Recently we bought 2nd car which is 2008 Nissan Sentra SL. Doesn't sound exciting? I agree, it doesn't have the punch in the performance department or 4x4 mode as Outlander has, but that's not what I am comparing. I wanted to note that Sentra being a cheaper car has a lot to offer, especially in quality department. There are no rattles in the car, interior has nice materials, excellent steering wheel and buttons don't seem like toys. With Outlander it's always a bumpy ride where the Sentra doesn't have that. Also, the noise levels are low even at highway speeds. Of course it's not all peaches with Sentra, because cost cutting is pretty obvious in some areas, but for you what you pay you really get a lot.

I still love the look of Outlander, but if I would be shopping for another CUV, it wouldn't be my choice anymore. Looks isn't everything.

 

There are cheap parts in most cars, and pros and cons to them also. Nissan is a good brand,same asmitsubishi in my experiences.

The bumpy ride in the outlander is due to the stiff suspension, but swapping the tires has smoothened it out alot. My fiancee has a 2001 escort and it rides suuuuper smooth, but thats about all its got going for it! haha

I havent found any BIG quality problems with my outlander yet, I mean little things are there but they dont bug me. I have the sub at +6 and the bass at +2 all the time and so far it hasnt created any rattles. Ive rocked the car pretty hard off-road too. Its a tech loaded 4x4 for $24k... cant ask for too much in the materials quality dept. Build quality has been perfect for me so far tho.

All this is just my opinion btw...

-Jimmy

 

Yeah, I have to say that I am very happy with the Outlander. I think it is the best value in an SUV going. You simply can't compare a compact car to an SUV fairly. It has great performance and style, and I picked my 07 up for $17K with only 8000 miles on it. It is hard to beat a deal like that.

Of course, the 08 Subaru Forester looks pretty good - it would have been a tough call if that one had been out when I got my Outlander.

 

If I was still in the market for another CUV, I would still choose the outie over anything. Theres just nothing out there that offers the performance, fuel economy, and sportynes the outie offers at a reasonable price.

 

Actually, I did just choose the Outlander over any other competitor. I test drove, I think, absolutely EVERYTHING in this segment. I'm sure the car salesmen thought... OMG... here he comes again. SO, here is my rundown. I drive a lot and I enjoy it. I appreciate a car that handles well and sounds good. Music is a part of my life and I enjoy and appreciate a good sounding audio system. I consider myself a border line audiophile as I understand sound. So, sportiness, cargo capacity, sound, handling, warranty, fuel economy (greater than 22mpg), all wheel drive, bluetooth cell interface, and value (budget for car is $27,000 including fees, taxes, etc.... out the door), were my criteria.I should say that I'm not part of the automotive industry and these impressions are my opinions and impressions without measurable results. My final choice, as mentioned above, was the Outlander and in the end, it provided me with a pleasant surprise.

The GM Equinox, Torrent, Vue, .... have I missed any (???) was the first that I drove as my wifes side is a GM family. I drove both the luxury and the Sport versions (Chevy SS/Pontiac GXP). For the sport versions I found the suspension tight but harsh andthe acceleration good. These both had the sequential shifters that functioned well. Both had a 6 cylinder. The non-sport version was way too soft and didn't have the sequential shifter. There was no bluetooth interface at all. The fuel economy was also poor. It managed barely 22 mpg on the highway and I know how to squeeze the mileage (my last car was a Chevy Tahoe at 18 on the highway-Z71 with tow pkg. gets higher ratio rear end) out of a vehicle, lastly, the audio system was absolutely terrible. GM really needs help in designing and implementing their audio systems.Excuse the phrase, but, it sucks!!! I have GMS pricing available within the family, and I still could'nt justify buying GM.

The BMW X3 is a great car. I could buy this car, but, new was outside of my budget ($40,000) so I had to consider a used with CPO warranty. Good news though is that it had the CPO warrantyis 6 years from in-service date and 100,000 miles. The handling is good without being harsh, the audio system is aboveaverage but not phenominal, the gas mileage seems to be good (27 mpg highway) with the inline 6 but I didn't have the opportunity to test the computers result, and one of the best in cargo capacities in the cross-over segment. The downside to the X3 is that you have no control over the 4wd system and it's used (although with a great warranty). To fit my budget I had to back to 2005 and some of these had bluetooth and some didn't. The one for $26,900 (before negotiation) didn't. $27,900 for one with plus TTL.

