2007-2010 Mitsubishi Outlander

I know updates have been lacking this whole year so I'm trying to make up for it. Today's car is the Mitsubishi Outlander.



Introduction: The Mitsubishi Outlander originated in 2001 as the Mitsubishi Airtrek. This vehicle was derived from Mitsubishi's ASX concept. The idea behind this was to make a crossover that had the off-road ability of the SUV but retain the standard car's emissions, size and fuel economy. The Airtrek name was eventually phased out in favour of Outlander which is the name most familiar with those outside of Japan. The Outlander was redesigned in 2005 being the first vehicle of the new GS platform which includes the Lancer and the rally racer Lancer Evolution. This second generation vehicle would only come to North America in 2007. The Outlander went for a redesign in 2010 taking the new Lancer and Lancer Evolution's front end.

This is the very first Mitsubishi that I got the chance to drive. I was sort of excited but I was also wasn't sure what to make out of it. Nobody I knew ever drove a Mitsubishi and I didn't hear the greatest praise for them either outside. Yet with Mitsubishi's history of excellent cars like the Lancer Evolutions, I wasn't expecting terrible things.


Performance: The North American Outlanders only are equipped with a 3.0L V6 MIVEC engine. This engine produces 220 hp and 204 lb.ft of torque for the earlier Outlanders. The 2010 updated engine is the very same engine but now producing 230 hp and 215 lb.ft of torque. Its acceleration from 0-100 km/h takes about 8.5 seconds on older Outlanders, the new one strangely is quite a bit faster in under 8 seconds. Having driven both I honestly didn't realize the newer ones were that much faster. In low speeds the engine has a slightly annoying whining sound, its a lot better when taken to highway speeds. Still it pulls rather well and is surprisingly quick despite not being turbocharged or having a high displacement making it a rather clever engine. Fuel economy for this crossover is rather average if you notice you need to fill up often, its not bad fuel economy but rather the Outlander has a rather small fuel tank(50-55L) for some strange reason.

My Score: 8/10 - A bit noisy at slow speeds but surprisingly quick

Handling: When you take the Outlander into a corner I was rather surprised at how much of a car it felt. You don't seem to feel the higher center of gravity as much as some of the taller small cars. Steering feel is actually very good, in the corners its rather crisp in its changes. This crossover isn't as happy in the corners as the Mazda CX-7 but feels very competent. Normally crossovers are nowhere near as good as their car counterparts, the Outlander despite its bulk doesn't feel that far from its Lancer roots. The ride comfort is a bit firm than most of the other crossovers but that's expected for performance like this.

My Score: 9/10 - A surprise, car-like feel in an area where most crossovers are not so good. Ride comfort suffers a slight bit.


Interior: Well, I haven't said as many nice things about the previous Mitsubishi interiors and this one isn't any different. Once again the materials appear to be the worst offender here. The plastic just don't have that quality feel you get on say a newer Hyundai. Its not the most inviting interior either as its full of dark plastic and black carpets. The stereo is alright but the knobs are very small which may be a problem for those with larger fingers. On the bright side, it actually feels a lot bigger inside than the vehicle seems on the outside. I don't know if Mitsubishi focused on space efficiency but it felt cavernous inside. It has a split folding tailgate which I think is very good. Higher trim levels feature the 7-seater arrangement, for small children I don't think they're too bad but a large adult won't like them. Having the second row fold is actually quite easy, holding the lever is all that has to be done. Higher trim levels also have key-less start which is neat at first but I find a bit gimmicky. I think this is the best interior Mitsubishi has designed mainly due to the engineering. The build quality is very good, its built in Okazaki, Aichi, Japan.

My Score: 7/10 - Very clever designed interior, feels spacious, built rather well but has cheap material and isn't very pleasant inside.

Styling: There are two styles the original and the refreshed style. I personally prefer the original as that style fit with the entire car without looking like everything else. I didn't find the Lancer Evolution X's front end fit with the car very well but some people like it. The rear remained the same regardless of which version and is a bit more original. Its the side profile where I find the newer front a bit awkward as it has a slight overbite while the older doesn't and flows smoothly. I can see some of the appeal of the newer front but I think it looks better on a car.

