Haven't got one, but am interested in the basic model - 4 cylinder petrol, manual, as an newer alternative to a Magna wagon.

Anyone out there have an Outlander, and want to share pros and cons?

Not many people will have the new one - its only just hit the market.

My father drives the previous Outlander VR V6

Old guy at work gets a new Mitsubishi every two years. Just traded his 18 month old outlander for a new one. He couldn't wait, as soon as I told him about it, he went that afternoon and put one on order. After about a week he picked it up last Friday, can't comment too much but he said it's a lot better then the previous one. Having said that he's only done like 90k's so far so I don't think that's a proper observation of it LO

A lot better than the old one? Do ask him what he means by that!

Actually, I'm giving myself 5 years in my current TL wagon before I change cars, so the "new" Outlander will in fact be an old Outlander by then. LO Plenty of time to find out if it is good or just so-so.

The previous outlander's v6 is a cracker IMO. Its great when the MIVEC kicks in.

The previous outlander's v6 is a cracker IMO. Its great when the MIVEC kicks in.

So the vr outlander has aggressive mivec? Sweet :D

!!!MIVEC!!! rules OK? lol
New model doesn't come with a v6 I think.

New model doesn't come with a v6 I think.

2.4L 4cyl is the biggest petrol, also comes in a 2L (2L possibly will be a little underpowered)
2.2L diesel the other option

From memory, the 2L is only for the base model in FWD trim. They have replaced the V6 with the 2.2L TD. Their reason is that the V6 was not selling well. We plan to replace our MY08 ZG XLS with the new XLS in a year or two. A lot more active safety features than current one like active cruise, front collision avoidance etc etc.

Saw some pics of the new Outlander yesterday... and really don't like what they've done with the styling, particularly the front (grille/lights). Pretty ordinary.

2.0L is 110 Kw, car weighs a bit less than a Magna wagon (1395 Kg), so I guess you are looking at performance level similar to the Lancer, or maybe a bit slower. Probably needs to rev a bit to get moving too. (110 Kw @ 6,000 rpm, 190 Nm @ 4,200 rpm). I like the instant low down torque from the V6 though.

Saw some pics of the new Outlander yesterday... and really don't like what they've done with the styling, particularly the front (grille/lights). Pretty ordinary.

I agree, not a fan of the fog lamps at the bottom, looks a bit odd to me. The previous one had that mean looking front.

Yes, pretty ordinary. Not offensive though, more like it blends into the crowded market segment it is aimed at.
When my local Mitsu dealer gets one on display, I will look it over and decide if it is yummy or crummy. (so to speak)

We have just come in from test driving an ASX (2.0L MIVEC engine, manual transmission). It goes OK, but you have to wind it up a bit before you really notice it responding. Having said that, my wife was regularly doing over 80 in 60 zones without realising it. The ASX is a lot lighter than the Outlander, so I would expect it would be a bit slower.

We then got into our TF Magna to drive home, and decided that they can keep the ASX - a 250000 km TF is nicer to drive than a new ASX. I would like some of the goodies in the ASX though...

We have just come in from test driving an ASX (2.0L MIVEC engine, manual transmission). It goes OK, but you have to wind it up a bit before you really notice it responding. Having said that, my wife was regularly doing over 80 in 60 zones without realising it. The ASX is a lot lighter than the Outlander, so I would expect it would be a bit slower.

We then got into our TF Magna to drive home, and decided that they can keep the ASX - a 250000 km TF is nicer to drive than a new ASX. I would like some of the goodies in the ASX though...


Were you driving the manual or the CVT auto. If CVT auto then it does take getting used to. Feels like slipping clutch as the revs go up before speed catches up and before you know it, you'd be doing 80 in a 60 zone.

Looked at an older Outlander in a car park today and size wise it's looks at first appearances pretty cramped compared to the Magna wagon. Less length anyway.

The TF is more relaxing to drive because you don't need to rev it hard to get performance out of it, but the fuel consumption can't match the smaller engines. My wife's 2004 non mivec Lancer gets 10L/100 km around town, cruises well at 110KPH and gets around 6L/100 Km on the open road. My TL wagon gets 13.5L/100 km in town if I take it easy. I know which is more relaxing to drive though, the TL wins hands down.

I think car manufacturers are going towards smaller engines to get that better fuel economy around town, so the Outlander misses out on the V6 of earlier models. That's my theory anyway. lol

Looked at an older Outlander in a car park today and size wise it's looks at first appearances pretty cramped compared to the Magna wagon. Less length anyway.


Which older model? If ZF, then I can understand as they are quite small. The ZG has quite a big cargo space, even with the rear seats in their rear-most position. Note the Outlander also does have a few cms of extra width.

Which older model? If ZF, then I can understand as they are quite small. The ZG has quite a big cargo space, even with the rear seats in their rear-most position. Note the Outlander also does have a few cms of extra width.

Good points. I really need to check out the new one at the local dealer to get a better idea. I will do my imaginary "fridge test". ie will a full size fridge slide in there, like it did in my TS wagon. lol

Good points. I really need to check out the new one at the local dealer to get a better idea. I will do my imaginary "fridge test". ie will a full size fridge slide in there, like it did in my TS wagon. lol

The rear seats don't fold flat but instead tumble into a roll behind the front seats so length may be a little shorter.

Regarding the 2.0L MIVEC engine, it certainly goes well, but it has to be stirred up to do so. We drove the ASX manual, CVT and also the 6 speed manual diesel version. No question - the diesel flattened everything! If it wasn't for the extra price, we would be driving the diesel now. Our old TF 3.0 still offers, for our needs, a more relaxing ride. It would be lovely to have a new car, but the current crop of vehicles (our preference is manual transmission) doesn't offer a stepup worth the extra money we would have to fork out.

I know that the Outlander doesn't offer a 6 cyl version anymore, but that combination would have been fantastic - the 4 cyl MIVEC is good but you have to work it hard.

Good point about the step up price. Magnas as worth little as trade ins, even low Km TL/TWs, a big gap to fill with $$$.

Guess I will put this off until later, when it is more sensible. lol

*sigh* Heart says "yes", brain says "no". Brain wins.

I know that the Outlander doesn't offer a 6 cyl version anymore, but that combination would have been fantastic - the 4 cyl MIVEC is good but you have to work it hard.

My father is selling his...2 1/2 years old and only 25,000km.

So now the only Mitsubishi V6 is in the Paj?

So now the only Mitsubishi V6 is in the Paj?

Yes. Further to that, its only available in the exceed...

Wow, the v6 engine is starting to look dead in the water. So many manufacturers getting rid of it...

Soon Mitsu's largest engine will be a 1L 3 cylinder twin turbo. It will get 3L/100 Km around town. And it will need 12,000 rpm to take off from the traffic lights. Sounds like the V6 is going the way of the V8.

People will speak in hushed tones of the days when engines had OOOMMPPHHHH!

Hang onto your Magnas and 380s, guys!

(Hope I'm wrong . . . . )

Soon Mitsu's largest engine will be a 1L 3 cylinder twin turbo. It will get 3L/100 Km around town. And it will need 12,000 rpm to take off from the traffic lights. Sounds like the V6 is going the way of the V8.

People will speak in hushed tones of the days when engines had OOOMMPPHHHH!

Hang onto your Magnas and 380s, guys!

(Hope I'm wrong . . . . )

2.0 I4 in the Falcon makes the same power and similar torque as the I6 barra. More efficient turbocharged engines are the future

2.0 I4 in the Falcon makes the same power and similar torque as the I6 barra. More efficient turbocharged engines are the future

Will the engine last as long, will it eat less fuel, and will it be as relaxing to drive?
(If "relaxing to drive" can be applied to a Falcon. lol)

Will the engine last as long, will it eat less fuel, and will it be as relaxing to drive?
(If "relaxing to drive" can be applied to a Falcon. lol)

Three yes'

Three yes'

ok then.

To quote Maxwell Smart (Agent 86), "We came this close" to buying a new ASX. We probably would have done so had it not been for the fact that we had 120 km to get home in the old TF, and on the way home we realised how damned good it is. We were also looking for a new Pajero to replace my NL Pajero - same thing - the old one is still in good condiiton. Had we bought a new vehicle(s), we would have been as happy as a pig in you know what. And yes, we would have found the car to be relaxing to drive. I can see no reason why the new MIVEC engine wouldn't last as long as the old V6 - as long as you maintain it properly. I would answer "yes" to all 3 of your questions. The main reason we didn't take the plunge was that there simply wasn't enough technical advance in either car for us to take the plunge. The main difference is more airbags around you and slightly better visibility. Since both our cars run on gas, anything newer would actually cost more to run than what we have.

Cmon man, i bought new ASX Aspire deisel, as much as love my TJ, cars are not in the same league, on highway i averaged 5 litres per 100ks. Petrol ASX is not that appealing, but diesel is well worth extra $$$, its worlds first variable valve timing diesel engine, while redlines at typical for diesel 4500 it revs so easy till that. If you are driving on highway mostly then perhaps yes your TE will do, but its the city driving where ASX is so much better, for instance in heavy city driving i never went over low 7s in consumption. Its got very small turning circle, 6 speed manual is awesome and is very forgiving, also things like hill start, MMCS system, leather interior, simply awseome engine, variable geometry turbo, 4WD all this for 38k driveway.

Outlander has the same diesel motor but slighly larger 2.2, this alone will make it an awesome car to drive

We drove the 6 speed manual diesel and "It was that close". We couldn't justify the diesel on cost alone over the 5 speed petrol ASX, but the road noise really swung it away from the ASX. Added to that was the trade-in price, but it was very close. For OUR purposes - mainly 100 + km/h highway driving, a TF on gas still comes out in front of the diesel - notby much, but when you add in the price difference, the TF won - just. Now, when the TF finally gets naughty and something breaks, then it will be a different story... Meanwhile, the 6g72 engine is still a lot smooooother than the 4 cyl diesel (and quieter).

Does the diesel feel like it would be a good tow car ?

Does the diesel feel like it would be a good tow car ?

Yes. Petrol at 1600kg diesel at 2000kg.

As a tow car, the ASX would be quite good, although that is not what we wanted it for - I have a Pajero and was looking at getting another Pajero. The reason I say it would be a godd tow car is that the distance from teh rear wheel centre to the towball is very short, hence it would be difficult for a trailer to take hold of the car and steer it. Also, reversing it would be easy, again because of the short tow length.

