2009 Mitsubishi Outlander Consumer Reviews

The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is a great all around vehicle. Mistubishi means "Three Diamonds" and this one is a Diamond in the rough. Although not designed to be a rugged off roader, it will get you through a multitude of weather conditions safely. Having the 4WD lock is a nice feature for the heavy snow, and the 18” tires give better ground clearance. The options included with the basic price are phenomenal, and the warranty is exceptional. Since ditching my gas guzzler ‘97 Silverado, I have owned a Jeep Patriot, a Hyundai Tucson, and a Hyundai Santa Fe which over the long run have their flaws as well. We have a 2005 Rav4 (which I can’t complain about), out of all I like the Sport the best and look forward to driving it more so than the others. I like that I can keep the Sport in 2WD, putting it in 4WD or 4WD Lock mode when I need it. The MPG is great and its feels good not to spend two days a week at the gas station for a refill. Compared to the other vehicles I have owned the Sport sips rather than drinks. The 2.0L engine while not the fastest engine off the line, will keep up with traffic. In bumper to bumper traffic, how fast can you go anyhow? It takes awhile to adjust to the CVT transmission, however the Sport handles no different than any other vehicle. Yes there is a slight drone of the engine on initial take off but overall the cabin noise is quiet. The back seat is Ok for picking up guests to go to dinner or short day trips, but would be cramped for long distance trips. The storage area is large enough to carry a week’s worth of groceries. I would not recommend towing long distances but I added a hitch for the rare occasions to the home center for larger items like a few sheets of plywood, sheetrock or picking up garden supplies. The hitch will accommodate adding a bike rack for weekend travel. Folding the seats down gives a lot of cargo space. Perhaps the expert reviewers are looking to make the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport into something it isn’t. Keep in mind the Nissan Juke as a contender may have a little more pep, but you will be using premium at the pump. As a vehicle, if you have a large family, want a people transporter, or looking for brute hauling strength, this is not the vehicle you want. For two people looking for a dependable, stylish frugal transportation at a reasonable cost this fits the bill. Don't purchase a car without test driving it first. If your expectations of having the Mitsubishi Sport having the dynamics of a sports car, the road presence of a Hummer, a trail rating of a Jeep, the passenger space of a Caravan, the load capacity of an F150 and then complain it doesn't have enough power to pull out tree stumps this isn't the car for you. If you’re looking for more HP than the Outlander Sport, to me it isn’t worth the trade off in dollars, especially if it isn’t going to do any more than what I expect out of it. This vehicle does everything within reason well.