But other than providing a sense of secureness, the quality of the Outlander’s interior is what stood out to us most at the end. The interior build quality of the updated Outlander is A1, and we were happy with the overall drive experience in city driving.
We also paid close attention to the fuel consumption average of the Outlander, and we averaged just above 8l per 100km over a period of seven days. A figure of 5.3l per 100km was achieved when we coasted on the N2 freeway at a speed of 80km/h for about 30km in Eco mode, which can be considered remarkable considering the Outlander’s kerb weight and engine size.
Because it’s a seven-seater, we stuffed the Outlander with people to see how comfortable our occupants were. The rear-most seats, which can be folded down for more boot space, can be cramped if not adjusted for leg room. This area is more suitable for kids, and taller adults will not have a great time there. The three seats behind the driver and front passenger have ample room for three adults.
Exterior-wise, we liked the Outlander in white and found it to have a good presence on the road. It has good-looking character lines and tinted rear windows. It does have a fake exhaust design, which we think looks great – we don’t see the fuss in ‘fake’ exhausts.
Our gripe with the Outlander is its infotainment system. While it does have Apple Car Play and Android Auto, we feel it could be larger and of better resolution considering the price of the Outlander. However, the system was reasonably responsive to our inputs.
To nitpick, the rear window is on the smaller side, making it slightly difficult to get a proper vision in the rearview mirror.
The new Outlander comes in two models, the GLS and Aspire, with the latter the top-of-the-range derivative. The test car we had was the GLS.
According to Mitsubishi Motors SA (MMSA), the latest Outlander is made on a newly built platform that has a range of tech that includes the manufacturer’s latest generation of four-wheel drive systems and the ability to accept a hybrid drive train.
The new Outlander has won numerous awards since its international launch. These awards include the 2022 IF design award, the 2022 Australian Good Design Award, a five-star rating in the Japan New Car Assessment Program, Technology Car of the Year in the 2021-2022 Japan Car of the Year awards and most recently Money’s Best for safety award in the Plug-In Hybrid SUV category and it is now ready to make its impact on Africa.
Under the bonnet is Mitsubishi’s latest generation 2.5l Duel VVT Dohc engine that uses direct injection. Outputs are 135kW at 6,000rpm and 245Nm at 3,600rpm. An eight-speed CVT transmission is mated to the engine.
As mentioned, the new Outlander has an all-wheel drive system which the manufacturer refers to as the Super All-Wheel Control (Sawc) system. This system works in conjunction with Active Yaw Control, which controls and distribution of torque between the left and right wheels.
Sawc enables six different drive modes, including Eco, Normal, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow and Mud.
With the GLS model, the Outlander comes with a 12.3-inch digital driver display which is flanked by an eight-inch Smartphone-link display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker sound system and three-zone automatic climate control. Added to this are a keyless operation system with an engine switch, front and rear park distance control, a rear-view camera, heated synthetic leather seats with a suede combination and an automatic tailgate.
The new Outlander comes equipped with high-tensile strength steel around the passenger compartment that is complimented by an impact-absorbing body structure. Added to this is seven airbags, ABS brakes, electronic-brake force distribution, emergency stop signal system, hill start assist, hill decent control, active stability, and traction control.
Mitsubishi Outlander GLS - R729, 995
Manufacturer’s warranty: three-yea/100000km. Roadside assistance: five-year unlimited mileage. service plan: Five-year/90,000km. Service intervals: Every 15,000km.
