Earlier this year we had the opportunity to test and review the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander SEL and it was a little hit and miss. While we were impressed with the sleek and stylish look and feel and the Rockford Fosgate sound system, the crossover-suv lacked the interior room expected from its class. With modest redesign changes to the 2017 model, not much has changed. The gas mileage, value for amenities and all-wheel drive handling are great, but it’s still lacking on space.
Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC)
One difference in this year’s review over last year’s model is that we had the opportunity to really test out how well the Outlander handled icy, slushy and snow packed streets. We were really impressed at its performance in our Colorado weather. The all-wheel drive system is excellent. The S-AWC is able to direct the engine’s output between the front and back axles as well as left or right at the front and also regulate the brakes and power steering to further help distribute power from the 2.4L 4-Cylinder engine. It also has four drive modes: Snow, Eco, Normal and Lock.
Value
Another thing we can appreciate about the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander is the value for the amenities. Our model boasted: leather interior, a 7″ touchscreen info-tainment system, heated front seats and steering wheel, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, multi-view cameras, lane departure warning, LED headlights and the Rockford Fosgate premium audio system all for under $32,000. While that’s still a hefty chunk of change, in comparison, most three-row mid-sized SUVs and crossovers start around $31,000 for the base model.
The gas mileage is another plus offering 24 city and 29 highway for the SEL S-AWC model.
Where We’d Like To See Additional Improvements
Although the toddler seats seemed to fit just a slight bit better in this model, the second and third row still feel cramped. Although the ability of the second row seat to slide forward makes access a bit easier, the third row’s leg room is still nearly obsolete.
I also found myself taking the third row headrests down and storing them so I was able to see out of the rear-window better. It would be nice if they would fold down instead of needing to be completely removed. Lastly, when the third row is up, the cargo room is very limited even when compared to that of our 2016 Mazda CX-9.
Overall
The 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander is a beast in the snow thanks to the S-AWC. It’s also stunning and offers a lot of upgraded features for a great price. The main con is size. If Mitsubishi would only figure out a way to add some much needed interior space the Outlander would definitely rise to the top of the mid-sized crossover market.
Buying The Gift That Makes You Richer
It really does look like a decent value considering all the features. I think Mitsubishi kinda flies under a lot of people’s radars.