My Score: 7/10 - Nice styling particularly the older design which flows very nicely, newer is more aggressive if that's your thing.

Value for money: This is one of the better crossovers I've ever driven. The clever interior, the rather good driving dynamics and overall good styling. I found the Outlander drives a lot better than many of the alternatives. If you get the 7-seater arrangement its not as great at carrying passengers as a minivan and its a bit more expensive. For that extra expense however you are given the 4WD and a easier and nicer vehicle to drive so its a bit of a trade off. If you occasionally need the 7 seats, the Outlander is a better choice than the minivan. Another nice bonus, it has Mitsubishi's industry leading warranty. I can't think of a great reason for buying any other crossover unless you want a nicer interior.

My Score: 8/10 - If you need this sort of vehicle its one of the best, with a great warranty and presents great driving dynamics. It only falls short if you constantly need a 7-seater or want a nicer interior.

Overall: 39/50 - Some minor flaws cannot deny that this crossover is a very good vehicle.

2009 Mitsubishi Galant ES

I apologize for not updating as frequently as one would expect. Today I'll only add an extra car, the Mitsubishi Galant mostly because today was the final time I would likely drive one since all of them in fleet are scheduled to be sold.


Introduction: The Mitsubishi Galant is the oldest name currently held in the Mitsubishi Motors lineup, originally started in 1969. For the majority of its lifespan the Galant would be a compact car, while the Lancer was a subcompact. Earlier Galants were RWD, eventually becoming FWD and certain VR4 versions had AWD. Today the Galant has taken on the role of a midsized sedan started from the 8th generation, the current Galant is in its 9th generation introduced in 2004.

I was always curious about the Galant since at that point I haven't driven the Lancer as a result I haven't driven a conventional car made by Mitsubishi. When we finally acquired one I was pretty excited to drive it hoping it would something like the Mazda 6.


Performance: The Galant is given the choice of 3 types of engine one 4-cylinder and 2 V6 engines. The 2.4L 4-cylinder is the engine that I've only had the opportunity to experience. This engine produces 162 hp and 162 lb.ft of torque. Acceleration of this engine is apparently 9.2 seconds to go from 0-100 km/h. The engine doesn't make a very pleasant sound and its noticeably loud during the earlier gears. I didn't notice it to be that slow though. Overall I didn't find this engine that significant, although I didn't think it was all that bad.

My Score: 6/10 - Average numbers, a bit noisy early on

Handling: This is usually the problem with mid size sedans, most are set up for comfort which in turns makes these sort of cars boring and unathletic. The Galant attempts to not try to fall into the same problem as other Japanese cars have. The steering wheel is pretty heavy in comparison to its competitors which I do like. It doesn't quite have the feel that is produced by the Mazda 6 despite its lighter wheel. As you go into the corners the Galant I found was quite stable and had far less roll than even some of the good cars in this segment. Overall I thought the Galant does well in this category.

My Score: 9/10 - Nicely weighted wheel, very stable in the corners, missing a bit of feel though


Interior: The Galant is probably the only vehicle I would ever complain about head room. The roof line is much shorter as you move the seat closer to the wheel and as a result I noticed how the styling can affect some of the practicality of the car. The further you sit back the more headroom available. Without height adjustment...this is a slight problem for me. The rest of the interior is pretty uninteresting, unfortunately the center console is full of the aerosol plastic that I dislike greatly. I thought the faux wood trim looked too fake and further cheapened the image. The good news is the build quality is actually good, the Galant is built in Normal, Illinois and is one of the few UAW products that has been assembled with consistent quality.

My Score: 4/10 - Unattractive, very plastic interior but with pretty good build quality

Styling: While not as striking or as bold as the Lancer's design the Galant is actually still pretty unique among the midsized sedans. The car is pretty handsome in the front and a bit different from the rear. The side profile is particularly pretty smooth(which contributed to my head room issues). I kind of wish there was a new VR4 put on this variation since I'd love to see how much more aggressive it looks.

