2013 Outlander Review

[Dion]

MY14 update model coming soon, probably explains the discounting going on at present.

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/57125/2013-mitsubishi-outlander-update-new-features-for-new-model-year

How do you guys find the cooling of the whole vehicle with just the front air vents? That article mentions "rear vents" but I would doubt it -most of the model tweaks are just accessory changes it seems ...

I read somewhere there are vents under the front seats anyway?

[arist]

MY14 update model coming soon, probably explains the discounting going on at present.

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/57125/2013-mitsubishi-outlander-update-new-features-for-new-model-year

How do you guys find the cooling of the whole vehicle with just the front air vents? That article mentions "rear vents" but I would doubt it -most of the model tweaks are just accessory changes it seems ...

I read somewhere there are vents under the front seats anyway?

There are vents...but not for cooling only heating...so have they changed that to add cooling in the new model ???

this all sucks a bit if you have just bought the current aspire lol...one thing I wanted and didn't get was the navigation.. still its good news for anyone else.!

my thoughts from this leak is that the best value model is going to be the LS... great set of features that are equal and some better than the current Aspire.

[Dion]

Well I'm going to wait and see what is confirmed or not in the new model - and pricing. This will determine whether I continue hunting a hard deal on a current Aspire or hold out for the new model.

I suspect this is why they are going relatively cheaply at present - to clear MY13 stocks in time for MY14.

It does look like the LS picks up a lot of fruit, and the Aspire may pick up a couple of features standard. I'm guessing they'll drop the Premium pack and leave just the safety stuff as an optional extra, so the Aspire will gain the power tailgate, Satnav and stereo. Which would be nice, as those are the 3 things I wanted but couldn't justify the $5k for the premium pack. I've been offered a few vehicles with the premium pack for only $2k-$3k more than non-premium pack, which seems to indicate a few of the premium pack goodies are about to be standard.

Anyway, console yourself with the price you got is probably the best you could get ... and the fact that MM is notorious for doing this.

The rear vents thing is interesting - that's a fairly substantial chance to do that - they may be wrong and its all just an accessories/config tweak (i.e. MM just changes the model spec for what it orders). I'm trying to find a MY14 interior shot but no dice so far.

I also discovered that the 2.4 petrol CVT now has a second oil cooler fitted by MM. Which just makes me think that the petrol + CVT combos aren't really suited to the Outlander's size, and reinforces the diesel as the better buy. http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor...312-2fy6v.html

Some good videos on the Mitsu UK youtube channel about the Outlander features. E.g. this speed limiter feature which I don't think we get here? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t59-...-ynMbdXa8c9DxA Same goes for Lane Departure Warning - maybe they will be an option in MY14 too?

[arist]

Dion

You make some great points in your post...I would also wait and see what comes as well..

....The challenger LS has cooling/heating airvents for the back..but other lower models do not...lets see what comes.

its interesting to hear you got offered the Premium pack for 2-3k ..I asked just about the sat nav and they told me 4k just for that! lol.

[Dion]

The rear airvents thing is something I would hang out for "if" they are coming. My kids are a little travel sick susceptible so more air the better Both our current cars (the Paj and the Jetta) have rear air vents and we make use of them.

When I say offered, as in they're vehicles they already have on hand. I even got offered a petrol aspire with premium pack for less than a diesel aspire with no premium ...

When you look at it, it sorta makes sense they would give the LS some more fruit. It's a big jump from LS to Aspire in terms of spec.

I actually wouldn't mind some of the extra safety stuff i.e. the automatic braking, but its just too expensive.

[mongoose]

Well I jumped on the Outlander heavily discounting bandwagon and nabbed my Outlander Aspire Premium diesel for a touch over $36,000 hard to say no at those prices. However had I not got an Aspire Premium I think I would wait for the MY14. Unless the price was very sharp. Looking at the vehicles as listed on car sales though they dont seem to be moving many diesel models. These may become even cheaper in a few weeks.

cheers
Adrian

[Dion]

Well I jumped on the Outlander heavily discounting bandwagon and nabbed my Outlander Aspire Premium diesel for a touch over $36,000 hard to say no at those prices. However had I not got an Aspire Premium I think I would wait for the MY14. Unless the price was very sharp. Looking at the vehicles as listed on car sales though they dont seem to be moving many diesel models. These may become even cheaper in a few weeks.

cheers
Adrian

That's great pricing on an MY13 diesel auto with premium. Demo or brand new?

[mongoose]

Demo model. I think one would have buckleys of getting brand new at that price. But demo is fine by me for the few km's it has done, still has new car smell etc.

cheers
Adrian

[arist]

http://www.caradvice.com.au/247946/mitsubishi-outlander-phev-five-month-production-pause-over/

Phev production ramping up !

I can't fault the power of the diesel...just wish the phev were around to compare when I bought mine.

[arist]

Great price mongoose !
Sadly I fear I bought early,,,wish I'd known about the MY 2014 specs....also the phev looks and sounds amazing.


My best fuel figures are 5.0. ...tried but can't quite emulate pickles amazing figures....still the figures are v.good.

[arist]

Just finished traveling 1000+ kms up the east coast..... Fuel consumption was ok....no 5's. But maintained straight 6.0l per 100

That's not bad ..with four adults...and loaded to the max with 4 large suitcases...and a strong headwind today....yet what was impressive about the journey to me ..was the feeling of performance the diesel outlander s gives....it is mated so well to this car..it is effortless up long hills...where some of the petrol counterparts struggled to keep up with me....setting it on cruise it never fails to deliver maintaining speed no matter the gradient...cruise control of speed is a breeze with the on steering cruise +\- control.... I find myself controlling speed more and more this way as it is so easy and less fatiguing on long trips.

