THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013 |

Mitsubishi announced U.S. pricing of its brand-new 2014 Outlander seven-seat crossover and previewed the Outlander PHEV hybrid, which is scheduled to go on sale next year.

Pricing for the entry-level 2014 Outlander ES with the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine is set at $22,995 (€17,970). The mid-grade 2014 Outlander SE will have a starting price of $23,795 (€18,580), $200 less than the outgoing previous-generation comparable model. The SE package adds 18-inch alloy wheels, 6.1-inch touch panel display, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, handsfree system with USB port, and a keyless entry system with push-button engine ignition, among others.

The top-of-the-range GT model has a starting price of $27,795 (€21,720), $800 less than the outgoing Outlander GT model. It comes with a more potent 3.0-liter V6 engine, Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) system, SiriusXM satellite radio, steering-wheel mounted paddle shifter, super wide-beam high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps, and a wood grain appearance trim, to name the most important features.

Among the new optional features, there’s an electric power tailgate (available as part of the Premium Package on SE and GT models), and safety systems including Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Mitigation and a camera-based Lane Departure Warning system (available as part of the Touring Package on SE and GT models).

The 2014 Outlander has a manufacturer-estimated fuel consumption of 31 mpg (7.6 liters/100 km) highway, corresponding to ES and SE front-wheel drive models.

Mitsubishi also brought to New York a full-scale cutaway model of the Outlander PHEV, an AWD plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powered by two electric motors developing 60 kW (80 hp) each and a 4-cylinder 2.0-liter gasoline engine rated at 117 hp. The Outlander PHEV is expected to go on sale in the U.S. in 2014.

By Dan Mihalascu

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THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013 |

The Mitsubishi Outlander has never been the kind of car one buys because of burning desire, but it was always competent and one of the better vehicles to drive in its class. Now, the all-new model, which is radically different from its predecessor, takes center stage, as Mitsubishi tries to keep itself relevant in the current context of the automotive industry, both in the US and the rest of the world.

The new 2014 Outlander needs to be very good, but if we are to listen to Consumer Reports (CR), which recently took it for a drive, things aren't looking up.

Right off the bat, the car is criticized for its "melted" styling, which CR says nowhere near as sharp-looking as the car it replaces, and even that wasn't a particularly eye-catching piece of automotive art, either. The bad points continue with the ride quality, high levels of road noise and a driving experience which is inferior, according to the reviewer, to that of the previous generation model.

It does, of course, have some redeeming features, like the fact that it gets third-row seating as standard on all models, as well as an optional V6 engine (only the Jeep Cherokee offers it in the class), and a much improved interior quality than before, with more intuitive and modern controls. The new model is also around 200 pounds lighter than before, so this should translate into marginally better fuel efficiency and performance numbers, especially for the 224 hp V6.

By Andrei Nedelea

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