My recollection of the specs for towing said that it was 1350 kg for the petrol car, and 1500 kg for the diesel. Incidentally, the asking price for a towbar at Mits dealer is $950. Ouch!

This thread seems to have drifted from an Outlander thread to ASX. Incidentally, I like the new Outlander - much cleaner looking than the old one. Pity that they don't have the V6 option...

Nothing wrong with drooling over the latest models from Mitsu, or any other maker for that matter.
In the long run though, just looking doesn't cost anything, as long as you don't buy! If you are tempted, just write down the reasons why. If you end up staring at a blank page, don't bother!
Of course, if you have an old Magna that just blew up leaving you or a family member without wheels, it tends to change things. lol

"Want" as opposed to "need".

As a tow car, the ASX would be quite good, although that is not what we wanted it for - I have a Pajero and was looking at getting another Pajero. The reason I say it would be a godd tow car is that the distance from teh rear wheel centre to the towball is very short, hence it would be difficult for a trailer to take hold of the car and steer it. Also, reversing it would be easy, again because of the short tow length.

My recollection of the specs for towing said that it was 1350 kg for the petrol car, and 1500 kg for the diesel. Incidentally, the asking price for a towbar at Mits dealer is $950. Ouch!

This thread seems to have drifted from an Outlander thread to ASX. Incidentally, I like the new Outlander - much cleaner looking than the old one. Pity that they don't have the V6 option...
I meant the outlander which what the thread is about. Also, no one in their right mind would fit a tow bar from dealer. Just go aftermarket. Likewise for tinting. Its not like reversing sensors which are integrated (at least factory fitted ones as opposed to dealer fit ones.) My aftermarket tow was $300 and $200 for reversing sensors. At the time dealer fit was 600 and 400 respectively.

I meant the outlander which what the thread is about. Also, no one in their right mind would fit a tow bar from dealer. Just go aftermarket. Likewise for tinting. Its not like reversing sensors which are integrated (at least factory fitted ones as opposed to dealer fit ones.) My aftermarket tow was $300 and $200 for reversing sensors. At the time dealer fit was 600 and 400 respectively.

That's the current trend in new models across the whole spectrum. The base model is priced attractively, but choosing dealer options load the price sticker up very quickly.
Compare the base Outlander with the top-of-the -range one, throw in a set of options, and you will see what I mean.

Base: $28,990
Top + options: $56,229 (Still no towbar!)

The dealer installed towbar in the above post is probably outsourced anyway, dealer pays $300, shows up on the bill as $600. Easy money!

Cmon man, i bought new ASX Aspire deisel, as much as love my TJ, cars are not in the same league, on highway i averaged 5 litres per 100ks. Petrol ASX is not that appealing, but diesel is well worth extra $$$, its worlds first variable valve timing diesel engine, while redlines at typical for diesel 4500 it revs so easy till that. If you are driving on highway mostly then perhaps yes your TE will do, but its the city driving where ASX is so much better, for instance in heavy city driving i never went over low 7s in consumption.

Outlander has the same diesel motor but slighly larger 2.2

Peugeot (PSA) always have, and always will make the best diesel engines in the world :)

Peugeot (PSA) always have, and always will make the best diesel engines in the world :)

PSA diesel better than Mercedes VAG or BMW diesels ? How do you quantify better ?

PSA diesel better than Mercedes VAG or BMW diesels ? How do you quantify better ?

How? In europe, its a well known fact mate.

They are so good in fact, that BMW ask PSA to design and build some of their diesels for them :)

PSA (notably peugeot) were first to the table with many past and present diesel technologies:

Diesel particulate filters
Euro5 emissions controls like ECCS

PSA's XUD engine really did pave the way for a lot of diesel cars we have today. We owe a lot :)

How? In europe, its a well known fact mate.

They are so good in fact, that BMW ask PSA to design and build some of their diesels for them :)

PSA (notably peugeot) were first to the table with many past and present diesel technologies:

Diesel particulate filters
Euro5 emissions controls like ECCS

PSA's XUD engine really did pave the way for a lot of diesel cars we have today. We owe a lot :)


I only lived in Europe for 20 years so must of missed your "fact" . Most respected diesel in Europe is Mercedes Benz .
Diesel was invented by german bloke , Rudolf Diesel and developed with input of Ricardo (UK) , Man , Daimler and in particular Bosch.
Mercedes produced first turbo diesel car - diesel really excell when matched with turbocharging. I would suggest that you do some reading on history of diesel and see if PSA is as inovative as you think :-). Toyota chose BMW for their expertise with diesel engines - that indicates who is a leader in the field...

I only lived in Europe for 20 years so must of missed your "fact" . Most respected diesel in Europe is Mercedes Benz .
Diesel was invented by german bloke , Rudolf Diesel and developed with input of Ricardo (UK) , Man , Daimler and in particular Bosch.
Mercedes produced first turbo diesel car - diesel really excell when matched with turbocharging. I would suggest that you do some reading on history of diesel and see if PSA is as inovative as you think :-). Toyota chose BMW for their expertise with diesel engines - that indicates who is a leader in the field...

Where in europe are you from?

Pretty sure the first passenger vehicle with a diesel engine was a citroen.

How far do you want this dick-swinging contest to swing?

A fellow pom carried out the pioneering research that allowed diesel engines to rotate at high speed thus making them suitable for high speed transport

Peugeot created the first transverse diesel passenger car

So yes, PSA are very innovative in automotive diesel engine technology. So as i said before, if it wasnt for PSA, modern turbo diesels in cars would be in a different place to where they are today.

You should check up on how much they make on patent royalties ;)

Where in europe are you from?

Pretty sure the first passenger vehicle with a diesel engine was a citroen.

How far do you want this dick-swinging contest to swing?

A fellow pom carried out the pioneering research that allowed diesel engines to rotate at high speed thus making them suitable for high speed transport

Peugeot created the first transverse diesel passenger car

So yes, PSA are very innovative in automotive diesel engine technology. So as i said before, if it wasnt for PSA, modern turbo diesels in cars would be in a different place to where they are today.

You should check up on how much they make on patent royalties ;)

Your claim that PSA make best diesel engines in the world is simply not correct . Yes, Peugeot was (along with MB ) one of the pioneers of diesel technology in passenger cars - key word being was. Times have moved on and development and progresson in diesel tech is being made by others.
At this point feel free to list a few of great current diesels to come out of PSA stables .

Easy, the current HDi range. Used by many different manufacturers in one form or another.

My statement was about PSA engines being the best diesel makers since their inception into passenger cars

Unfortunately for both of you guys, the Diesel in the Mitsu Outlander is made by neither companies.

Unfortunately for both of you guys, the Diesel in the Mitsu Outlander is made by neither companies.

Huh? The diesel is made by PSA mate.

Huh? The diesel is made by PSA mate.

Care factor zero.

Care factor zero.

Dont cry mate, its xmas :)

Dont cry mate, its xmas :)

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to . . . . LO

Gone right off the Outlander diesel now I know it has a Eurotrash engine. Lazy Mitsu!

Huh? The diesel is made by PSA mate.

DW12 is made by Ford/PSA joint venture in their UK plant - same plant produces 2.7 diesel for Territory.

Which i believe is he same 2.7 that was in the Disco 3

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to . . . . LO

Gone right off the Outlander diesel now I know it has a Eurotrash engine. Lazy Mitsu!

the new one sounds on par with a truck lol

DW12 is made by Ford/PSA joint venture in their UK plant - same plant produces 2.7 diesel for Territory.

Yes. Ford didnt know how to make a good diesel so they gave pug to do it all for them

Yes. Ford didnt know how to make a good diesel so they gave pug to do it all for them

Peugeot didn't know how to make an SUV so had to get Mitsubishi Outlander and rebadge it :-)...

Peugeot didn't know how to make an SUV so had to get Mitsubishi Outlander and rebadge it :-)...

Ohhhhhh the Outlander that was based on a co-developed platform with Chrysler....

Ohhhhhh the Outlander that was based on a co-developed platform with Chrysler....

That is name of the game - platform and engine sharing to reduce development cost as was the case with Ford/PSA engine deal.

Yes. Petrol at 1600kg diesel at 2000kg.

I realise what the ratings are, I just wanted some feedback from someone who has actually driven it.

There's plenty of vehicles around with high tow ratings, but when you drive them they are slugs.........I'm hoping the outlander isn't in that category.

My dad tows a hefty trailer when camping (easily 1000kg), with the boot loaded up too and it doesnt really phase it to be honest. It is the V6 though. Its almost as though it isnt towing anything

My dad tows a hefty trailer when camping (easily 1000kg), with the boot loaded up too and it doesnt really phase it to be honest. It is the V6 though. Its almost as though it isnt towing anything

Yes plus the diesel has a lot more torque at 360Nm vs 291Nm.

Peugeot didn't know how to make an SUV so had to get Mitsubishi Outlander and rebadge it :-)...

hahaha dont forget about ASX which is also sold by Peugeot re-badged

hahaha dont forget about ASX which is also sold by Peugeot re-badged

The asx is the same platform as outlander, co-developed with chrysler

The asx is the same platform as outlander, co-developed with chrysler

... and is known in the US as Outlander Sport.

The asx is the same platform as outlander, co-developed with chrysler

Geez co developed is a lot better than just sticking your badge on it!

Lets do a comparison, Peugeot decided to use their own 2,2 litre diesel. While yes its more powerful then Mitsubishi's 110 vs 115kw and 360 vs 380nm

But Mitsubishi is much more fuel efficient at 5.8 vs 7.0, which is nearly 20%.

Its also mivec (so it likes to rev), made of light weight alloy and has low (by diesel standards) 14.9:1 comp ratio which makes it incredibly smooth on idling.

Peugeot are most definitely known for their diesels, but this new motor is definitely just as good if not better at this price point.

This motor was co developed with MHI (Mitsubishi heavy industries)

Mitsubishi is one of underrated automotive companies - great product but not a great reputation with general public. Unfortunately new Outlander has missed the mark in looks department - previous model was a good car but Mitsubishi failed to deliver performance model similar to XT Forester and diesel was not offered either. Despite that it sold quite well -new one has got lots of competition in small SUV market and it will be interesting to see how it will go.

Mitsubishi is one of underrated automotive companies - great product but not a great reputation with general public. Unfortunately new Outlander has missed the mark in looks department - previous model was a good car but Mitsubishi failed to deliver performance model similar to XT Forester and diesel was not offered either.

