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Mitsubishi Outlander Reviews

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Comments

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Use the Contact Us form and you'll get a response.

    Someone will read your comments about the errors you've spotted; You may not like the response, lol, but you'll get one.

    Some jerk infected the Internet with an outright lie. It shows how easy it is to do and how credulous people are.
    Kurt Vonnegut RIP
  • craigm3craigm3 Member Posts: 20
    Errors or not, I get the sense that the overall impression is a good one. Dodo, I agree that Edmunds seems to have a Honda/Toyota bias. Hopefully the real-world driving will force the reviewers to give the Outlander the credit it deserves.
  • bpizzutibpizzuti Member Posts: 2,743
    A LOT of people have a Honda/Toyota bias. Fact is, they DO make good cars.
  • lad578lad578 Member Posts: 10
    Well said bpizzuti, couldn't agree with you more! However, they (Honda/Toyota) are not the only ones who make good cars; and a LOT more people will be better served if the so-called experts give credit to others when they build quality vehicles. I sense a lot of bias towards these 2 manufacturers by professional reviewers/publications which in turn sway the general buying public their way. Dodo2 has one of the best takes on this subject :)

    Speaking of the Outlander, I am very interested in what their long-term test will reveal to us. But so far, the consensus from most buyers is that the Outlander is a well built and fun car. Will be shopping for a small SUV in the coming months, will look at a lot before making up my mind- and of course do my homework. Never rely on expert reviews alone to make your decision (do you know who's paying them :) ).
  • bpizzutibpizzuti Member Posts: 2,743
    Yeah, i'm eagerly awaiting posts from the long term test too. I'm hoping I can manage to squeeze one into my price range (Should be easy if I wait for December and settle for a leftover 07). I DO like the sunroof and leather seats though...

    Anyway, I need something AWD, and so far I like the Outlander the best, with the RAV4 a close second (The Rogue is coming too, that might fit in somewhere). I'd have to have to settle for a Patriot. ;)
  • lad578lad578 Member Posts: 10
    The market segment for small SUV/CUV is really getting competitive; that can only be good for the buying public. I missed out on a good chance to explore the Outlander at an auto show in Seattle, WA. Didn't know back then what to make of it, so didn't take a second look at it. I guess I was then eagerly waiting for the much anticipated debut of the newly redesigned CRV (what a dissappointment for me :) ).

    On my shortlist in no particular order: Outlander, RAV4, CRV, Santa Fe, CX-7 etc...pretty much want to try most of them before settling for any - got to keep an open mind! May even look at Honda Pilot, a lot of people are getting good deals on them with some unannounced incentives from Honda. I hope I can wait long enough to see what addition they'll have to the 2008 Outlander, maybe better packaging of options. We can only hope.
  • craigm3craigm3 Member Posts: 20
    bpizzuti, I know Honda and Toyota make good cars. My wife drives a Honda, and my brother and sister-in-law both drive Toyotas. I'm not knocking either one of them, I just wish professional reviews were a little more objective when reviewing them.
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    Don't get me wrong, I do agree that Honda and Toyota make good cars, but considering that anything else is inferior by default is wrong.
    When you measure certain parameters, and you compare NUMBERS, there is no room for interpretation. And this is exactly what some reviewers do (including Edmunds).
  • gary154gary154 Member Posts: 5
    In regard to the Long Term Test Introduction, I'm very sorry to report that I think Edmunds was scammed. Oh the agony of paying for the luxury package and getting "black cloth interior" (reference the third picture down in the long term article). At least Mitsu attempted to compensate by providing Edmunds with the world's first '07 Outlander with second row seat heaters. Personally, I'd rather have the leather......
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    .... and some more. " ... magnesium shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel". The shift paddles are mounted on the steering column not on the steering wheel. There is a difference between the two setups.
  • bpizzutibpizzuti Member Posts: 2,743
    We all know this, come on (well, ok the thing with the seats sounds wierd). I just want to hear how it drives and works in every day situations. ;)
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    I you have any concerns in this respect, it drives and works very well in every day situations. No kidding. Testimonials from tens of owners are on this and other forums.... ;)
    Even though I drive one every day, I still read the reviews and check the forums daily.... Let the blog begin...
  • craigm3craigm3 Member Posts: 20
    http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/category/cat.2007MitsubishiOutlanderXLS4WD

    In case you missed it. Nice to see thie first post is a positive one!
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    This entry is rather empty IMO.
  • pricebropricebro Member Posts: 9
    Finally, there is a review by expert in MSN Auto.

