Mitsubishi Outlander 2011

Meet the new 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, and experience the thrill that a top notch SUV offers, without actually burning holes in your pocket. Mitsubishi plans on positioning this car at the bottom end of Outlander line-up. Even though it shares the platform with the larger Outlander, it has some key design differences, and improvement in capabilities. The new Outlander varies the space a lot better when compared to the earlier outgoing Outlander before the facelift was given. Speaking with respect to cabin quality, you are stepping into the world of tranquility when you take a long drive in the new 2011 Outlander Sport.

Under the Hood

2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is equipped with a 2.0-liter inline-four engine that delivers 148 hp and 145 pound-feet of torque. The transmission offered in the ES is a 5-speed manual. A Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is available on the SE models. On the SE trim, front-wheel drive is standard, while all-wheel drive is optional. As with the regular Outlander, AWD models feature 3- driver-selectable modes to optimize traction.

Pros

• Aggressive styling

• Smooth & quiet ride

• Standard voice-activation system, and

• Affordable price

Cons

• Indifferent engine power

• Longer braking distances, and

• Limited cargo capacity

Performance

In performance testing, a manual transmission equipped model speeds from 0 to 60 mph in 8.8 seconds. That's a reasonably quick time, but with the more commonly installed CVT we expect the Sport to turn in just average performance.

Safety

The standard safety features include:

• Side-impact airbags for the front seats

• All-disc antilock brakes

• Side curtain airbags for the first and second rows

• Electronic stability system

Gas Mileage

2011 Outlander Sport edition provides a good fuel economy of 25 mpg in the city roads and 31 mpg on the highway with the standard manual gearshift, while the CVT offers 24 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highways.

On the whole, the new Outlander Sport is a great SUV that comes at a reasonable starting price tag of $21995, which goes up to $27795. You don't just get great comfort, and interior sophistication but nimble handling, decent gas mileage, and all the goodies that you get in other SUVs in the segment, but at a significantly lower price tag.