Yep I agree. Ive had Mitsubishi's for over 20 years now, and I currently own a Magna AWD, Pajero, and a Evo X. So many people say "why do you buy Mitsu".......simple answer is that they are a bloody good car ! Now if there was an Outlander model with the Evo X or even the Ralliart Lancer mechanicals I reckon that would be a winner !

I am pretty sure there was Airtek (Outlander) with 4g63 in Japan and than there was RVR with Evo driveline. Mitsubishi has given up on those specialty models and focus on mainstream more. Similar to Honda - sales and especially reputation suffers in the process. Honda and Mitsubishi are trying to be Toyota and Toyota is trying to shake off boring image with things like 86 ...

Both Mitsu and Toyota are facing some major recalls at the moment.
Toyota for the unexpected acceleration problem, which may or may not be simply the accelerator pedal getting stuck open by the floor mat.
Mitsu for oil seals that pop out.
So no one is perfect. lol

Both Mitsu and Toyota are facing some major recalls at the moment.
Toyota for the unexpected acceleration problem, which may or may not be simply the accelerator pedal getting stuck open by the floor mat.

That was over 12 months ago. Its hardly "at the moment" is it?

That was over 12 months ago. Its hardly "at the moment" is it?

lol Still ongoining as far as I know. But it makes you wonder about the design or quality control of newer cars. Don't remember too many recalls in the life of the 3 generations of Magna or the 380, but feel free to enlighten me on that point.

Any recall at any time surely is a red flag for someone buying second hand years down the track?

Toyota just got ordered to pay 1.1bn for the stuck accel problem. Oil seals popping off is not in the same league as Stuck pedals that result in deaths

Toyota just got ordered to pay 1.1bn for the stuck accel problem. Oil seals popping off is not in the same league as Stuck pedals that result in deaths

Both are potential problems for a second hand buyer.

There is a lot of reading to be done on "stuck" accelerator issue and answers are far from simple . I remember reading Car and Driver test where Camry accelerator pedal was intentionally stuck at 100 miles an hour and than driver had to brake and try to stop the car. Braking distances were shorter than Ford Taurus normal stopping distance from that speed !
This is a good starting point for patient people :-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009–2011_Toyota_vehicle_recalls

I'm probably one of the few people who actually like the look of the new Outlander. I never liked Mitsubishi's squared off shovel nose look that the previous model had... I guess it was the 'family look' as the ASX and the Lancer have the same look.

I like cars to be more sleek and rounded at the front...Not like some of the newer models from Mazda and Ford where they appear to have started off as sleek pointy front models until some idiot at the company told the designers to chop the nose off. :P

One thing I am pleased to see Mitsubishi doing though is finally offering a diesel version. Good to see some car companies (except Toyota Australia) are finally realising that people out there like diesel vehicles and not everyone wants a boring petrol car.

I hope the new model Outlander is a sale success for the company. :)

I hav had the chance to drive one for a P.D and i quite like them too. I dnt mind the look (even if it is a bit forester-y) i liked the flash cruise control and the new mivec system is crazy lol! the aspire definatly feels like ur driving something much more flash than a crummy outlander lol

Good thing about the new Outlander, is that is probably has the best quality interior out of the whole Mitsubishi range.

Well, today I bit the bullet and ordered a new base model 2WD Outlander to replace the TF Magna sedan. Main reason was that I am no longer able to do any significant maintenance work on the Magna or my Pajero and it will be going soon also for the same reason. Also both my wife and I have trouble folding oursleves up to get down into the Magna, whilst the Outlander we can step straight in to it.

It was a very close race between the Outlander, the ASX, a Subaru Forester, A Nissan Xtrail, Hyundai Ix35, Honda CRV and even a Mazda CX5. There was very little between any of them. We drove a mid range 4WD Outlander with CVT auto transmission. Very nice indeed. The base model will not be as nice, but is a lot cheaper. It is a pity really because the old TF was in excellent condition and is worth nothing. Hopefully when the new one gets to 250000 km it will be as good as the Magna. I somehow doubt that it will, but we can hope...

What colour and cvt or manual? Did you trade in the magna?

We ordered a white, manual 2WD Outlander. You cannot get more basic than that. We haven't been able to drive the exact vehicle, but we did drive a manual ASX, so it gave a fair indication of what to expect.

We have traded the Magna in, but if anyone is interested, I am sure that the dealer would not mind having another used car in his lot. The car is a manual 3L, running on gas & petrol, 250000 km. It is really in excellent condition. It would be an ideal vehicle for a parent to give to his uni student so they can come home each weekend to get their washing done etc... We pick up the new car next Wednesday.

Update on our new Outlander: No news... They said it would be ready on Monday. Today is Wednesday and it still hasn't arrived. We did a 300 km round trip yesterday in our beloved TF, and it was almosttelling us "Don't do it - Keep me". Maybe there is a moral here somewhere?

Frustrating, for sure! Playing the waiting game, that is. It's probably on a boat or car transporter even as we speak.
Think of all the repairs needed on the TF over the next 5 years as compared to the new shiny Outlander and all your doubts will fade away. lol

If possible, detail your experiences with the new car on this forum, I'd love to know how it goes.

My work lately unfortunately involves driving a lot of hire cars around some of tassies twistiest roads with some gravel tracks thrown in. The new outlander (4wd) I can't warm to (sorry erad). The ECO setting is nothing but a nuisance, never changing down until you stomp your foot and surge forward in a rage of rpm, when all you really wanted is slight acceleration. After almost 500km in one day, I only realised what turning off the eco button did in the last 50km....it turns it into a normal car. This button should be superglued in the off position. I hate CVTs with a passion having had lancers and X-trails with them and they just seem to feel doughy, but this one feeled a lot more engaging. Steering is incredibly vague just off centre, you really have to wind it on to make it turn. This doesn't manifest itself too much on the open road, but feels very noticeable and weird in slower maneuvering. Road noise is pretty loud and chucking it into corners isn't very confidence inspiring but it does hang in there with not too much under steer or roll. Making use of the flappy paddles provided some good pull out of corners so it does have some torque, you just need to work it a bit.

Interior wise it's ok (certainly beats the tacky Hyundai and Holde Cruze interiors), seats are good with no discomfort after a 3hr stint. The piano black facade of the centre console shows dust badly though. Rear camera is good, line up the base of wall on the red line and it will give you a cm clearance to open the tailgate :) Styling is subjective but I much prefer the outgoing model. Ford and Mazda are all going to a blunter and aggressive style (like the older outlander), the new outlander feels like it's going back to the late 90s. I struggle to find an angle that makes it look good, it just looks bloated and american.

The Rav-4 on the other hand had the outlander beat for road noise and handling, but the engine lacked a bit and had the usual drab Toyota interior and woeful entertainment system. The X-trail handles between the two but the CVT just seems to make a lot of noise. The more boxy nature makes it feel like your driving a truck and not something no larger than a hatch. The best so far is the cx-5 diesel beating pretty much everything in all departments, and the price tag probably reflects that. Though overall if I had to live with the X-trail, Rav-4 and Outlander, I'd go the later.

Thanks ANON for your comments. I still have doubts about the Outlander. I didn't like the CVT auto, but did actually warm to it in the Outlander. Even so, it is a manual transmission for us. Agree about the ECO light. It annoyed me when I tested an up-market model.

Another worry I have is the seating. My wife likes the Outlander seats, but I haven't driven one long enough to really try them out. They have no lumbar adjustment. Neither do most of the current crop of cars - the Xtrail is the only one I have found with it. Styling is a personal issue, but I prefer the new Outlander styling to the last model. The manual ASX we tested sounded farty in the exhaust, but generally was very quiet. Road noise (tyres) is a bit concerning, but our TF Magna is fairly noisy as well.

Our new Outlander still hasn't arrived. They ordered 4 cars. 3 of them came but they weren't urgent. Ours didn't arrive. Is this an omen?

Thanks ANON for your comments. I still have doubts about the Outlander. I didn't like the CVT auto, but did actually warm to it in the Outlander. Even so, it is a manual transmission for us. Agree about the ECO light. It annoyed me when I tested an up-market model.

Another worry I have is the seating. My wife likes the Outlander seats, but I haven't driven one long enough to really try them out. They have no lumbar adjustment. Neither do most of the current crop of cars - the Xtrail is the only one I have found with it. Styling is a personal issue, but I prefer the new Outlander styling to the last model. The manual ASX we tested sounded farty in the exhaust, but generally was very quiet. Road noise (tyres) is a bit concerning, but our TF Magna is fairly noisy as well.

Our new Outlander still hasn't arrived. They ordered 4 cars. 3 of them came but they weren't urgent. Ours didn't arrive. Is this an omen?

Look at this from price tag view, really above post sums it up well, all cars at this price have flaws, once you move up to cx5 diesel, by that time you are paying nearly 16k more..

LOL at the CX5 diesel not having any flaws. Their diesel engine is royally screwed!

ok first of all its not screwed, dip stick design shows the level oil higher then it really is, making it seem that your engine is overfilled with it, when in fact its not, so its a simple fix, its the most economical diesel in its class, interior's finish is way ahead of any other car a i looked at (at that price), reason i didnt get it is only because i picked my ASX diesel aspire for about 10k less, but that said CX5 is 10k worth of a better car, im just a tight ass.

ok first of all its not screwed, dip stick design shows the level oil higher then it really is, making it seem that your engine is overfilled with it, when in fact its not, so its a simple fix, its the most economical diesel in its class, interior's finish is way ahead of any other car a i looked at (at that price), reason i didnt get it is only because i picked my ASX diesel aspire for about 10k less, but that said CX5 is 10k worth of a better car, im just a tight ass.

Why have owners reported that oil level increases over time? I heard that dealers were having to drop and replace oil in CX5's with only a few thousand K's because of this issue

Think about it, how the hell can oil increase over time, does the engine start to produce/manufacture oil? This was in early days when dealers did not know the cause, they obviously replaced oil thinking it had way too much in it, which may cause engine damage due to excessive pressures, however later it was revealed that it was indeed dipstick design which showed wrong oil level, besides dealers are greedy, since Mazda pays for this oil changes, hence another opportunity to rip some one off.

Think about it, how the hell can oil increase over time, does the engine start to produce/manufacture oil?

How? Foreign matter from the DPF i believe.

"To stop the filter clogging with soot, diesel fuel is discharged during the exhaust stroke to raise heat levels faster, but some fuel finds its way into the sump, where it combines with the oil and increases the level in the engine.

Owners are concerned that engine damage may occur if this continues unabated, which is why Mazda has recommended owners check oil levels every 1000km. Mr Doak says that the new Mazda6 diesel is not susceptible to this problem."