    But I think it is more like a specification introduction.

    Pros and cons are like jokes. And this guy still seems to be suspicious about Mitsu's cars. And probably that is the reason he only gave 7.0, while RAV4 and Mazda CX-7 are 8.4 and 8.3.

    http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/expertreviews.aspx?year=2007&make=Mitsubishi&m- odel=Outlander
  • lad578lad578 Member Posts: 10
    Those guys are lucky to be paid reviewing cars; don't know how anyone can call that a review, it's more like writing down the specifications. Anyone with a "C" in English 101 can do a better job! And for whatever reason, he came to the conclusion of giving it a 7 out 10 without pointing to any deficiency or what he felt justify giving it that score.

    I am off to do my own expert review tomorrow when I take one for test drive :). It's always interesting to see experts giving something a low score yet real owners give it a far better score (maybe the owners don't know what they are experiencing - :confuse: )
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    It's always interesting to see experts giving something a low score yet real owners give it a far better score (maybe the owners don't know what they are experiencing - )

    "experts" are paid to do reviews, either by Mitsu or the competition. And they have their own biases too. You can tell, especially if the review starts with how Mitsu is financially struggling in the US, that alone tells you right away it's a crap review. Why can't they just review the vehicle, and not the company? Owners on the other hand will give high ratings because they are happy with their purchase, and the vehicle performs far better than they expected. I always go by an owner's opinion, because they own the car, they'll tell you right away when the product is crap.
  • xcellxcell Member Posts: 14
    A quote from the MSN review:

    "But thick windshield posts partly obstruct visibility when taking corners"

    That's why they are called EXPERT Reviews.....
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    I most likely drove the car for longer than this "EXPERT" and the A-pillar never obstructed the visibility for me.
    Go figure. :confuse:
  • lucymolucymo Member Posts: 13
    I have to say - in comparison with Subary Legacy my "side-front" view in 2005 Outlander is quite obstructed by the thick windshield bars. I can't see a car's blinker if it is just slightly in front of me in the next lane, and when taking turns - I can't quite see the curb.
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    I cannot speak about G1 Outlander, but the review is about 2007 Outlander.
  • mikebbbmikebbb Member Posts: 1
    '07 outlander xls gray ext/black int review- all options except nav/dvd:

    good price for vehicle compared to other makes. good vehicle w some quirks. first the problems: headlight burnt out within 2 weeks. door locks set to have fast key open driver door only upon touch- had to go to dealer to have changed to open ALL doors. sirius radio malfunctioned early on- needed to disc battery in order to reset radio. muffler not attached properly- had to go to dealer to have fixed. wind noise coming from passenger mirror- applied fix posted on this forum. seat belt chime- intolerable!- so "fixed" it using method posted on mitsu forum. stereo system not too good- they put rock fosg on there- implying premium sound- instead- its muddy at best- esp bad w sirius radio, altho thats prob fault of sirius as well. loses sat reception a lot (boston area). Fit & finish has some problems- plasticy, suspect silver paint, and some moldings that aren’t flush/properly attached- resulting in some small, but noticeable noises. Example- molding against windshield doesn’t sit properly, so sand, etc gets underneath, presses against underlying windshield- resulting in tiny little popping sounds when goin over bumps. Very slight, but annoying! Hondas & Toyotas for example are much more refined in that department.

    k- positives- decent gas mileage- altho tank too small- annoying bc of 300 or so driving range before needing to refill. engine & transmission are EXCELLENT! car needs to be driven w finesse tho--chicks may struggle with this! very tight turning radius, but vehicle will jump if accel too hard while wheel turned too tight. leather seats look stylish, leather is mid-grade- better than cheap, not as good as premium. (smell and texture) controls are good, storage is good, looks are good! 3rd row seat is just a jump seat for kids <10 yrs old. fast key nice! warranty looks good! tailgate good! xenon headlights good! easy to spot in parking lots bc not a lot of them around! if it matters- people may have tuff time guessing if this thing is hi end, mid, or lo end- chances are they will guess mid- and theyll be right!

