I was provided with a 2015 Mistubishi Outlander to test drive to facilitate this review. The opinions in this post are 100% mine. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
My husband and I each have cars that are getting up there in age and miles. My car is more of the family car with room to lug all our soccer gear and groceries so when it comes time to replace it we’ll be looking for something that’s not HUGE, but that has a decent amount of room. Last year I reviewed the 2014 Mitsubishi Sport which was a fun car to drive. Now that the 2015 Outlander models are out I tested out the newer model and we really liked it! Here are the highlights.
4 Best Things About The 2015 Mistubishi Outlander
Size
The Outlander fits into a mid-size SUV class and the size is very appealing. It has plenty of room for an active family like ours (hello, soccer mom) but on the road it doesn’t feel as big as it looks. It’s easy to navigate in parking lots and feels more like a car versus an SUV on windy roads. The interior is spacious with plenty of legroom. My kids didn’t have any trouble buckling their own seat belts around their booster seats so there’s none of that ‘tight squeeze’ feel. Third row seating increases seating capacity to 7 people which is awesome when you’re bringing one of the kids’ friends along for the ride. We don’t personally use that row often, but it’s so nice to have the option when you need it. When the third row is not in use, fold down the seats to open space for a large cargo area. Perfect for a family vacation with room to spare after loading suitcases and all the other stuff we seem to take everywhere we go.
Practicality
If you want an SUV for family activities, it’s hard to think of one more practical than the Outlander. It covers all the things that keep our family busy: comfortable, efficient highway driving, lugging around cargo like sports equipment or suitcases, city driving around town and mild off-road or bad-weather conditions. Our Outlander was equipped with the SE trim level that includes a 2.4 liter 166 HP engine and Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC). What, what? This isn’t really my language but I know a gas guzzler when I see one and this isn’t it. This Outlander has an efficient package that delivers 29 MPG on the highway, 24 MPG in the city but still feels very sure-footed with Mitsubishi’s Super All Wheel Control. The trunk has plenty of space as is, but if you’re hauling a big load you can easily fold the seats down to expand to a massive 63.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity. That is huge! So if you’re doing a home improvement project and need some bigger supplies from the hardware store or garden center, this vehicle would do the job. One day my husband drove the Outlander on his commute to work, a blend of county roads, highway driving and traffic jams. He loved driving it and pretty much couldn’t stop talking about what a great car it is that night. (Sorry, love. It’s just a loaner…for now!)
Value
The base price starts at $23,195 which is reasonable for a vehicle with these features and of this size. The Outlander we tested out was a bit more loaded with features and had total MSRP (2.4 SE S-AWC plus premium package) of $29,645. It had SO many features that we really liked, I feel like it was an excellent value. The combination of size, performance, capability and features is hard to beat at that price range. Our 2.4 SE S-AWC package included 18 inch wheels, front dual-zone climate control, a touch screen display with rearview backup camera ( I LOVE this feature with all the kids in our neighborhood!), and passive entry system with one-touch startup. Also included was the premium package ($2600) that adds a power glass sliding sunroof, leather seating surfaces, roof rails, a great Rockford Fosgate 9 speaker premium sound system, a 3 month SiriusXM satellite radio subscription, power driver’s seat, woodgrain trim panels and power remote tailgate. The power tailgate was SO helpful when my hands were full (which is pretty much all the time). This might actually be my favorite feature. Push a button and the trunk opens. Push it again, it closes. Easy peasy. The Outlander felt like a great value with features from vehicles that have a much higher price range. Mitsubishi stands behind it with a 5 year, 60K mile bumper to bumper warranty and a 10 year, 100K mile powertrain warranty.
Safety
The list of safety features for the Outlander include an anti-lock braking system, traction assist, seven air-bags including driver’s side knee airbags and RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) Construction to deflect and transfer crash energy away from occupants. With S-AWC our Outlander also felt very controlled at all times. It really grips the road well and just feels safe. Now, we weren’t driving during winter weather but I don’t think it would be much different during different weather. It’s just a solid vehicle. Visibility out the back and side windows was good for merging on the highway and the rearview backup camera was provided an extra level of security when backing up in parking lots. Did I mention I love that feature? Because I do. 🙂
The 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport starts at $23,195 and goes up from there depending on options added. If you’re in the market for a great family-sized vehicle that’s not enormous but still sizable enough for all of your kids’ gear and an extra friend or two, be sure to test drive one and see for yourself how well it handles!
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