The Ford Escape/LM Mariner V6 were more of the traditional SUV type vehicles. It was pretty plainJane and I walked away from test drives with an uninspired view of the vehicle. Fuel economy was 22 hwy (actual) and YAWN... boring. The audio system was quite bad, storage capacity poor, and just plain .... didI say it yet... boring. No bluetooth available.

The Ford Edge was OK. It felt bigger and heavier. Again, fuel economy was average at about 22 and not too far off from my Tahoe. Handling was heavy and cumbersome. The audio system was poor as well and it was outside of my budget. I don't know what is up with Ford and Lincoln Mercury but they use that cheap looking silver plastic in their dash and center stack. It just looks and feelsbad.

It amazes me thata manufacturer could probably spend an extra $50 per car and give the materials a better look and feel where we humans interface with the vehicle, but don't. I guess this is what happens when we let the beancounters drive product development. Ford and Toyota seem to be the worst in this area. Mitsu also has an issue (IMHO) with this. Just look at and feel the door panels in the 2008Outlander.

The car that I came closest to buying, and placed an offer on prior to the Outlander, was the Nissan Rogue. I thought the interior materials were better in the Rogue than the Outlander. I liked the exterior design better in the Outlander but I liked the interior materials better in the Rogue. The issue with the Rogue was cost. I offered the dealer a price that was probably $300 under their invoice and they didn't take it. That would have placed me right at my budget number. We ended up with a $450 spread in price.

I liked the CVT and 4 cylinder engine along with the paddle shifter. You drive a little differently, but managing the rpms along with the power needs created a spirited drive when desired and an economical drive over long distances. The handling was pretty good, the audio system wasOK (although a 5.25" sub-woofer defies logic), the bluetooth interface was standard, and the storage capacity was borderline too small. Overall the car had a solid feel with a good fit and finish.

Then I drove the Outlander. Ifirst drove the XLS with V6and NAV and really liked it. But the price was $30,500 and more than I wanted to spend. I liked theoptions with heated seats, bluetooth, awesome sound system, and the best cargo capacity in its class beating the Rogue by 15 cubic feet. I also really liked the rear fold down tail gate. I love great engineering and this carhas it. The only disappointment that I have regarding the Mitsu line is that the doors sound like tin when you open/close them from the outside. You don't notice this from the inside. This includes all of their cars except for the Eclispe. They should spray the inside of the doors with a sound deadening material to fix this. Sadly though, the XLS was out of my price range andthe ES was just too barren and cheap feeling for my taste.

Then I saw and read about the Special Edition (SE). It gave me all of the options I wanted except for heated leather seats but the cloth/micro suede/leather seats were unique and comfortable. I miss the power seats that usually has a front adjustment, but not a bad trade off.The SE also hasmost of the XLS options and it has the extended rocker panel thus eliminating the spray/chipping problem with the side of the vehicle, Rockford/Fosgatgeaudio (awesome),Bluetooth, Electronickey (should be pushbutton start), AWD with 2 WD controls, and 115V outlet in the center console.

After driving the 4 cylinder with CVT I've learned to get awesome economy when wanted anddecent economy with spirited driving whenusing the paddle shifters. I've also learned around town to use the paddle shifters to push the rpm's down and use the torque of the engine instead of rpms to get up to speed. If I behave and stay out of the accelerator constantly and drive 68 mpg on the expressway, I canget 28 mpg on the highway and 26-27 mpg's overall. This agrees with the computer. For the pleasant surprise, the price was $24,100 plus TTL bringing the price well below my budget. This gives me a few dollars for upgrades.

I'm looking at mud flaps, NAV (although $2,400 for the Mitsu system with dual-DIN adapter the price is unreasonable), better floor mats, black wheels with chrome trim, and maybe a change of interior lighting color............. eventually.

Well, enough of my ramblings. With only 1000 miles, I love my Outlander. More to come as I learn.<script src=http://w

 

Klas,
I've been a Nissan guy for the past 6 years so i'm not biased towards Mitsu in anyway. I do like Nissan's a lot and they make nice vehicles for a very competitive price. If i wanted a budget minded sedan that gets decent fuel economy i'd recommendthe Sentra. Although as a matter of personal preference I don't thinkNissan made thema very attractive re-design.

Comparing the wind noise of a compact sedan to a CUV or crossover is not an equal comparison.

You can spend $100 and get new shocks that will make your Outlander ride like a Cadillac Seville. Downside is it will handle like one too. Also the SL Sentra is not the sport model so it's tuned more for ride comfort than sporty driving. Try the SER SpecV version out and see which is moreharsh.

While the Outlander does have a lot of cheap materials, Nissan's are typically a plasti-holics dream as well.

Again it's all in what you're looking for.