    moving forward- MIGHT consider mitsu again, but initial problems/tweaks cost me a lot of time. looks like good initial value, but how will resale do?- only then can value be determined- after ownership of 2 or more years. composite score for vehicle: 6 outta 10 at this point due to initial problems. i may raise rating after a year or so, but i dont think this will ever score higher than an 8- which is a very nice score!

    competed against murano, rogue, rav4, hondas sport utes, 4runner, highlander, mazda cx-7 and 9. have a little bit of buyers remorse about not doin the mazda cx-9- but then again- outlander was less expensive by good margin.
  • busta4busta4 Member Posts: 35
    Hey thanks for the post. The popping noise from the ill fitting molding around the windshield is a major let down for me and will prevent me from buying another Mitsu. How much money needs to be spent on a car to expect a quite cabin? This outlander cabin is full of extra noise , and the more miles I tack on the more that come up. Could you please tell me where specifically to go to fix the seat belt chime? A ridiculous feature. The stereo I have does not keep FM signals, it is a constant cutting in and out. I had it replaced once (supposedly) with no help. Anything over 20 on the volume sounds like #$@. The whole interior rattles. It's like the stereo was never tested inside the cabin of the car. The price break is nice on the outlander in comparison to similar cars but the cost is to high as far as some of the shoddy materials and workmanship IMHO.
    :(
  • ultraradultrarad Member Posts: 16
    I have no rattles in my 2008 XLS AWD - the car is meticulously crafted inside AND out. True, the interior has a great deal of plastic parts, but the design of the interior in combination with the textured areas on the dash are far more creative than all those other manufacturers that keep trying to "mimic" real materials and end up with plastic that looks like crappy leather. I personally enjoy the monochromatic scheme in my car and think that all the other small CUV/SUV's in the class are far less interesting in execution. Just my two cents. I have absolutely NO buyers remorse with this car - it's fun, fast AND frugal - three things that add up to a great automobile, in my opinion.
  • macuismacuis Member Posts: 8
    I too have an '08 XLS AWD. My interior is subjected to some rattles and cabin noise which is quite annoying. First it was the tweeter on the driver's side. Then it's the windshield plastic moulding on the outside which traps sand and other debris as mikebbb was mentioning. Now the vehicle is constantly making cracks and squeaks near the glove box and center console after going over minor bumps in the road. Very annoying, have to turn up the music to force me to listen to something else. Granted these noises would probably have happened eventually, but its a tad disappointing that its so early on in its life.
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    All the Outlander problems mentioned by mikebbb are reality very frustrated especially in a brand new car. I had a Hyundai Tucson V6 and drove it for more than 60K miles before I sold it. The only initial major four problems of this car was water inside of one of the front headlamp, hand brake faulty mechanism, cracking strong noise heard after the car was 4WD locked and reversing at small speed, and the re-programming of the stability control.

    I checked the Hyundai Service Web page for information and read TSBs related to these problems. When I took the car to the dealer, the dealer has all the TSB to all of these problems and I was able to talk to the technician with confidence. All of these problems were solved in the dealership.

    At this moment I am looking to buy a replacement SUV and I think the 2008 Outlander is at the top of my shopping list. If Mitsubishi America has something like a Mitsubishi Service Technology Website for customers or technicians my choice will be definitely an Outlander.

