long Termer
This is interesting.....from the edmunds full test of the 2006 RAV4....
"..... With a performance of 61.3 mph through our slalom course, the RAV4 felt confident and well planted."
But for the Outlander,
"....In the slalom test, Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot drove the Outlander to a 61.6-mph run and noted, "It feels heavy through the transitions."
It's kinda not fair is it??
"..... With a performance of 61.3 mph through our slalom course, the RAV4 felt confident and well planted."
But for the Outlander,
"....In the slalom test, Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot drove the Outlander to a 61.6-mph run and noted, "It feels heavy through the transitions."
It's kinda not fair is it??