2010 Mitsubishi Outlander 3.0 GT S-AWC

The Tee To Green D-R-I-V-E of the WEEK:

      D -  Drivability:      8      

What I liked:  The Outlander comes in 4 trims -- the base ES, SE, XLS and the new GT.  I drove the GT, fully loaded.   The GT comes standard with all-wheel drive and the enhanced Outlander V-6 engine, which outperforms the other 3 models.  It handled nicely, took corners well and had more than enough pep, in town, on the highway and it wasn't great - but it wasn't terrible in the mountains.  It was easy to convert to all-wheel drive.

What I didn't like:  Surprisingly, the ride was noisy, even at relatively low speeds, more so on the highway. 

       R -  Rideability:    6.5      

What I liked:  Smooth ride, easy-to-read and understand dash and steering wheel controls.  A three-thousand dollar Navi-Leather package (optional) brightened up a somewhat bland interior.

What I didn't like:  The 2nd row seats were hard and bench-like.  There was not a lot of legroom.  The compact-stowable 3rd row seats were terrible.  Not for adults and barely adequate for kids.  Plus, they were nearly impossible to get in and out of.

I -  Image:            7

  The Outlander is a typical looking mid-sized SUV.  Some reviewers call it a crossover, but it felt more like an SUV than a crossover.  I liked the look, but I almost got into the wrong vehicle in a parking lot, so the look is fairly common for the category.  It's is a sportier ride than most of the other mid-sized SUVs in it's category.  This is a vehicle the cuts across the demographic scale.  It would be a nice first-vehicle for younger teens or college-age drivers as well as a married couple with 2 kids and a dog.  It's practicality also makes it attractive to the over 40-crowd  

V -  Value:            8

One of the Outlander's best features.  The base models start at about 20K.  However, if you step up within the category, it can get pricey.  The fully-loaded GT that I tested came at an MSRP of $29,250.  Add the (optional) leather interior package, plus destination and dealer charges, and you are knocking on the door at 33K.  On the plus side, with all trims you get the Mitsubishi  10 year/100 thousand mile powertrain warranty.  The 2010 Outlander also scored very well on the government safety ratings.  5 stars for both driver and passenger in frontal crash tests.  4 stars in the government's rollover tests.  

    E -  Economy:     6.5

Estimated 18 MPG in the city.  24 MPG on the highway.  You would think with a V-6 it would be a little higher.  The Outlander GT also requires premium gas.  That hurts.  I would have liked it a lot more if it just took regular gas.

                  TOTAL:  36 (out of 50)