My Score: 9/10 - Very good looking sedan even with some subtle details ended up looking unique.

Value for money: This is a harder one to score with the Galant, the market for the mid size cars is extremely competitive. The Galant starts out at roughly $24,000 which is very high for a vehicle that is often overlooked. In comparison the Camry and Accord are $1000-1500 more expensive, the new 2010 Fusion is about $2000-2500 cheaper. The cheapo interior and a lack of unique features is basically what prevents me from saying its a good value. What can make a Galant a good deal is mostly how much easier it is to negotiate a good deal with the dealers. Next is the very good warranty Mitsubishi Motors Canada has put forward. It may not actually be such a poor value with those useful incentives are factored into that price given.

My Score: 7/10 - Quite expensive for a car with a low rent interior, the good warranty and easier negotiations however may allow you to end up with a less expensive car with those goodies.

Overall: 35/50 - In the end I felt the Galant was a decent car, not a brilliant one but one that has tried in some areas to stand out. Hopefully the next Galant would address the flaws I found in this version.

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer DE

Another Japanese compact car, will this one be as good as the Mazda?


Introduction: The Mitsubishi Lancer is actually a vehicle that Mitsubishi made for quite some time all the way back from 1973. Older generations of the Lancer have been sold as Dodge Colts, while the United States saw the 4th generation Lancer. Canada did not have access to any Mitsubishi unless Dodge put its badge and sold the vehicles that way. Canada only got the true Mitsubishi Lancer when it was in its 7th generation. The current Mitsubishi Lancer is in its 8th generation hoping to make a break through in the most competitive segment of cars.

This is one of the last few vehicles I managed to drive and this was the only one that I had no opportunity to drive in order for me to get the chance to drive every single vehicle sold in this segment. I was happy to see I finally got the chance to drive a Lancer a few months ago when I thought the only Mitsubishis I would drive are the Outlander and Endeavor.


Performance: The base Mitsubishi Lancers are given a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine that produces 152 hp and 146 lb.ft of torque, making this one of the most powerful base vehicles available. The engine is one of the GEMA models that I mentioned in the Caliber reviews. The Lancer is also given a CVT to be paired with this engine much like the Chryslers. The acceleration is reasonable with a 0-100 km/h time of about 8.9 seconds, it is claimed the car is much faster without the CVT. The engine however isn't as refined as the Mazda 3's and in order to get it moving its a bit buzzy.

My Score: 7/10 - Decent power, decent acceleration but noisy and with the right transmission could be quicker.

Handling: The Mitsubishi Lancer's handling was really a big question mark for me when dreaming of driving it. So after taking it for a decent drive, I can say it handled pretty good all things considered. Its not as brilliant as the Mazda 3 but I do prefer this over the Honda Civic. The steering feel is not as electric as the Mazda either but its got a decent amount of feel to make driving the car around corners pretty enjoyable. Not a brilliant car like the Mazda 3 but a pretty competent one in this area.

My Score: 8/10 - Good handling, decent steering feel but still outclassed by Mazda


Interior: This is the area that always concerns me about Mitsubishi. I know their engineers are clever but I don't think they make very presentable interiors. While it doesn't have the feel of being very cheap like a Chrysler, its still not enough to excuse the hard plastics all over the car. The somewhat digital dash however does make it a tad better. In the end its pretty bland and not what I'd hope for. Interior space is reasonable and about equal with cars of similar size like the Mazda 3. The Lancer is made in Japan, once again I'm amazed but it seems the Japanese do a pretty good job at assembling cars because I haven't found the build quality flaws I always find on a Chrysler.

My Score: 6/10 - Bland interior, disappointing materials but neat gauges and its well built

Styling: Normally Japanese cars are not very good looking and usually end up being pretty generic for the times. This Mitsubishi Lancer is a very attractive vehicle, its aggressive all over from the head lights to even the tail lights. Normally I don't like the high trunk line but I'll forgive this because the rest of the car looks so good. This is clearly the best looking car in the segment.