I was looking at a CX-5 but have now all but settled on the new Mazda 6 diesel (can't really find anything that will compete until the new Mondeo comes out in 18 months). Calling it royally screwed is one hell of an overstatement. The issue is due to people doing a lot of very small trips, DPF getting sooted up and not getting hot enough to clean, more diesel added on the exhaust to increase the temps but some diesel makes it's way into the sump diluting the oil. It's now (supposedly) been fixed with a simple ECU update. this is not just a CX-5 thing, dilution in diesels with this method of burning off DPF particulates have this problem to varying degrees. Faults shouldn't happen so early in the first place, agreed, but they have been quick to identify the issue and bring in a fix which is quite unusual for the automotive industry.

When you start adding the diesel and all the kit (Sat Nav, keyless start etc etc) Mazdas don't look all that bad in the low-mid range specs. Of course like anything, you pay high prices for top spec cars and the value for money greatly decreases.

Manufacturers like MB are able to create DPF systems that dont have these problems, why couldnt Mazda? And half the problem was Mazda snubbing their nose at most owners who had this serious problem and "doing a VW" and denying there was a problem. I believe a number of engines were lost because of it.

I applaud your decision to go with a new Mazda 6 , beautiful looking car!!

How? Foreign matter from the DPF i believe.

"To stop the filter clogging with soot, diesel fuel is discharged during the exhaust stroke to raise heat levels faster, but some fuel finds its way into the sump, where it combines with the oil and increases the level in the engine.

Owners are concerned that engine damage may occur if this continues unabated, which is why Mazda has recommended owners check oil levels every 1000km. Mr Doak says that the new Mazda6 diesel is not susceptible to this problem."

Mazda engineers told Drive it believes the positioning or style of dipstick in the new SkyAtiv D diesel engine in the CX-5 could be leading to false readings and incorrectly suggesting the car has dangerously high oil levels that could lead to engine damage.

Update on our new Outlander:
It arrived at 5:30pm last night - delivered and generally shiny and brand new. They haven't hadf time to give it the full pre-delivery, but I doubt that they would do much more anyway. The TF has gone to the dealer - a damned good car for someone and very cheap.

We had to go to Sydney today so that gave the new beastie a good workout. Temps were 45 Deg C + in the outer western suburbs. The A/con worked fairly well. We were comfortable. The seats were good - both my wife and I stepped out after 400 km and wer not tired or stiff. Noise levels were good - probably better than the TF Advance. Performance is good up to 110 km/hr. Beyond that it seems to die in the bum - almost as if the fuel filter was blocked. Switching the ECO mode off didn't sem to make any difference.

The trip computer is optimistic. It showed 7.2 L/100 steadily on the way down, and 7.8 on the way back. I was over the moon about that, until I filled up in Sydney and Canberra. Consumptions were 30L for 295 km on the way down (Vortex 98, downhill and a moderate headwind) and 35 L for 300 km on the way back (uphill, headwind and using 91 Unleaded). Whatever, something is amiss with the calculations. We'll see how it settles down, but so far we have a total of 878 km in a day. Mind you, most of it was at 110 km/hr true speed (120 indicated) or slightly above. Being a new car, I did vary the throttle openings and engine speeds enroute, but we had a mission to get there and back in a day. The car did very well indeed. Spacious, good visibility and excellent sound system. So far, happy with it.

The speedo is optimistic when compared to my GPS. ABout 10% out, but the Odo is pretty well spot on.

The road noise is fairly good, although I am comparing it to out TF with Michelin tyres with 65000 km on them (still well above min legal tread depth).

Steering takes a bit of getting used to. It is very direct and light, but as soon as you get a little off dead centre, it seems very stiff. It has the new electric power steering boost arrangement. I'll have to find out more about that.

You are sir too eager. Give the car a chance to run in and report back after a few thousand lays of varied driving.

vlad:
Yes, I am eager, but I doubt that the fuel consumption will improve very much. Also, remember that I am comparing the TF Magna on gas with the VJ Outlander on petrol. The Magna still wins on cost alone. Whatever, the TF is no longer ours and the VJ is. Wifey is pleased, so that is a plus for the new car. Not that she was displeased with the old one...

vlad:
Yes, I am eager, but I doubt that the fuel consumption will improve very much.

A brand new engine wont be very economical at all until it is run in. Give it at least 2000-3000km before seeing good economy IF you run the engine in properly. Im not talking about babying it, but stretching the engine in increments does wonders for ensuring the rings get a good seal early on. I am led to believe that a small road trip like yours on the freeway is ideal, if conditions allow, accelerate from 80 to 120 and repeat for as long as allowable. Mixture of partial throttle, WOT, different gears, etc

BTW the engine wont be anywhere near its best for performance for a good few thousand k's, so dont judge it yet. Report back when its run in.

Anyhow, Congrats on the purchase :)

Dave:
The car was run much as you suggested. One thing I forgot to mention was that it was HOT! Not the car, but the ambient temperatures. It was 48 Deg C on the M7 near Eastern Creek. All this sounds torrid and it was but the scariest part was the THERE IS NO TEMPERATURE GAUGE!

This was one of the reasons I swung away from a Subaru Forester. I was well under way yesterday and looked to see how the cooling system was coping, and could find nothing. I am going to fit an engine watchdog anyway, but I really would like to see a gauge as standard. Apparently the electronics monitor temps and bring upa flashing red warning light should something go wrong. The light comes up blue when it is cold and not up to temperature.

Today I have fitted some insect screen behind the grill. This involved partially dismantling the front of the car. There isn't much behind the grill. The A/C condenser is so thin - it is only about 10 mm thick, but it worked very well yesterday, so I can only say it is adequate. Other things like plastic header tanks for the radiator (with a long sideways extension for the filler neck. It looks tatty to me compared to the TF. The whole car seems a bit tatty in fact, but it is no different to most of the other crop of cars.

I was pleasantly surprised by the audio system in the car. It is only the bare basic model, yet the audio system is really good. We are still recovering from a week of grandchildren and then taking them to Sydney to meet their mother and thence return to their home. What a day to start out with a new car...

Erad, you are also comparing something akin to a brick against one of the most aerodynamic sedans ever produced and it makes a difference at 100km/hr. My brother-in-law's diesel Prado uses more fuel holding 100 than mine (11-12l/100km vs 8.5-9l/100km).

Vlad:
Agree that the engine should be run in before it will give good fuel consumption. However, the claimed combined (city/country etc) consumption for a manual 2WD is 7L/100 km. Interestingly, the CVT auto claimed consumption is 6.8 - I guess because the engine is always at or near best efficiency point. I was getting 10 to 10.5, yet the trip computer was telling me 7.2 on the way down and 7.8 on the way back. The 10 and 10.5 figures are actual figures from the bowser. It was unbelievably hot that day and maybe this affected the consumption as well.

When I recover from that HOT Sydney trip, we'll do some more running around and see how it goes. Getting to know the car a bit better now. The body is very rigid - more so than the Magna (which was already quite a stiff car anyway). The suspension - well I forgot to order springs for it. It rides very well on smooth surfaces, but is a bit choppy on broken stuff. Corners like it is on rails.

The biggest plus over the Magna is the fact that my wife and I can step straight into the car instead of stepping DOWN into it. Similarly, getting out is a breeze. This is the main reason we bought a new car. As you get older, you appreciate things like that. Another top reason is that I am physically unable to do very much maintenance or repairs on cars these days. This beastie is so complicated that I have NO HOPE of ever understanding it. I need a MUT3 to even start thinking about what has or has not gone wrong. And as for linking the phone to the bluetooth..... Damned modern contraptions - bring back a coil and points inside a distributor. At least I could handle that...

Maybe it has strut braces like our zg 2.4 xls with cvt.

No strut braces I can see there. It supposedly is a new body - lighter than before and apparently very stiff. The spring rates are fairly harsh and the damping is quite strong. I think there is more give in the tyres than in the suspension. Tyres are 215/70x16 and are rather baloonish. Interesting because the ASX had 17" wheels with 225/65 series tyres, or something like that.

I am after a nudge bar, cargo blind and some seat covers. Any clues as to where to go other than the dealer? So far, there is nothing I can find for the ZJ series. Also, is there a local forum where I can learn more about this beastie? It is more like driving a computer than a car and I am an ignoranus (an asshole who knows nothing) when it comes to electronics. I dread the day when the thing fails to start...

The strut brace was deleted in the later models of the ZH. No idea why, probably cost saving

I dread the day when the thing fails to start...

At which point you call the dealer and tell them to fix it :)

Pics please!

Give the suspension time to bed in, should get more compliant as time goes on.

Workshop manual, after market parts like seat covers etc . . . . yes well - takes time for these to appear on the scene with a new model. Seat covers from an earlier model may fit though.

Erad, just remembered something different with the outie trip comp as I just filled the wife's up. E.g. start the outie and its at 10.5. On the way to the petrol station through winding streets of mawson lakes it got to 22.0 by the time I got out of mawson lakes and went down to 18 by the time I reached the servo. It then went down to 11 by the time I got home the less winding way. Whereas in the rada, it will start of at 12.4 and reach 12.5 by the time I get out of mawson lakes and then fall back to 12.4. It is almost like the outie is only keeping last 5km worth of history.

Vlad:
I have read somewhere that the trip computer updates every 150 m. Obviously it has some memory. When we picked it up it new, it didn't have a full tank of fuel. It showed 12.5L/100km. As I drove it to Canberra, it dropped and by the time I got to Canberra where we filled up, it was showing 7.8. I filled and took off for Sydney and it progressively dropped to 7.2 until I got to the outer suburbs, when it grew to 7.5. I then filled it up in Sydney and it took 30L for 320 km, which is nothing like 7.2 or anything like it. Same on the return trip - 35L for 330 km, although it was indicating 7.8 all the way. I think it is showing more realistic figures now, although I won't know until I fill again. Oh for the good old days when you simply filled up and didn't have the gear to know what was going on under your foot.

Quick update on the ZJ Outlander: We have the very base model - a 2WD, 2L manual and it is really very good. We have done 13000 km now. Acceleration is maybe a bit down compared to other models (and certainly my new Pajero), but it is quite adequate. The body is very tight - you get the impression that if we hit something it will protect us quite well. Headlights could be better, although they are as good as most new cars. I like the fact that I can adjust the beam height from inside the car as I drive. Fuel consumption is awesome - we are getting about 6.4L/100 km now (petrol model) at average highway speeds (100 km/h). Ride has softened a bit, but can still be harsh on rougher surfaces. The road noise seems to be a bit quieter now - perhaps we are getting used to it. The main thing is that my wife LOVES it. The main feature as far as we are concerned is that we can step straight into or out of it without having to strain our backs, knees etc.