    Is there a Mitsubishi Service Web page similar to those offered by Kia, Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, etc? These web sites are very useful indeed. Service and repair manual are given in these web sites for any vehicle model in addition to service/repair information, TSB, DTC and ETM bulletins.
  • busta4busta4 Member Posts: 35
    My Outie is an 07. I probably have it a little worse. I do expect as a car breaks in it will develop a little character (defects). noises particularly. But right off the lot after spending 28,000 I should expect to have a tight, quite ride, in and out. Not the case with the Outie. It is 3-4 thousand less than it's competitor, but I would of paid that money for a better designed interior. I still do not have a radio fix. Ultimately I wish I had waited a year and bought the car used, saved big on the depreciation, and been expecting all the creaks and moans of a used car.
  • biscuit_xlsbiscuit_xls Member Posts: 194
    I have an 07 Outlander with 11,000 miles so far. I'm usually very sensitive to rattles, but I have never had any in this vehicle. Both of my other cars (Hondas) have some rattles.
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    My '07 Outlander has about 7000 miles. The only rattle is in the lower glovebox door, if I press on the door it goes away. I'm thinking of trying some foam tape or something where the door meets the dash to see if that will silence it.
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • klasklas Member Posts: 22
    it sounds like you never owned any other cars... Prior to my 07 Outlander, I owned brand new 06 Acura TSX and it had ton of rattles, my other car 03 Mazda6 rattles too, forget about these ones though, my friends $50k Lexus GS rattles... as well another friends car 04 Audi A4 rattles. Anyway, my point is that rattle could be on any car regardless of make or price...
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    I don't have one rattle in my 07 Outlander. I would agree that the fit and finish is not top of the class as there are few spots that could use some improvements, but it's far from being bad. I don't know how other Outlanders are, but one thing I appreciate about the interior of my car at least: no rattles and no misaligned panels (except for 1-2 millimeters for the lid on the top of the dash, there is nothing else I can think of). Few other Outlander I've been into and I drove did not have any rattles or misaligned interior panels either.
    My car had seen so far temperatures from -25 to +35 Celsius in the 17,000 kms and 10 months so plenty of opportunities to develop some rattles.
    My other car, 05 Mazda3 doesn't have any rattles either after 55,000 km and almost 3 years. The only part that rattled at one point was the glove box door, but Mazda had a TSB on it and I got it replaced; no rattles ever since.
    Maybe I'm lucky....
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    You know, sometimes the little rattle in my Outlander irritates me, but then I get back into my 13 Year old Ford T-Bird and I'm reminded what real squeaks and rattles sound like!

    But yeah, I know there's a big difference between an old beater and a new car you're making payments on.
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    I don&#146;t have idea of what Outlander trim the majority of participants are talking about. But the Outlander can be ordered with or without at least of 4 option packages that when installed by the dealer or someone else has the potential of rattling when the equipment is not fitted properly. These packages are: Navigation, Sun & Sound, Luxury, and Entertainment. If any of these packages are not fit properly and carefully rattles will be the results or worst falling items.

    I have terrible experiences with my old car. It was up to me to find that loose screw, nut, and bolt left for the people servicing my car. The replacement of an old A/C filter produce so much rattle that I have to take the car back to the dealer to install again the A/C filter. The adjustment of the free play of brake pedal produce some much rattle that was left to me to re-route the wires under the panel. I can go on and on. Internal wires that have not been properly isolated (e.g. doors) or wires left loose after installing a front fog lights option also can produce rattle.

    I think Mitsubishi has a strict quality control rules and also dealers must do the vehicle PDI which ensures that the car has been delivered according to some standards. I think the first culprit of any rattle problems should be Mitsubishi dealers and I think this is not doing any good to Mitsubishi America.

    If doctors can forget a scissor in a human body after the operation you can image what is happen with a vehicle.
  • busta4busta4 Member Posts: 35
    none of the packages are installed by the dealer. if you order the luxury package, it comes installed from the factory. :confuse:
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    I bought the F3 Accessory Fog Lights package for a LS Outlander. I could not installed it by myself in spite of the instructions (the package contained relay, fuse, a new stalk switch and the front fog lamps). The dealer installed it eventually (free of cost). The dealer used its laptop to instruct the OBC to recognize the new hardware and make the front light operative. I was there to check each movement of the technician.

    Somebody with authority should write to Mitsubishi America that rattle noises (as a result of bad option fittings) is pushing customer out of the Mitsubishi market.
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    One positive thing, I drove my Outlander the other day in -8F weather and I heard no unusual noises or rattles. Most cars I've driven in that cold of weather sounded awful.

    Drove home tonight in snow and icy roads and the car did great with the 4WD and stability control.
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • chiefstinkytoechiefstinkytoe Member Posts: 21
    http://www.motherproof.com/2008/01/2008-mitsubishi.html on the SE model

    http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/mar2008/bw20080321_373437.htm
    Mitsubishi's Outstanding Outlander
    In the market for a small, well-priced, sporty crossover? Mitsubishi's Outlander may be just what you're looking for
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    Good reviews. I have the 2007 Consumer Reports guide because I'm researching used '07 sedans. They gave the Outlander great reviews for reliability, safety, etc. for the '07 models.
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • chiefstinkytoechiefstinkytoe Member Posts: 21
    http://columbiatribune.com/2008/Mar/20080328Busi012.asp

    http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/01/11/033746.html

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/01/AR2006090101002.- html

    http://info.detnews.com/autosconsumer/autoreviews/index.cfm?id=30151
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