My Score: 10/10 - Great exterior styling

Value for the money: Mitsubishi is not normally a company that is often mentioned and in some ways its a shame because the Lancer is a good looking car. It doesn't do anything terrible like some other cars ie. Corolla, Caliber, etc. Its all down to name recognition which may work in its favour since in Canada, Mitsubishi offers a very good engine warranty and the base DE lancer is pretty competitive in price to other vehicles in the segment. Its a bit expensive but might be worth your while with the 10 year warranty. If you want something that has style but is at least competent in most areas of driving that are of concern the Lancer should be something on your list to test drive.

My Score: 8/10 - Great warranty, often overlooked and a decent performer

Overall: 39/50 - If it weren't for a weak interior, this car should be on the same level as the Corolla, Civic and Mazda 3.

2008 Mitsubishi Endeavor

My first SUV review also my first Mitsubishi one too.


Introduction: The Mitsubishi Endeavor was introduced as a brand new model in 2004. It is Mitsubishi's first medium sized cross-over SUV. The Endeavor is built on the PS platform consisting of the Mitsubishi Galant and Eclipse. This vehicle was designed to target a then growing market in the United States of SUVs. Over the years sales of this vehicle has been rather slow but Mitsubishi did give the Endeavor a face lift for the 2010 model year meaning they still intend to continue making this vehicle.

The Mitsubishi Endeavor is one of the vehicles I didn't know what to think about. I barely seen any by that point and while I was curious to drive a Mitsubishi I wondered whether this vehicle fit my idea that the SUV is a rather wasteful idea.


Performance: The Mitsubishi Endeavor is equipped with a large 3.8L V6 that produces 215 hp and 250 lb.ft of torque. The version I drove had a mild improvement to the engine making it produce 225hp. The engine was a smooth unit and powered this big vehicle rather comfortably. It in fact accelerates from 0-100 km/h in about 7.8 seconds, which is a good number for such a vehicle. Fuel economy is really the only item that this engine might suffer with.

My Score: 8/10 - The engine is pretty good, smooth and moved the vehicle pretty well. Not much to say other than it may consume more fuel than expected.

Handling: The Endeavor is a pretty decent handling vehicle all things considered. You will realize the weight of this SUV when you push the vehicle hard into the corner but you can corner without the sense you're going to under steer. The wheel is weighted very well for this vehicle and as a result its easy to drive. So long as you understand its nowhere near as light as a car, the Endeavor handles pretty good.

My Score: 7/10 - As a larger SUV it corners pretty well, it will only fail if you attempt to corner like you would on a smaller car.


Interior: This is the big weak spot with frankly every Mitsubishi today. What I thought was neat about sitting inside the Endeavor it seemed bigger and wider inside than it looks from the outside. My biggest problem with the interior is the cheap ugly plastic in the Endeavor. The best items in the interior however is the amount of space, the screen for the radio and the seats are rather comfortable. The build quality of these vehicles are pretty good, these are built in the United States. What a shame with the interior since its not a bad one, its just not easy to present it.

My Score: 6/10 - A good interior...it just uses some ugly cheap materials making it unattractive.

Styling: While I never noticed many of these SUVs after actually seeing one, they're quite distinct. Its not a particularly daring styling effort but there was effort in making it look like no other SUV from all angles. I liked the way it looked.

My Score: 8/10 - Not a daring look but styled so its distinct from any other SUV.

Value for the money: This is a bit of trouble, the Endeavor is a very expensive SUV for the money. A 2009 Endeavor costs about $36,000 which puts it over the Toyota Highlander and almost equal in price to the real SUV Toyota 4-Runner. You don't even get 4WD with that $36,000 either its still FWD. The unattractive interior does not show its price tag, the only way you could tell the money was spent elsewhere you had to have test driven the Endeavor. Had Mitsubishi spent more money on the interior they would have a good case for why this SUV costs so much.

My Score: 3/10 - A good SUV but its way too expensive with its low rent interior to present itself as a good alternative to Toyota.

Overall: 32/50 - A very nice medium sized SUV, would have been so much better with a better quality interior