Got the MY14 outlander CVT 4WD base model and all is going well. last two tanks have worked out at 8.1 and 8.5 litres per 100km. As mentioned above ride is a bit harsh on rough surfaces but I do expect it to get better. Drivers seat is very comfortable over long distances and the controls are all well laid out and accessible. One bad point - and it may seem petty but it annoys me no end - is the key. Its not push button start, not even a folding key, but an old fashioned pain in the butt (literally if you sit on it!). Loving the reverse camera and bluetooth. CVT is smooth, in fact the whole drive train seems quality. Sure it's not the fastest but thats not why you would buy it.

Got the MY14 outlander CVT 4WD base model and all is going well. last two tanks have worked out at 8.1 and 8.5 litres per 100km. As mentioned above ride is a bit harsh on rough surfaces but I do expect it to get better. Drivers seat is very comfortable over long distances and the controls are all well laid out and accessible. One bad point - and it may seem petty but it annoys me no end - is the key. Its not push button start, not even a folding key, but an old fashioned pain in the butt (literally if you sit on it!). Loving the reverse camera and bluetooth. CVT is smooth, in fact the whole drive train seems quality. Sure it's not the fastest but thats not why you would buy it.

You say it is not all that quick. What's the acceleration like? I drove a friend's V6 Outlander once and it had plenty of poke so I am interested in what the 4 is like.

Hi Guys, Been away for a long time but I bought a MY14 6 speed diesel Outlander 4WD. runs well, drives well, features are a ticks for me and many ways better value for money than a lot of SUVs out there.
I have already done some minor towing and overall, this car has met and exceeded my expectations.

Just paid a deposit for Aspire 2.4 CVT. Found interior to be so so (especially when i looked at the outback), however the features included really make it a great value. Things like adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation, HiDs, dual zone cc, 4wd, 7 seats............... all for $37,500k driveway. Mitsubishi also upgraded all 2.4 CVTs (MY14.5) to include transmission cooler. Really price wise nothing comes close.

On the minus side (from my test drive), from outside engine sounds bit like diesel (had to double check that im about to test drive petrol), however cant hear it inside the cabin.

3rd row seat.. well they are actually usable, would be perfect for kids or not so tall passengers.

Stroppy: "You say it is not all that quick. What's the acceleration like? I drove a friend's V6 Outlander once and it had plenty of poke so I am interested in what the 4 is like."

Our 2L manual transmission has "adequate" acceleration. It has enough to get moving and keep up with the traffic. If you want it to move briskly, you really have to give it a gutful of revs. Once above 4000 R/min, it goes OK, but it gets noisy. It really is a buzz box. I tend to compare it to my NW Pajero diesel, which GOES, especially if the revs are up already to get the turbo on line. However, my wife loves her Outlander, so that is all that matters. Ours is manual transmission, but I expect that the CVT would give similar (or better) performance. The 2.4L engine would give better acceleration that the 2L.

Oddly enough, the Pajero uses a similar amount of fuel for the same trip, although I am using the lowest grade petrol in the Outie. If I use premium grade fuels it does give better fuel consumption, but it costs a lot more. Came back from Sydney to Cooma yesterday, and the Outie used 7.3 L/100 km over a 850 km trip. I have had it down to 6.4 with higher grade fuels.

Wife's ZG XLS with 2.4 CVT and paddle shift is very quick off the line, especially in tippy mode. My NX is a little sluggish as it has only done 350kms.

Picking mine up on Friday, Aspire 2.4 CVT. Gonna get it tuned to 98ROn, MMC module is needed though ($250), anyone want to go 50/50?

Picking mine up on Friday, Aspire 2.4 CVT. Gonna get it tuned to 98ROn, MMC module is needed though ($250), anyone want to go 50/50?

Nice. Make sure they update the GPS map as part of delivery. My Pajero came with 2013-A maps when 2014-A map was already out. Will have to get them to do it during the 1500KM service.

I must say adaptive cruise control is awesome, works great even in heavy traffic!

im thinking of getting a towbar, can anyone comment on the towing capabilities of petrol with cvt? My boat and trailer weight about 1200kg

Just get the 1500kg heavy duty towbar which is what they are rated to tow. Wife's ZG 2.4 I4 CVT has no issues towing a 7x5 loaded with furniture. Just take it easy and use manual shift to hold it in a lower gear for the speed than it would normally be in.

In March 2013, I wanted a towbar for my wife's ZJ outie. I chased around and the model being so new, there were none available aftermarket. I contacted Boronia Towbars in Bayswater Vic (they are called BTA these days) and asked them. They said that they had none, but if I cared to lend them our car for a day, they would use it to make a template and would give me a towbar for free. I thought about it (about 30 seconds anyway) and agreed. I think they sell towbars for the Outie for $600 (fitted).

When I got home, I checked the label and noted that the max load was 2000 kg. That is OK for the 4WD versions, but ours is only a 2wd 2L manual transmission model, and is rated by Mitsubishi at 1500 kg. I phoned them and pointed out the 'error', and they said that the lower limit would always apply it the 2WD models are rated for 1500 kg only.

I subsequenly went back to them for a towbar for my NW Pajero, and had to pay the full price - $640 (fitted). That was far better than the local dealer wanted to charge me (about $2000 each!). They took only about 2 hours to fit the bar to my Pajero. They had the Outie for a full day, but would take about 2 hrs to fit one to it. I have no commercial connections with them - only a satisfied customer going back nearly 50 years with them.

$640 is good for 2.5T but $2000 is outrageous. My NX 3T was $750 from dealer which requires a $100 spare tyre lift kit or $730 from ATB which does not requie a spare tyre lift kit (and is what dealers recommend). That price includes $180 ECU and fitting was 1.5 hours.

Vlad:
My towbar is rated at 3T. They also fitted the ECU. The $640 was the price including fitting. I reckoned it was a good deal. BTA do all sorts of towbars. Towbars are their main business. I was impressed. Very clean factory as well.

That's right. It was the NS and NT with the lower ratings. You guys get things a lot cheaper than us in SA.

hey guys, i had a look on ebay and looks like most towbars require bumper bar cutting? What about genuine one?

Not sure on the ZJ but the genuine ZG one requires cutting.

If you look at the brochure, the towbar pack looks like it sits under the bumper but the picture of the chrome ball cover shows the towbar cut into the bumper.

If you look at the brochure, the towbar pack looks like it sits under the bumper but the picture of the chrome ball cover shows the towbar cut into the bumper.

yep exactly right, it would be good to know whether the genuine towbar needs that cut out, otherwise there are plenty other options.

yep exactly right, it would be good to know whether the genuine towbar needs that cut out, otherwise there are plenty other options.

Just trawlled carsales and saw 5 ZJ Outlanders with what looked like genuine towbars and they all cut into the lower part of the bumper (the vertical bit below the curve).

Just trawlled carsales and saw 5 ZJ Outlanders with what looked like genuine towbars and they all cut into the lower part of the bumper (the vertical bit below the curve).

cheers bud, great help.

I just had a look at my wife's ZJ and yes - the rear bumper has been cut. This was done by BTA in Bayswater. Neat job too.

I just had a look at my wife's ZJ and yes - the rear bumper has been cut. This was done by BTA in Bayswater. Neat job too.

thanks for having a look. I found one towbar from rockauto, it sits at the bottom of the bar and doesnt actually require cutting of the bar. Pretty cheap as well even with postage but doesn't come with wiring, wonder how much that is on its own.

1000 posts!

check this out

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Unimaginable-Price-For-Mitsubishi-Outlander-2014-2015-LED-DRL-Daytime-Running-Light-Free-Shipping/312835_32266206670.html

Nice. I just got the rectangular unit each comprising 6x 1W Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs from Bright Light Auto Parts installed in the wife's Outlander lower grille.

Took the plunge on a current Outlander today.
Base ES in white, 2L MIVEC manual, 5 seater. $27,170.
Delivery end May.

Heavier than the wife's 2011 Lancer with the same engine and gearbox, also less aerodynamic, so I'm expecting slightly higher fuel consumption and possibly sluggish performance, but it should still be quite good on the fuel.

My wife's ZJ Outie is the same spec as yours (except it is 3 yrs old now). I have found that it is sensitive to fuel rating. If I use Premium it gives much better consumption, but still not enough to offset the extra cost of the higher spec fuel. As for performance, I haven't noticed any difference which fuel I use, although I guess it must go better on a higher spec fuel. Performance is sufficient to get to the 100 km/h limit and stay there for most of our travels.

Road noise is bad, ride shocking (I forgot to order springs with the car) and the overall performance is way down on our old TF Magna, but my wife loves it anyway, so that is all that matters. Even so, you have to DRIVE this car, as compared to the old TF. After a few hours, you can feel it whereas with the old car we could go for a full day and still not feel wrecked. It is easy to get in and out of it, and that is most important with both of us these days. It still doesn't even come close to my Pajero though....

Found out the current Outlander has a 4J11 engine, supposedly better on fuel than the older 4B11 engine. Still the same 110 KW @ 6,000 rpm, so no rocket motor in a 1,400 Kg bus. Supposed to need minimum 90 RON fuel, but I will see what it likes.
(It's not a car, it's not a wagon, it's not a SUV. It's a small bus!)

I'm expecting road noise, mostly from tyres. Seems to be a feature of the tyres Mitsu uses. And going by the weight and engine output, performance will be nowhere that of the Magna.

I agree that the Magna is more relaxing to drive. Definitely noticed the difference between my TJ auto and CJ Lancer manual on the same drive - twisty roads with lots of up/down hills, speed changes, etc.
If something like a 2016 TW wagon was available from Mitsu, I'd have gone for that instead.

I have a few unanswered questions about the 2016 model:

Is the spare full size and on a steel or alloy rim?
I don't like the spare being slung under the bus due to exposure to road grime, but the storage boxes in the space where the rearmost seats would be on a seven seater, are nice.

Where are the tools for changing a tyre hidden? Under the storage trays?

Radio has USB input, where is the socket hidden? Glove box?

Bluetooth – does it work well on this car?

Guess I will find out in due course. lol Dying to play with the bus, only 9 weeks to go!