[Darwiniandude]

Pity the PHEV isn't Diesel+Electric instead of Petrol+Electric. That the combination of the instant torque and power delivery of Electric combined with the torque of the Diesel would be pretty cool I think.

I dunno about CVT's though... I know all the benefits. We just bought a Manual Lancer over the CVT.

Hmm.

Nice cars, although visually I greatly prefer the previous shape Outlander, each to their own I guess.

[MSF]

Currently driving one of these (but 2WD Petrol CVT) for a few days whilst our shorty is getting the rear bumper repaired after someone backed into it when parked..

I am getting around 8.5l/100 from it around town. (air con on all the time)
Wife just took it for a run down to wollongong and back and returned 7.1 (6.4 on the way down but Mt Ousley killed that on the way home)

[MSF]

OK, tried a decent economy run this afternoon - this is the readout from back in my driveway after a 149km round trip from the Northern Beaches to Penrith and back again - it was showing as low as 5.7l/100km but got a bit more traffic on the way home once I got to Ryde



I reckon I could get used to this sort of economy !!

[MSF]

OK, had this thing for just over a week and about 1800km so far..
it's an August 2013 FWD 2.0L ES (ie, entry level poverty pack) with about 10,000km on it when it was handed to me.



Whilst It's the entry level, it certainly has LOTS of standard features to make it a comfortable little bus to drive...


Scroll below to the summary if you CBF reading it all...


Besides all the regular safety gear like 11ty airbags and ABS/Traction control etc to give it a 5 Star ANCAP rating - there are heaps of extra bits to make it a comfortable place to be...

Stuff like Cruise control, Climate control Air Con, Good sound system with FULL Bluetooth integration and hands free phone control, Rear parking sensors and auto up for the power windows are all a nice touch.. The bluetooth is very good and has a fantastic user interface - I didn't have an owners manual but within about 45 sec I had worked out how to pair my phone and work the controls - great voice guided instructions built in.

It's very easy to drive, and despite my dislike for CVT gearboxes, I have grown to accept this one that works very well with the 110kw 2.0L - (110kW @ 6,600rpm and 190Nm @ 4,200rpm) Sure, some times it feels like it is struggling when we had 4 people in it - but overall it's a great city car and was fine on the couple of longer (300km) trips I have done.

Economy is FANTASTIC - 6L/100km is easily achievable with little effort, but even when shuffling around the city in peak hour this climbed to 'only' 9.2 after 4 hours and 44km running errands in lots of stop start Sydney traffic.. The official figures for this model are 6.6L/100km (Combined) and it's certainly achievable.

A few shorter runs using mostly freeways and 80km/h major arterial roads saw figures in the 5's. Being a CVT, it's much harder to use the gears to improve the economy, so I reckon if I had a manual (or a normal auto transmission) I would easily get it into the 5's (I love a challenge.....)

There are a few things I didn't like, and for some these will be very minor, but they annoyed me....
The reverse sensors are very quiet. I am not sure if they can be turned up (I didn't get an owners manual with the one I have) - but it required the stereo to be turned almost off to be heard.
The front cup holders are useless with 600ml bottles and regular cans, they are too large in the base so the bottle/can always slides or leans over when cornering ( even at low speeds) - Sure, the larger coffee cups and mcDonalds cups fit great..
The suspension is quite firm over speed bumps, not to the point of being uncomfortable, but it did feel a tad harsh at times. (this is coming from someone like me that has very firm suspension in the Shorty.
The seats.. They look great but offer bugger all lateral support. At first I thought it was me as I am a bigger bloke, but even a friend who is tiny commented that she was sliding in the passenger seat around corners. I am not sure if the support in the higher spec models is better, but if you are a bigger person, then you really need to hold on tight around corners to stop your upper body from sliding around..


PROS
Easy to drive, fantastic entry and exit with wide opening doors
Economy
Lots of storage spaces hidden away
Height/tilt/reach adjustable steering and height adjustable drivers seat
Fuel Economy
Good driving position (with seat raised)
Rear seat legroom and fold flat floor right to the front seat backs
Power window auto "up"
Great Bluetooth / stereo / phone connectivity and user interface.
Great (and very accurate) cruise control, good steering wheel controls
Adjustable headlights - great for when the back sits lower - no dazzling oncoming drivers
ohh, did I mention Very economical
Great windscreen wiper sweep - covers a huge amount of the screen on the drivers side
Side mirrors offer great vision rearwards and cover a fair bit of the blind spot

CONS
*Cup holders - next to useless for "normal' cans / bottles
*Seat lateral support
*High beam reach (maybe I am spoilt with the LED's on the Shorty and these are adequate ?)
*Rear Parking sensors too quiet
*Door notches - very firm (ie, the indents in the door latch to hold it at certain openings - very easy for a child to open the door and have it fling into a parked vehicle or post beside
*Black surround on the dashboard (like a piano finish) - too easily attracts dust
*Instrument cluster very hard to read in bright / overhead sun, cover needs to be a little longer to help shade it more.
Front overhang would take some time to get used to - especially if you wanted to take the 4WD version off road..

Disclaimer.
This vehicle was supplied to me free of charge by my smash repairer who is repairing my Pajero. It is a regular hire car with about 10,000km travelled. There are no signs of abnormal wear and tear or evidence it has been modified or changed.