JAPANESE JET FIGHTER
A slashed price tag often means cutting corners and stripping gadgets, but the 2010 Outlander has more to offer in its new avatar
The new Outlander has looks that can blow you away. It is reloaded with a jetfighter like snout inspired by its delightfully notorious sibling, the Lancer Evo X. The 2010 Outlander looks smashing and has already reached showrooms across India, but we fail to understand why Mitsubishi hasn’t made a big noise about its launch yet? If you are thinking of buying a petrol powered SUV for around 20 lakh Indian rupees, then this mean looking Mitsubishi (that shares its lineage with the champion off-roader Pajero) could be an ideal choice.
It has a stunning front grille with chrome mouldings and chrome garnished fog lamps as well as more muscular bumpers (front and rear). Adding to the overall drama are the silver roof rails. Thanks to the new bumpers and roof rail, the overall length has increased from 4640mm to 4665mm and the height has been raised from 1680mm to 1720mm. The headlamps have been upgraded to High Intensity Discharge (HID) with Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS). The intelligent self leveling headlamps automatically adjust to maintain the level of lights on the road even when the car is fully loaded and increases illumination of corners when the car is turning. It also has welcome and coming home light functions. These come as standard fittings on the XLS and VRX variants. The outside rearview mirror now comes with integrated indicators and electronically folds/unfolds when the doors are locked or unlocked. I feel it’s a must-have for all premium cars or SUVs. The 2010 Outlander is more secure too as it now comes with a theft protection device with a sensor and siren. However, even the new version does not have rear AC vents.
The Outlander 2010 has a decent set of gadgets and my favourite is the Rockford Fosgate music system which now comes with a USB port, nine speakers (including a woofer in the boot) and offers a staggering 650W output. The interiors with the neat leather wrapped trims on the door panels, dash and steering give an upmarket feel and the alloy brake and clutch pedals add just the right amount of sportiness to the SUV. Just above the glove compartment, the new Outlander also has a warm or cool storage compartment which really comes in handy during long drives. Just a gentle reminder here that you shouldn’t drink and drive, but others in your car most definitely won’t mind a chilled beer.
The Outlander 2010 is still powered by the same engine as its predecessor which is the 2.4-litre all-alloy, four cylinder twin-cam petrol motor that can churn out 170PS. To make things more tempting, Mitsubishi has reduced the price from Rs 20.69 lakh to Rs 19.95 lakh (ex-showroom). The new Outlander is an absolute steal as it is a good Rs 3 lakh cheaper than the competition, but since humans are insatiable beings, I just wish the SUV had a sunroof and a diesel engine option.
