by Frank A. Aukofer

The all-new 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander comes with a description that a 2-year-old child would enjoy: “I-Fu-Do-Do.” The company says it’s a product concept that means “authentic and majestic.”

Not sure whether the tested Outlander SEL 2.5 S-AWC, a three-row crossover sport utility vehicle, is majestic. But it is an attractive, capable, and comfortable rendering of Mitsubishi’s goal to deliver quality, strength and confidence.

It’s cultural. And who’s to argue? The Japanese produce some of the finest motor vehicles, though they are increasingly challenged by the South Koreans — and Americans, and Europeans.

According to a well-placed and impeccable source, “I-Fu-Do-Do” at Mitsubishi is “Kinda like Mazda’s ‘rider and horse as one.’ It’s a high-level concept that led the development of the vehicle. Not a literal translation, but a Japanese higher-level concept.”

We’re not smoking anything here. Concepts are important to automotive designers and engineers, who spend entire careers to divine what customers in the future will embrace.

As a new rendering of Mitsubishi’s flagship vehicle, the company went to great lengths to include everything anyone might expect in a modern automobile, and even some hardly anybody would expect.

For example, in addition to a suite of engineering and insulation measures designed to, among other things, reduce tire noise and deliver a quiet and comfortable ride, the Mitsubishi engineers also devised a system to suppress vibrations through the steering wheel. 

Everywhere you look, there are unexpected features, given the Outlander’s price point. Examples: six selectable drive modes on all-wheel drive models — Eco, Normal, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow and Mud. Garnishing on the rocker panels to reduce dirt that clings to trousers and dresses when passengers swing legs out to exit. Both A and C USB ports. Smartphone stowage for every seat. Side window shades in the second-row seat. Outside mirrors that automatically tilt downward for backup parking. A smartphone app to locate the Outlander in a crowded parking lot.

The new-car window sticker for the tested Outlander, called the Monroney after the senator who introduced the 1958 law requiring it, is numbingly extensive, with 108 separate items of equipment, features and options. The tester had a starting price of $34,940 and a bottom-line sticker of $37,995.

Taking a cue from South Korea’s Hyundai and Kia, the Outlander also comes with the best warranty in motordom: Five years and 60,000 miles overall limited warranty, and 10 years and 100,000 miles on the engine and transmission. 

The Outlander competes in the compact class against such worthy crossovers as the Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Escape, and Toyota RAV-4. But it looks bigger with a prominent, almost menacing grille set off by triple stacked headlights on both sides, and a new one-piece hexagonal tailgate with horizontal T-shaped taillights.

The tested Outlander SEL 2.5 S-AWC comes with all-wheel drive and a 181-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 181 lb-ft of torque. With more than 3,800 pounds to move, it’s not the fastest in stoplight sprints but it’s not embarrassed on the public roads. 

Power gets to the pavement via a continuously variable automatic transmission that has no shift hesitations in sedate driving. But if you punch the loud pedal for a quick getaway, it incorporates shift points to feel like a conventional automatic. There’s also an eight-speed manual shift mode controlled by steering-wheel paddles, adding an entertainment quotient.

Handling and ride are first rate, with composed tracking around mountain curves and cutbacks. Front seats deliver support and comfort with substantial bolstering to hold the body in place. Straight line highway cruising is uneventful.

Second-row outboard seats mimic the front seats and even the center position is not as horrible as those on many other vehicles. There’s still a high, hard cushion, but the floor hump is shallow so there’s space for feet.

The third row should be saved for emergencies or small items like purses and pets. Fortunately, the second-row seats have adequate fore and aft travel. Run them all the way forward and the third row has some tiny foot space. 

Really old-timers will recall that Mitsubishi produced the Japanese A6M Zero fighter plane that battled American aircraft in the Pacific in World War II. Now Japan is a staunch ally and an Olympics host, and the company has evolved into a conglomerate that produces quality merchandise for the world, including the tested Outlander.

Specifications

  • Model: 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander SEL 2.5 S-AWC four-door crossover sport utility vehicle.
  • Engine: 2.5-liter direct injection four-cylinder; 181 hp, 181 lb-ft torque.
  • Transmission: Continuously variable automatic with eight-speed manual shift mode and all-wheel drive.
  • Overall length: 15 feet 4 inches.
  • Height: 5 feet 9 inches.
  • EPA/SAE passenger/cargo volume: 121/12 cubic feet (34, 78, seats folded).
  • Weight: 3,803 pounds.
  • Towing capability: 2,000 pounds.
  • EPA city/highway/combined fuel consumption: 24/30/26 mpg.
  • Base price, including destination charge: $34,940.
  • Price as tested: $37,995.

Disclaimer: The manufacturer provided the vehicle used to conduct this test drive and review.

Photos (c) Mitsubishi

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