I assume the spare would still be a space saver on steel rim. The tools are in the right side of the car towards the rear. There is a compartment with the jack etc strapped in. The USB input is most likely in the glove box like the Pajero. No issues with Bluetooth in wife's ZG nor the Pajero. As for ride. They are quite firm. The wife's ZG came with 225/55R18 tyres and it even came with a strut brace at the front.

also 4j11, in addition to MIVEC it has variable lift control and its a single cam. While the power stayed the same, fuel consumption reduced considerably vs 4B version. I bought MMCflash module (its coming in the mail) to tune the ECU, i will follow up with the results.

I have got 2.4 litre version 4J12, Aspire ZJ, really a pleasant car to drive, i found very little difference between 91 to 98 octane in terms of consumption. Cant comment on the 2 litre version, but 2.4 seems more then adequate to move it around. Road noise i find is a lot better then in 3rd gen Magna.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duRaYn8mMsI

6.6 L/100 KPH at 100 KPH, manual is geared at 35 KPH/1,000 rpm in top gear, so:

2,000 rpm = 70 KPH
3,000 rpm = 105 KPH
4.000 rpm = 140 KPH and 10-11 L/100 Km.

Theoretical top speed at 6,000 rpm = 210 KPH, but it would never get there.

I assume the spare would still be a space saver on steel rim. The tools are in the right side of the car towards the rear. There is a compartment with the jack etc strapped in. The USB input is most likely in the glove box like the Pajero. No issues with Bluetooth in wife's ZG nor the Pajero. As for ride. They are quite firm. The wife's ZG came with 225/55R18 tyres and it even came with a strut brace at the front.

Definitely full sized spare. Didn't see what sort of rim it is on though.

Firm ride and noise come from the stiff sidewalls on the low rolling resistance tyres Mitsu fits these days, gives better fuel economy, but absorb little road shock and are noisy on the wife's 2011 Lancer when cold, but replacement tyres will fix that eventually. Current models may have retuned suspension isolation bushes to reduce noise and stiffness.

Well put together package, I think. Pity mine is still on the production line. If that. lol
But having spent 2 years saving up and 3 months thinking about it, what's another 9 weeks? lol lol

I can see myself driving around with three phones attached to the windscreen - one for phone calls via bluetooth, another for SatNav, and a third as a dashcam.
There's a 5V USB port there somewhere, I think.

Definitely full sized spare. Didn't see what sort of rim it is on though.

Firm ride and noise come from the stiff sidewalls on the low rolling resistance tyres Mitsu fits these days, gives better fuel economy, but absorb little road shock and are noisy on the wife's 2011 Lancer when cold, but replacement tyres will fix that eventually. Current models may have retuned suspension isolation bushes to reduce noise and stiffness.

Well put together package, I think. Pity mine is still on the production line. If that. lol
But having spent 2 years saving up and 3 months thinking about it, what's another 9 weeks? lol lol

I can see myself driving around with three phones attached to the windscreen - one for phone calls via bluetooth, another for SatNav, and a third as a dashcam.
There's a 5V USB port there somewhere, I think.

Get the mini 0806 from sportgps.com.au. you won't regret it. Two microSD slots so 256GB max storage. 1400P or something like that res and 130deg wide angle lenses.

Anyhow, are your sure ifs full size spare?
Edit: apparently the 5 seaters have full sized alloy spares. 7 seaters come with space savers.

Edit: apparently the 5 seaters have full sized alloy spares. 7 seaters come with space savers.

Bonus! Makes tyre rotation easy, and spreads the wear out over 5 tyres, not 4.

A dedicated dashcam is definitely on the 'to do ' list.

I have a few unanswered questions about the 2016 model:

Is the spare full size and on a steel or alloy rim?
I don't like the spare being slung under the bus due to exposure to road grime, but the storage boxes in the space where the rearmost seats would be on a seven seater, are nice.

Where are the tools for changing a tyre hidden? Under the storage trays?

Radio has USB input, where is the socket hidden? Glove box?

Bluetooth – does it work well on this car?

Guess I will find out in due course. lol Dying to play with the bus, only 9 weeks to go!

MadMax:
On my wife's car, the spare is full size and steel, but her car has steel wheels anyway. They are bloody heavy too.

The spare is slung underneath the car and it is a mongrel to get out. It is even worse to get back. I have to sit on the ground and push it woth my feet to get it back into the carrier.

The tools are located behind a triangular panel on the R side behind the rear seat.

USB socket is in the centre console, next to the cigarette lighter socket.

Bluetooth works well, but there is a long delay when picking up a call.

All fo teh above refers to my wife's base model ZJ Outie, but I doubt it is any different to yours.

MadMax:
On my wife's car, the spare is full size and steel, but her car has steel wheels anyway. They are bloody heavy too.

The spare is slung underneath the car and it is a mongrel to get out. It is even worse to get back. I have to sit on the ground and push it woth my feet to get it back into the carrier.

The tools are located behind a triangular panel on the R side behind the rear seat.

USB socket is in the centre console, next to the cigarette lighter socket.

Bluetooth works well, but there is a long delay when picking up a call.

All fo teh above refers to my wife's base model ZJ Outie, but I doubt it is any different to yours.

Yep, the spare under the car is a pain, remember that well from the days of my GH Sigma wagon. (I think that is where I came across it last)
Might have to get some type of cover for it to protect it from road grime, and a valve extension if it has to be mounted in the carrier valve up.

I have yet to see the car, but it will get a full inspection before I even think about taking delivery of it.

I had a blowout on the Santa Fe at the rear. All loaded up with gear for camping so out it has to come, remove cargo area blind and tools, wind down cable holding spare wheel and retrieve from under car. Good fun on side of dusty unsealed road with three kids whinging.

This was a brand new all terrain tyre but fortunately had a free replacement warranty through Yokohama (side wall torn by rock).

At least this is a rarity these days.

Spare in the cargo well is also bad. Bad for the back. Spare on the back door/ tailgate means it has to be a swing type. People don't like that in a compact SUV and that is why the Rav4 finally changed it.

Yep, the spare under the car is a pain, remember that well from the days of my GH Sigma wagon. (I think that is where I came across it last)
Might have to get some type of cover for it to protect it from road grime, and a valve extension if it has to be mounted in the carrier valve up.

When you go to lower the spare, ultimately you have to get down and lift the carrier off the supporting hook. Then you can slide the spare out. Similarly, when you put it back, you have to lift the spare and its carrier back onto the hook. Heavy! Awkward!

Lowering the spare is easy - there is an access hatch in the framework just inside the rear hatch door. You just need a wheelbrace then to wind it down.

I have rotated the tyres around on the car, and the spare comes ont dirty relative to the other 4 tyres, but it isn't too bad. If you had just been travelling along a muddy track, it could be a different story of course. If you drive on a wet road, the spare tyre will probably just be grimy when you need it. Anyway, who gets punctures these days??? (Probably me now that I said that!)

The Pajero got one two months ago towards the inside of the rear left tyre, 1 inch from the edge of the tread. Got it plugged in. The bottle jack to ages to lift the rear of the Pajero.

Yep, lifting the tyre cradle off and back onto that hook takes some heavy lifting at an uncomfortable angle.

Aside:

Had fun with a flat tyre yesterday.
Grandson came around yesterday, with his Commodore on a flatbed. He got a flat, but his ex-girlfriend had 'removed' his jack, tools and lock nut key unknown to him. And the wheel nuts were on so tight we used an '+' shaped wheel brace plus 1.5M breaker 'bar' (2 X 2 inch square tube) to loosen them - touch and go if the nuts came lose or the weld on the wheel brace would give away. Ever seen a wheel brace bend? lol
The locknut wouldn't budge using the 'just hammer a socket onto it' method.
Ended up cutting a lot of the alloy wheel away with an angle grinder so I could get a cold chisel onto the lock nut. Finally, the wrecked wheel came off with the 'hammer on a socket' method and the spare could go on.

Cost of the exercise?
Tow truck fee. New wheel and tyre, jack, tools, wheel nuts required - plus a trip to the shop that put the after market alloy wheels on to get them to back off all the other wheel nuts and torque them up correctly. And remove the other lock nuts, pretty useless if a hammer and socket can get them off.

Thanks, tyre shop, thanks (ex)girlfriend!

Much respect to the strength of the wheel studs and whoever welded the wheel brace though!
Me at the end of that breaker bar, got to be at least 200 Nm!

EDIT: Turns out the VE wheel nut torque is 170 Nm. Explains that then!

Another EDIT: Ordered 20 wheel nuts (14 X 1.5), $40, full tyre change kit, used, off a wrecker, $75.
Hope the little tyke doesn't get a flat in the meantime.

Silly of me to assume the VE uses the same 100 Nm wheel nut torque as the Mitsus, just because all Mitsus ever made use 100 Nm (88 to 110 Nm, actually).

Still waiting . . . only 8 weeks to go for it to arrive! Money in the bank accumulating some measly interest, so no harm in needing to wait. (trying hard to convince myself, there)

Checked on servicing costs, 'fixed price' for the annual 15,000 km service is some $355. Seems steep for a quick visual underbody and fluid level check, and an oil/filter change. Tempted to get one done, but do the following at home. It's all basic stuff really. Gives me 2 years for any warranty claims.

I still find that even with capped servicing my local mechanic ends up cheaper, i do every 15,000km at his workshop to keep the warranty but then do intermediate services (i.e.) every 7500 at home.

Not much to service on a current Mitsu, and it can all be done at home.
- oil, filter @ 15,000 km or annually + underbody check.
- tyre rotation @ 10 to 15,000 km.
- air filter, cabin filter @ 45,000 Km.
- tyres, battery, brake pads as needed.
- gearbox oil @ 90,000 km or so.
- spark plugs @ 100,000 km.
- drive shaft boots @ 200 to 220,000 km.

Pretty standard 'do at home' stuff. Don't know why the fixed price service money grab is that high, really. Should be $100 - $150, tops. Plus the 'up-sell' spiel on air con refresh, wiper blades, etc - best avoided.
Not too fussed about warranty, from past experience with 12 Mitsus, mechanical problems leading to a desire for warranty claims = zero. Any problems that do crop up will do so in the first 12 months, anyway.

Some of the accessories offered by the Mitsu dealer are sky high price wise. Probably look at getting a towbar on it at some stage, but not at dealer prices.

this is the only tow bar i found which does not require bumper cutout, it is also listed as compatible with 2016 model.

http://www.curtmfg.com/part/13163#tab=vehicles

rockauto sells them for $180US, shipping is ok aswell.

