2009 Mitsubishi Outlander

For someone who's supposed to be updating this site on a weekly, if not sooner, basis, I'm falling behind.  Sometimes life just gets in the way.  Between my day job and its associated business, home, and writing for Autowire.net, I have been delinquent.  Shame on me.

I spent a week with the Mitsubishi Outlander, a mid-size SUV.  The Outlander is a nice enough vehicle; it just didn't stand out for me.  Mitsubishi seems to be having trouble finding its niche in the automotive world.  About the only Mitsu that is on the tip of anyone's tongue is the Evo, that turbocharged, AWD, compact sedan that started life way back as a means of homologating a World Rally Car.

All of this is too bad because Mitsu makes good vehicles.  The Outlander, no matter how much I really don't need or like SUVs, was a comfortable vehicle.  I had to make one trip to Sacramento in it and found it nice to drive - great sight lines, easy maneuverability, and fair fuel economy (about 24 mpg on the highway).

The Outlander is available in a variety of trims, with either a 2.4-liter four cylinder or a 3.0-liter V6.  A Continuously Variable Transmission is available with the four; the V6 gets a 6-speed automatic.  FWD is standard and AWD is optional.  Prices start at $20,095 and go up to $25,495 plus options.

I hope Mitsubishi finds their niche soon.