Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4 Auto : AN OUTLANDISH PROPOSITION?

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Mitsubishi recognises that the diesel Outlander will always be the big seller, but for those that prefer petrol, there's a sweet 2.4-litre automatic model. Andy Enright reports.

Now this is a bit of an anomaly. Car manufacturers tend to have some very sharp marketing types working for them and I'll let you in on a stunt they often play. Imagine you're importing a range of 4x4 vehicles to the UK. You know that British customers won't countenance your wagon unless it has a state of the art diesel engine offering low emissions and decent fuel economy. Trouble is, these engines push the cost of your vehicle up considerably. So you cheat. You import one cheap petrol-engined model you know nobody will buy and use it so you can spray a big "FROM £XX, 999" banner across all the advertising for that vehicle, relying on a smooth-talking salesman to upsell hapless customers to the diesel models once they've ventured into the showroom. You'd expect Mitsubishi to follow this template with the Outlander but they haven't and I'm still trying to work out why.

The 2.4-litre engine is undoubtedly a quality piece of engineering and makes the Outlander extremely good to drive, the auto box also making it considerably more amenable around town. It's a bit quicker to 60mph than the 2.0-litre diesel unit that's the best seller in the range, getting to 60mph in 10.8s to the diesel's 11.4s. It's also a fraction quicker at the top end, reaching 118mph rather than 116. With 168bhp on tap, the Outlander feels light and lively with the petrol engine and is undoubtedly a sharper drive than with the torquey diesel. The steering has a nice weight to it and it's clear straight away that there's less weight in the nose than with the diesel engined version. The body roll that afflicts many of the lesser efforts in this sector is well suppressed by the firm suspension and ride comfort on long distance jaunts is also out of the top drawer. If you had to pick fault, it would be with the ability of the springs and dampers to soak up the imperfections that litter our minor roads but most would happily take this slight firmness in exchange for the cornering poise it helps to produce. The Outlander's All Wheel Control (AWC) transmission is controlled by a chunky dial behind the gear lever. The technology forges a close link between the four-wheel drive system and the Active Stability Control program so that it can switch smoothly from two wheel drive (for better fuel economy on road) to a locked four-wheel drive mode when it gets really slippery underfoot. You can also lock it into 2WD or 4WD mode as required using the rotary dial.

"â€¦on a purely objective basis this is the best Outlander in the range"

The Outlander's seven seat capacity is perhaps the main factor that sets it apart from many of the other compact 4x4 products on the market. The `Hide and Seat' third row of seating is big enough for smaller children but definitely a no go area for adults. The middle row is a different story with excellent amounts of legroom even for taller passengers. The seats are mounted higher than those in the front so that children can get a good view out but this does restrict headroom a little and may be a problem if you're over six feet tall. The boot is very large too, so there should be plenty of space for all the paraphernalia of family life. The styling is typical, albeit very neatly executed, 4x4 stuff and Mitsubishi has plenty of experience in this line having been producing 4x4 products since well before it was fashionable to do so. The interior holds to smart minimalist themes with clean surfaces and large controls that couldn't really be easier to operate. The plastics quality isn't great. The heating and ventilation dials feel cheap and the flip-top lid on storage bin built into the dash is on the flimsy side. Mitsubishi certainly hasn't kept the Outlander to itself. The platform has gone to Peugeot and Citroen in exchange for the French concern's 2.2-litre DI-DC engine but it was developed in partnership with Daimler Chrysler, so it also forms the foundations of models like the Dodge Caliber and the Jeep Patriot. Even Mitsubishi's own high performance Evo X model shares its basic underpinnings with the Outlander. The 2.4-litre petrol version is only available in plush Elegance trim at £25,254. Normally the petrol model would be one or two thousand pounds less than the diesel, but the same trim level with the 2.0-litre diesel powerplant is actually cheaper at £25,214, this fact largely explained by the additional cost of the auto gearbox fitted to the petrol car. Although its equipment levels are extremely generous, the likes of Land Rover's Freelander and Honda's CR-V do have the edge in terms of quality. Still, the Outlander's 7-seater capacity may prove crucial in persuading buyers. Safety provision includes front and side airbags plus curtain airbags for rows one and two while electronic stability control is standard on all Outlander models. Given that the 2.4-litre petrol Outlander retails for much the same price as the diesel, you've got to place great store in the way the car drives in order to put up with its running costs which are significantly higher. Even before you've turned a wheel you'll be paying higher insurance (Group 13) for the petrol model, not to mention more expensive road fund licence or company car taxation due to its 222g/km emissions. The big ticket cost item is always going to be fuel, and the 30.4mpg combined consumption figure is nowhere near the 40.9mpg showing for the diesel. It's worth remembering that the automatic gearbox does knock a few mpg off the Outlander 2.4's potential so we're not strictly comparing eggs with eggs but it does mean that you'll be paying 53.8 pence per mile over three years if you go for the diesel and a hefty 74.3ppm with the petrol. Given that this is more than the entry-level Land Rover Freelander 3.2-litre, the Mitsubishi has its work cut out. A retained value figure of 39 per cent after three years isn't a great draw either. On the face of it, making a case for the Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4 automatic isn't easy. It's hugely more expensive to run than the equivalent diesel model, only fractionally quicker and if you really put great store on the handling improvements and refinement that a light and smooth petrol engine bestowed, chances are you wouldn't be looking at a hefty 4x4 like an Outlander in the first place. The Outlander package remains one of the best in the 4x4 sector but this engine is a curious choice. That's because on a purely objective basis this is the best Outlander in the range but when running costs are drawn into the equation, the 2.4-litre petrol car is a bit of a non starter. My advice would be to buy the 2.0-litre diesel model. If you absolutely must have an automatic gearbox, then this petrol car is the only solution but be under no illusions about the financial implications of this decision.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4 auto
PRICE: £25,254 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 13
CO2 EMISSIONS: 222g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.8s / Max Speed 118mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 30.4mpg [combined]
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD, AWC
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/With/Height [exc roof rails] 4640/1800/1680mm