Not much to service on a current Mitsu, and it can all be done at home.
- oil, filter @ 15,000 km or annually + underbody check.
- tyre rotation @ 10 to 15,000 km.


Sorry - Tyre rotation is not included in the regular servicing - it is an extra. I agree about the ripoff cost of fixed price servicing. Most of it is an oil change, and the last one on my Pajero I don't think they fully drained the oil, or maybe they didn't replace the filter. Maybe I am just a suspicious old B...tard, but I doubt that it is worth it. I mentioned my doubts to the service manager. 'Oh no Sir - we do lots more work than just an oil change' Hmmmm.

this is the only tow bar i found which does not require bumper cutout, it is also listed as compatible with 2016 model.

http://www.curtmfg.com/part/13163#tab=vehicles

rockauto sells them for $180US, shipping is ok aswell.

Yes, I thought the dealer price of $1,500 was a bit over the top. lol

Actually, that looks quite good. Mechanical installation is straightforward, but electrical wiring ????

Maybe I am just a suspicious old B...tard, but I doubt that it is worth it.

It's ok to be suspicious if previous experience justifies it. lol

Us old bastards are quite good at it! lol

Yes, I thought the dealer price of $1,500 was a bit over the top. lol

Actually, that looks quite good. Mechanical installation is straightforward, but electrical wiring ????

They require a canbus ECU. It should cost less than $100 for one.

Re the towbar, I had one fitted by BTA in Bayswater Vic. This was in Feb 2013, and I had just taken delivery of the Outie and was awaiting my new Pajero as well. I wanted a towbar - mainly for the Pajero. The local dealer quoted about $2000 fitted. No way. I phoned BTA in Melbourne because I had dealt with them before and asked about bars for both vehicles. No problems with the Pajero, but they hadn't made one for the ZJ OUtie before and couldn't do it. The man did offer that if I were to lend him the car for a day, he would make one up for me - for free!. I thought about it for about 1 second and agreed. I took it down to Melbourne (I live in Cooma NSW) and they fitted it up for me. The bar does require the bumper to be cut however. I am sure that have since seen the bar advertised on EBAY, but not under BTA name. BTA supply bars to other outlets. BTA supplied the electrics for it as well.

When I got the Pajero, I took it straight down to them to fit the towbar. Cost was $640 fitted from memory. The Outie bar should be a similar or slightly less price. May be worth a call. The bar is rated for 2000 kg, even though the car is only rated for 1500 kg. I queried them about it and they said that the 4WD versions are 2000 kg rated and that is the rating they apply to all bars for Outies. In your (and my) cases, the lower rating would apply. They do ship a lot of bars out from their factory. Fitting should be easy, looking at the installation on our Outie. They removed the rear bumper, but I suspect that was so they could measure up. I am sure that you would easily be able to fit the towbar without removing the bumper. I think they even used existing holes in the chassis (no drilling). Not so sure about the electrics though.

Max, just take it to ATB on Richmond Rd, Mile End to get it done. I got them to fit one for the Verada when I got it and also the 3.0T bar for the Pajero.


I dug up an old post of mine on PajeroClub:


The Pajero 3.0T ATB one was $560 for the bar and $180 for the ECU so $720 all up. So a correction to my post above stating the ECU should be less than $100.
Hall (HTB) wanted $845 for a 2.5T and did not mention the requirement for the ECU.
Salisbury Towbars was $850 and also did not mention the requirement for the ECU.
North East Mitsubishi wanted $750 but that is a leave it with them for the day job as they sub the job out and is in the opposite direction to my work (I work 2km from ATB).


HTB claims theirs is expensive because they have proper vehicle protection equipment during the welding process but the towbars for the Pajero is a bolt-on job.


BTW, ATB is a sub for some of the nearby Mitsubishi dealers.

Well, got to get my hands on that Outlander first. lol

Then I will assess the vehicle's suitability as a towing device.

So no rush.

The one linked to above looks like an easy DIY bolt on, fitted a bar to my TJ before.

The Mitsu dealer or a towbar shop may be able to source the loom by then. Plug-n-play works best for me. lol

EDIT: just noticed the towbar loom + black box for a Ford Territory is < $30 on ebay.

Definitely thinking about getting some fake fibre wrap to tone down the bling chrome on the front end, but will have to see how that chrome integrates with the white body colour. Haven't come across a white Outlander yet, must be a rare choice for buyers.

Well, got to get my hands on that Outlander first. lol

Then I will assess the vehicle's suitability as a towing device.



From memory, your Outie is the same as ours ie the very basic model - 2L, manual transmission, FWD. It all depends on what you want to tow, but I wouldn't try to tow anything heavier than say 800 kg all up. OK for short distances, but our outie has just enough power to get it up to the legal limits and not much more. With a trailer on as well, it may struggle, and would certainly drink fuel heavily. Much better to use my Pajero for towing. The towbar does serve as a bump protector however in tight parking spaces, so it has a value.

Still waiting . . . and now my daughter is making noises like she wants one too. (At my expense of course)

Noticed the current (April) ads for the Outlander have dropped the $500 free accessories. Price is otherwise unchanged.

MMCflash module has arrived, going to try to rip the ROM of the ECU on Sunday.

MMCflash module has arrived, going to try to rip the ROM of the ECU on Sunday.

Will it still work if you do that? (jk)

Saw a 2016 model out in the wild today (supermarket carpark actually), you get a much better view than in a car yard as to judging its size. About Ford Territory size, I'd say.

This was a AWD Diesel, already popped the trailing edge of the front bumper out of its retaining clips on the driver's side. I was temped to fix it, but stopped myself. Easy fix, but not touching it without the owner's permission. lol (I did wait a bit for the owner to talk, as in 'whachathinkofit?)

Got a good look at the towbar setup though.

Madmax:
I bought a nudge bar off Fleabay for about $300. Not much of a bar, but it is shite and briny stainless steel, and SWMBO likes it so that is good. I also bought some sidesteps from the same place, again about $300 from memory. This was so that I could reach to the centre of the roof whilst washing the car (when it is my turn to do so and that is all the time). The panels on the Outie seem flimsy, and the paintwork chips very easily, so that is something to watch for with your new vehicle.

I'm used to the non structural body parts being flimsy, the Lancer has taught me that.
Bumpers are just for decoration these days, the bits that protect you in a crash are well hidden.
I know Mitsu paints aren't too robust, especially the metallics and pearls, and the only solid colour offered in the Outlander is white, so I picked that for mine.
Should still look good in 10 years.

Ours is solid white. Apart from relatively easy repairs (less fading), it is dead easy to touch up stone chips - a bit of whiteout and you can barely see them.

Ours is solid white. Apart from relatively easy repairs (less fading), it is dead easy to touch up stone chips - a bit of whiteout and you can barely see them.

Easy touchup, there. lol

White is a strange colour. On some body shapes it looks dreary, on others it looks OK. Must be the shape of the vehicle and external dress up bits.
I think the chrome on the front of the current Outlander looks horrible with darker colours, but with the starlight pearl and white there is less visual contrast and blends in better.

The restricted colour range on the Outlander is a bit disappointing though - 3 metallics, 3 pearls, one solid - where is the myriad of colours you used to be able to buy the Magnas dressed up in?

I wanted to talk to the owner of the 4wd diesel I saw yesterday to see why they chose that model. The price premium over the base model is quite large. As a city/bitumen cruiser, is it worthwhile?

Premium diesel is cheaper than regular unleaded at most servos in Adelaide, on top of that, you use less and it quickly adds up. Just filled up 77L of Vortex Diesel for 98.9c/L totalling $76.15.


As for the Chrome, the Pajero has lots of chrome and mine is a graphite coloured one. It actually make it look nice. Then again, I also have chrome mirrors, door handles and door handle cavities.

Mitsu claims 7.0 L/100 Km for the manual petrol fwd Outlander and 6.2 L/100 Km for the Diesel models (only available as all wheel drive autos at a big price premium ), so not much to be saved there. Besides, mine will be mainly used for suburban short trips, where a petrol engine is happier (in my opinion).

Took the Lancer for a 130 Km country drive recently. On the return filled up, trip meter reported a range of 910 Km for the full tank, based on the 6.6 L/100 Km consumption on the drive. These numbers kind of kill the 'diesels are much more economical that petrol' argument for me.

As for the chrome - I remember a time where chrome became unfashionable, to be replaced by plastics for bumpers or blacked out metal. Guess we are going back to the chrome look, but nobody asked MY permission to do a turnaround on that! lol


Cheapest Diesel = $42.5 K
Cheapest petrol = $28.5 K (mine was $27,170)

Fuel savings to make up the difference of $14K (a 50% price increase) is going to take a while!

http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com.au/vehicles/outlander/range?mkwid=scaRYdpcv_dc|pcrid|80352776818|kword|m itsubishi%20outlander|match|p&mkwid=scaRYdpcv_dc|pcrid|80352776818|kword|mitsubi shi%20outlander|match|p&gclid=CPa596zFiswCFQt0vQodjUAHMg

Of course, it is buyer's choice, but saving money on fuel isn't so much a good reason these days.

As a side note, I really hate the way prices climb up once you want some extra features above the base model.
The next model up from the base FWD petrol adds:

MMCS with 7 inch touch screen
Digital (DAB) Radio
Dual zone automatic airconditioning
Dusk and Rain Sensors
Heated & electric folding mirrors

BUT the price goes up by $7K, a 25% increase! Unfortunately most makes do this now.

The new MMCS is crap. Yes it has DAB, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay but it relies on your phone for maps. The previous version also had DAB but came with maps with 2 free updates (silly). Apparently Subaru uses the same units.


For short trips, you are better off with the PHEV. You will find with your short trips, the actual usage will be around the 9L/100 Km mark. Wife's ZG Outlander 2.4 MIVEC XLS AWD with claimed 9.5L/100Km gets 14L/100Km on short trips to the school/shops/work etc. As soon as we take it on a long drive, it goes down to high 8. We are planning to replace it with the PHEV version later this year.

The new MMCS is crap. Yes it has DAB, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay but it relies on your phone for maps. The previous version also had DAB but came with maps with 2 free updates (silly). Apparently Subaru uses the same units.


For short trips, you are better off with the PHEV. You will find with your short trips, the actual usage will be around the 9L/100 Km mark. Wife's ZG Outlander 2.4 MIVEC XLS AWD with claimed 9.5L/100Km gets 14L/100Km on short trips to the school/shops/work etc. As soon as we take it on a long drive, it goes down to high 8. We are planning to replace it with the PHEV version later this year.

