By Otisle Kadiege

After being spotted several times without camouflage during its testing period, we finally have an official look at Mitsubishi’s ‘authentic and majestic’ crossover SUV – the Outlander.

Bold exterior design

The all-new Mitsubishi Outlander, which is based on the Nissan Rogue (X-Trail) platform, features a bold new look which is more prominent up front. Its Dynamic Shield front face is inspired by other cars in the brands line up like the Pajero Sport and Triton.

Its grille is flanked by large C-shaped chrome bars with integrated fog lights and split headlights. The upper portion features thin DRLs, which doubles as turn signals. The headlights were placed beneath the DRLs toward the outside to illuminate the road more brightly and emphasize its wide body.

The new Outlander’s side profile makes minimal use of sharp lines and customers can opt for large 20-inch wheels. The rear-end features T-shaped taillights, which emphasize the wide look of the body and its stability.

The body colors come in Mitsubishi Motors’ unique high-brightness paint Diamond Series, Red Diamond, White Diamond and Black Diamond are newly added to the lineup.

Premium interior

Genuine leather and soft touch materials dominates much of the roomy cabin. Customers can opt for a configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which is preceded by a 10.8-inch Head-Up Display. Another optional extra is a 9-inch touchscreen. There’s a new infotainment system featuring Smartphone-link Display Audio navigation system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

A wireless charging pad is available as well as a 10-speaker BOSE premium sound system. Third row seating is available for the first time and it’s unique to the Outlander in its respective segment.

Performance

Powering the new Outlander is a newly developed 2.5L petrol engine producing 135 kW of power and 245 Nm of torque. Power is sent to the sophisticated 4WD or 2WD set up via an 8-speed CVT. The centre console features a rotary dial with the various driving modes for different driving situations.

Advanced driver and safety systems

The new Outlander features Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. Vehicles equipped with navigation link system will be able to read road signs and adjust the speed accordingly. After stopping for 30 seconds during heavy traffic, the car will automatically move forwards.

For the airbags, a front center airbag for the driver’s seat and side airbags for the second-row seats are standard equipped, and a total of 11 airbags are installed. In case of a side collision, the front center airbag deploys between the driver’s seat and front passenger seat.

Local availability and pricing

Mitsubishi South Africa is yet to communicate local pricing and availability.