Mitsubishi Outlander Makes A Comeback Officially Launched At Rs 31.95 lakh

We’re sure you’d have faint memories of an SUV called the Outlander. Yes, the same SUV that ‘borrowed’ the face from the legendary Evo X. After a five year hiatus, it’s back. Mitsubishi India has launched its full-size SUV at a price of Rs 31.95 lakh ex-showroom Mumbai.

So, what’s new?

Practically everything. The car you see in pictures is the updated version of the generation that our market didn’t get. Compared to the Outlander we saw last, this one’s larger as well as a whopping 90kg lighter. It’s got more high-tensile steel under the big body, which not only helps it shed weight, but also adds to its structural strength.

What’s under that big bonnet?

A big PETROL engine. Yep, even though Mitsubishi offers a diesel engine in select markets, India continues to get a single petrol engine. The motor in question is a 2.4-litre MiVEC unit that develops a healthy 167PS of power, and 222Nm of torque. To put those numbers in perspective, the only other petrol SUV in that price range, the Toyota Fortuner makes 166PS and 245Nm. Unlike the Fortuner that gets a manual transmission in addition to the automatic, the Outlander is offered with a CVT automatic only. The CVT gets 6 steps, and there are a set of paddle shifters too, should you want to take charge.

All-wheel-drive too, is on offer. The big Mitsu gets three modes for the AWD as well - Auto, Eco and Lock. Where the first one is pretty self explanatory, the other two are front and rear-biased respectively.

It’s loaded to the gills, I assume?

It is. Sort of. Let’s get the good bits out of the way first. On offer are full-LED headlamps with daytime running lamps, LED fog lamps as well as LED taillamps. On the inside, we’ve got the all important sunroof, dual-zone climate control, a powered driver seat and heated seats for the driver and co-driver. Lest we forget, there’s a banging 710W Rockford Fosgate audio system as well.

That said, there are a few bits that have us raise our eyebrows a bit. The 16-inch alloy wheels for example, or the 6.1-inch display for the infotainment that’s got a resistive screen. There’s no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay here. Heck, it doesn’t even support Bluetooth. That’s almost criminal in 2018, Mitsubishi!

Should it be on my consideration list?

It should. Head over to our review (yes, we’ve already driven it), and decide for yourself if you want to plonk in that cash. Should you choose to wait, there’s the Honda CR-V that’s right around the corner.