Yep. The 'extras' aren't worth the extra asking price. But I guess they are popular with the buying public, hence my 'plain Jane' version needed to be a special order. lol

Be interesting to see how the FWD 2L manual compares to your numbers.

PHEV has a big price premium, once again you need to do your sums to see if it is worthwhile.

Madmax:
I forgot to add in my last past that the rear seat legroom in the basic (5 seater) model is enormous. Ironic, because it is the cheapest model, but because you don't have to squeeze another row of seats in, you get heaps of room in the rear. There is far more legroom than in my Pajero.

Road noise is intrusive (for me at least). I bought a heap of sound deadener and stripped the cargo area almost bare to fit it. A slight decrease in noise level, but not enough for me to be happy. We have Dunlp AT20 tyres and they are fairly noisy. They seem to be wearing well - less than half way to the wear bars with 45500 km on them, but they ride rough and are NOISY.

I've noticed the legroom in the rear of the 5 seater.
Plenty of room for a few plastic bin type storage boxes on the floor there. lol

I absolutely hate the 7 seater idea in this or any SUV by the way, only good for smaller kids, not easy to get in or out, and they will fiddle with their seat belts. And who is going to be closest to a rear end accident? If you need to transport 7 people regularly, get a proper minibus! (Toyota make a reasonable one).

As for tyres . . .don't know what is standard fitment on the Outlander, but most manufacturers have gone for low rolling resistance tyres for fuel economy.
Unfortunately they have very stiff sidewalls, and transfer road noise into the cabin very effectively, ie loudly, and don't absorb road shocks well. And you can't tell one that is going flat just by looking. Sidewalls don't start to bulge until you get really low pressure.

But they do save fuel, and last a long time. The Lancer is the same, they quieten down and absorb road irregularities better once they warm up though. At 33,000 km the original tyres look like they may well go the same distance.

People movers are not safe at all. They open up like a can of sardines as they have next to no side-impact structural impact protection. We have no issues with people getting in to the 3rd row in the Pajero, this includes adults and the elderly. The spare tyre also acts as another layer of protection. In fact, there is more room behind the 3rd row in the pajero than behind the rear seats of your typical small hatches.


As for noise. All wagons have rear noise. The wagon, after all, is a sound chamber. Anyhow, just fitted Coopers for the wife's Outlander and is very quiet.


As for PHEV, we have solar power and since the wife does not work on Tuesdays, can charge it up during the day.

So, here I am, one week off getting mine.

Now my daughter wants one . . . daddy pays of course. lol

Problem is, she wants the 7 seater. So she can spread the kids (4) out on a long drive so they don't fight.
I pointed out that:
7 seater is only available in the AWD version, adds $7K to the price, and adds unneeded weight and complexity for something that will never go off road.
Also, she carries a load of stuff in the car when she goes on a long drive, with 7 seats up there is little storage room.

She is currently driving my Magna, they spent a week at a holiday spot, and the boot and every spare space in the Magna was crammed. Just not going to work like that in a 7 seater Outlander, is it?

Opinions welcomed. lol

Opinions welcomed. lol

Get something with a 2+2+2 seating arrangement like a Subaru Exiga. Its not Magna levels of load space, but for a 3-row its not too bad.

It is just a liberty wagon base d with an additional row. It is narrower and shorter than a liberty wagon and is only 45mm longer than an Outlander but 35mm narrower so I cannot see how it will have extra room. The latest is also a 7 seater and I am assuming Max wants to buy new.

Why not a 7 seater FWD 3.5V6 Pathfinder.

I'm trying to convince my daughter a 5 seater would serve her better.
If she had the 7 seater, two of the kids would want to sit in the third row, leaving one in the second row, in the middle in his car seat (5 year old). So where would she put her luggage? She tends to travel with lots of it. Better off having the three kids in the second row, no third row, and having the rear free for all the luggage.

One of the reasons the kids fight now in the back seat of the Magna is that there is little elbow room for them. Put the 5 year old on a boosterseat in the wider Outlander back seat without clutter around them and the 3 may get on a bit better. Lol

So, here I am, one week off getting mine.

Now my daughter wants one . . . daddy pays of course. lol

Problem is, she wants the 7 seater. So she can spread the kids (4) out on a long drive so they don't fight.
I pointed out that:
7 seater is only available in the AWD version, adds $7K to the price, and adds unneeded weight and complexity for something that will never go off road.
Also, she carries a load of stuff in the car when she goes on a long drive, with 7 seats up there is little storage room.



She is currently driving my Magna, they spent a week at a holiday spot, and the boot and every spare space in the Magna was crammed. Just not going to work like that in a 7 seater Outlander, is it?

Opinions welcomed. lol

The boot practically disappears with 3rd row seats. For kids the room is adequate, the good thing is that the second row seats can be moved forward (they got rails) to make more room for 3rd row.

Consider getting a roof pod to get the extra storage space. Few thing to consider: 3rd row has no baby seat anchors & no air con vents.

There are bigger seven seaters out there but nothing comes close price wise to the outlander (maybe Captiva its actually really cheap & Xtrail, only because they got 2wd 7 seat versions)

Look at this one 33k driveway for a diesel outlander! with satnav.

http://www.carsales.com.au/bncis/details/Mitsubishi-Outlander-2015/AGC-AD-18429861/?Cr=0

I'm assuming the second row of seats is big enough for two 12 year olds with a 5 year old in the middle on a booster seat.
To me, the Outlander is best if kept light and simple, ie treat it like it was a high roof version of a third gen Magna wagon but with more space and much better fuel economy.
So skip the third row of seats, AWD hardware, 2.4L engine and keep it light - about 100Kg over a current Lancer - and enjoy the space and fuel economy.

The one I'm currently waiting for is a manual, I'm even skipping the CVT. lol

I have noticed a few Outlanders around and they were all up-spec models, seems people can't resist going up the spec and price ladder. lol

Madmax: Just don't expect the performance of your old Magna. You have to wind the 2L engine up to get any decent movement, but you soon get used to it. The technical upgrades (ASC, airbags everywhere etc) are worth having. But gee it is tinny after the old Magna.

We have the 2L manual version, and although I hate autos, I think that the CVT probably suits the Outie better than the manual. I would not go there yet simply because to me the CVT is unproven in the long term. Look at the Magna autos and the problems they have with them. Manuals are much simpler

i was a bit hesitant too, but CVTs have evolved, my mums lancer already did 160k on CVT with no issues. Also CVTs are no longer for low power output (look at WRX). Also the new outlander 2015+ comes with a new generation CVT, which once again had all the "learning curve" upgrades implemented to it. Additionally, CVTs are a rather "simple" unit (when compared to twin clutch boxes or even the torque converter boxes), they dont cost as much to repair.

The Nissan CVT is also capable of handling their 350Nm 3.5V6. The wife's 07 Outie CVT is still flawless (knock on wood).

I know the 2.0L engine likes to rev to get some decent performance out of it, experienced that on the wife's CJ Lancer.

I was doing a country drive on the weekend, cruise control on at a genuine GPS indicated 100 KPH, when I came upon a slower car. Road was clear, so I stepped on the go pedal and was rewarded by . . . a leisurely saunter past the slower car. Should have changed down to fourth, really. lol The Magna would have shuffled down to third and flown past, like, oops, I'm doing 140!!!

So, after driving the Lancer manual for 2 years, I can still get caught out. lol

Anyhow - yep, the CVT variable gearing would suit the 2.0L in the Outlander better, being a 1,400 Kg car and the engine not really perking up until you get above 3,000 RPM. The current CVT from Mitsu has 6 (fake) gear ratios grafted onto it, so it is no longer acting like it has a constant speed engine with only the speedo needle changing its reading.

I have faith in Mitsu engineering that it would have no mechanical gearbox problems. But I prefer a manual, really. The clutch and gearbox action on the Lancer is light and sweet, the best I've ever encountered in any car.
(It's a nostalgia thing, I'm getting back to basics. My first car was a 36 HP (!!) VW, overtaking on the no-speed-limit open road took some planning!)

EDIT: Daughter is 'allowing' me to buy her one too, but she wants the CVT, so I guess I will get to experience the difference in the driving characteristics myself.

The wife's 07 Outie has the same 6 fake ratios. It also has paddle shift which I use all the time. Wife doesn't.

The wife's 07 Outie has the same 6 fake ratios. It also has paddle shift which I use all the time. Wife doesn't.

Best of both worlds. You get to control the engine, she gets to be . . . . lazy!!

lol my wife doesnt even know what they do (paddle shits)!

YA. My brother-in-law and a friend went fishing with me and when he saw that I manually shifted my Paj, he asked why? I said for better control. He doesn't get it.

lol my wife doesnt even know what they do (paddle shits)!

Just tell her they are there for her to hang her handbag on. lol

EDIT: meantime, my white Outlander, stock as a rock, without CVT or flappy paddles, or seats 6 and 7, and no rear diff, is still out on a boat somewhere, probably done a wrong turn somewhere and about to disappear into the Bermuda Triangle. *SIGHHHHHH*

NewsFlash!!

Dealer tells me for this month and next, the base Outlander comes with free CVT!
He quoted $27990 Drive Away plus $550 for Metallic Paint for the base model.

Are you going to change your order and get the CVT?
They are probably all in the country, minimal waiting time.

Nope. Currently on a ship. So is the one my daughter wants.

Posted on a different forum by myself:

QUESTION:

Anyone find out whether the MY16 Outlander has a timing belt or chain? They currently have a free auto upgrade promo which makes it quite attractive.

ME:

I've been researching the construction of the 4J engines, and have not found anything definite.
I'm betting it is chain drive though, seeing the 4B engines have chain drive and restructuring the engine design at the bottom end to accommodate a belt drive would be expensive. The oil pump relies on chain drive, for one point.

The free upgrade is running during May and June, the local salesman tells me, so no rush. lol

Be aware that if you order something not in stock, there is a 2 month wait. You may assume you will get a car fresh off the production line, but it may just be that it takes that long to accumulate enough orders to warrant a full load on a transporter ship.
In short, check the build date on the car you look at. We have bought 2 new Mitsus in the past, both Lancers. The first had a 6 month gap between build and first registration, the second a full 12 months.
I'm assuming these cars both sat in a holding yard at the factory (Yokohama ?) for that time.

Worth checking build dates in short. You are still getting a 'new' car, ie low km, no previous owners, but try to sell a car that has sat in a holding yard for 12 months a year down the track, and anyone looking at the build date will say it is a 2 year old car.