The Mitsubishi Outlander is a compact crossover SUV loosely based on the
Mitsubishi Lancer platform. The Outlander is produced by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and the Outlander's biggest competitors are the Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V,
Ford Escape, and the
Kia Sportage. Though the Outlander is based on the Lancer platform, its engine is inspired by that of the
Galant. The Outlander is commonly sold under the name of the
Mitsubishi Airtrek.
The Outlander rolled off the assembly lines in 2003 and has been well accepted by consumers everywhere. The Outlander is available in three trim styles which are the LS, XLS, and Limited. All of the trim options offer front wheel drive or all wheel drive. All three of the trim options use open differentials for the front and rear axles, with a viscous coupling unit for the center differential. There is only one option for the Otlander, which is a 2.4 L four cylinder engine producing 160 horsepower and 162 pounds of torque. The Outlander has offered a semi automatic transmission system, though starting in 2005 a 5 speed manual transmission was offered on the LS model.
Luckily, the second generation had a better engine, offering 2.4 L 16 valve DOHC MIVEC engine, which will offer more power for those that want it. The Outlander is slated to be redesinged for the 2007 model. Overall, the Outlander is a great crossover SUV and from what has been heard about the 2007 it's only going to get better.
