The All New Mitsubishi Outlander is easy on the eyes but where it outshines its competition is in the two categories most important: safety and space.
I am often asked what my favourite car is and the answer isn’t all that difficult – I prefer an SUV and when I’m asked why, I usually say: “because other drivers are maniacs.”
Driving is dangerous. Last year, the police run Ops Selamat recorded over 20,000 accidents and 300 deaths in just fifteen days over the festive season. Malaysia records over 6,000 road fatalities yearly and has one of the highest traffic-related death-to-population ratio at 23.6 to 100,000 people (Australia records just 4 to 100,000 people).
So yes, driving is dangerous! A non-scientific observation of the cars on our roads tells me that you know this too because our cars are getting bigger and sturdier to reflect our concern for safety. Compact cars are not so compact anymore and are built like mini tanks. Even compact SUVs are basically mid-size sedans built like trucks. Sedans themselves are getting larger with bigger front and back ends and even pick-up trucks and MPVs are becoming more common.
But if you’re going to dip your foot in the water, then forget the pretenders; forget the mini tanks and obese sedans and just go for the real thing – the Sports Utility Vehicle. The truth is, SUVs are getting pretty common too, but the question would be which one do you get? If the checklist says safety, space, comfort and (obviously) good looks; then you need not look far.
Having recently taken the All New Mitsubishi Outlander on a test drive down south and back, it’s easy to say it ticks all the boxes. The Outlander isn’t a full-sized SUV, but that’s a good thing. It’s the little bear’s car – not too big, not too small; just right. It’s really easy on the eyes but where it outshines its competition in the market is in the two categories I find most important.
Safety and space
The 7-seater Outlander comes equipped with 7 airbags. If you do the math, it means everyone has some level of protection. Mitsubishi’s closest rivals in the crossover SUV market only offers 2. If you do that math, you’ll see scales tip. The car also handles incredibly, staying controlled even when you’re trying to make it lose control. It handled sharp turns, sudden lane changes and risky swerving. The car obviously cares about your safety even when you might not.
The second category is the obvious perk of an SUV – the space. The Outlander is the most spacious on the market. You can ferry families, haul luggage and (if the situation ever arises) even double it up as a mobile home. With all the seats up it seats seven comfortably; with the rear seats down it offers the trunk space of a large sedan; and with the two back rows down you’ve got all the space of a pick-up truck.
To give you an idea – on one of our tests, we fit in a full-sized luggage, two full-sized coolers, a golf bag, two foldable bicycles, a tram and a foldable cot without blocking any of the windows. In another set-up, we comfortably fit in an inflatable single-sized mattress. Why you ask? Because camping doesn’t actually require you to be uncomfortable. Now you can glamp in style and comfort.
The biggest selling point of the Outlander may well be the fact that it’s a no muss, no fuss car. Even if you’ve never driven an SUV and you’re moving up all the way from a compact, driving the Outlander is an easy task. Its size is never daunting or overwhelming but is in fact a boon.
Now, of course, being in a bigger and safer car won’t actually guarantee your safety, but it certainly won’t hurt to mitigate your risk and that is more of a lifestyle choice. That’s probably the best part of owning an SUV – it’s more than a car, it’s a statement of how you live and what’s important to you. In the case of the Outlander, it says you care about more than just getting from A to B; it says you want to get you, your loved ones and your prized possessions from A to B and back to A again in style, comfort and safety.
The Mitsubishi Outlander will hit the roads at the introductory price of RM166,720 in Peninsular Malaysia and RM168,488.40 in East Malaysia for cars booked and registered before 31 May 2016.
For more information or if you’re interested in getting one yourself, visit Mitubishi Malaysia’s official website or call the Mitsubishi Motors Customer Careline at 1800-18-6611.
Scroll through the gallery below for full exterior and interior photos:
Mitsubishi's on a roll having recently gained Yuna's starpower for the ASX