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SUVs Mitsubishi Outlander Mitsubishi Outlander vs. Subaru Forester
799 messages, Last post on Nov 23, 2009 at 1:52 PM
You are in the Mitsubishi Outlander Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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Replying to: kdshapiro (May 16, 2008 11:58 am) That's right. Towing was also passionately discussed, but how does your comment relate to the current conversation? Personally, I don't care about towing or any kind of off-roading where the approach/departure angle would matter. I care about snow, mud and some moderate logging trails where the 4WD and ground clearance matters. |
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Glass. You'd think the stuff cost more than gold nowadays, with windows being chopped (Escape), or enormous D-pillars that are slaves to style (Rogue, Outlander, RAV4, CR-V). Automakers build designs with huge blind spots then up-sell you on a navigation system with a backup cam to fix the problem they designed-in. $1600-2000 profit. Ka-ching. You pay for their design failure. So mostly, visibility. Being able to see out of it has unfortunately become a rarity in this class. Someone asked this about the Forester, above, so I'll mention what appealed to me (and my wife) about ours: * by far, best visibility in the compact crossover class * lightness - compacts should be light, most are bloated, overweight * IIHS Top Safety Pick * best non-hybrid fuel economy (20/26) for AWD * combined with a 16.9 gallon tank, long distances between fill-ups * good previous experience with the brand (they've won many Polk loyalty awards) * most horsepower among the 4 cylinder normally aspirated, 175hp for our PZEV * CHASE Subaru Credit card means $500/year free service/accessories * Much better than average ownership costs, 2nd best in class (CR) * high Owner Satisfaction ratings (being happy is the bottom line) * Much Better than Average Reliability * better than average satisfaction with dealer service (a warranty is only as good as the dealer behind it) * biggest moonroof - even the kids can star gaze * great ride/handling balance, smooth and very little body roll * comfy perforated, heated leather seats * softly padded elbow rests for all 4 of us * if it were going to be my car - another rarity - a real MANUAL trans * true 4-channel ABS (some cost-cut and use 3 channel systems) * good ground clearance, not for rock hopping but for those apple orchard visits * compact dimensions make it easy to park (big plus for my wife) * heated mirrors that work to clear even rain (my Sienna's aren't nearly as good) * wiper de-icers so no scraping * three 12-volt outlets (GPS, cell phone, spouse's cell phone) * trip computer (my van has this, I'm spoiled) * lights that fade out slowly, rather than turn off abruptly * stereo adjust volume automatically as speed increases Those are some of what appealed to us. Each person has different priorities, so each one of us will have a different list, I'm sure. To be honest I could stop at visbility, IIHS Top Safety Pick, and light weight, and that would be enough. Lightness is great because it helps acceleration, economy, handling, braking; lots of stuff.
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Replying to: dcm61 (May 16, 2008 11:50 am) With Lock, you'd have to hit the button for each sharp turn or U-turn, then back on, then off again, then on, and so on. IMO, Lock is a very poor naming choice for that mode. If I understand the Mitsubishi press release, you can drive 100K miles or more in Lock mode and it won't hurt the drivetrain. The Lock mode differs from the Auto mode in that it "locks" in a more rear bias power split (50% more than Auto mode). Once again, a very poor naming choice. Something like Sport would be a much better choice. In fact, the press release mentions using the Lock mode for more spirited driving. Indeed lock is a bit of a misnomer. Not a solid lock like I had in my 4X4 Dodges but a power ratio split. Wheres I couldn't back out of my driveway while turning in 4X4 mode in the Dodges without severely binding I have tried the Outlander in all 3 positions with no tugging or binding whatsoever on dry surfaces while sharply turning.
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Replying to: comem47 (May 16, 2008 12:20 pm) Indeed, they should call it "Sport" mode or something like that. If you go on a 4x4 site and say you have a Lock mode you would never here the end of it. |
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Replying to: ateixeira (May 16, 2008 12:16 pm) Let us know how it stands up in real-world use. As I've mentioned before, I think the Forester and Outlander represent the best CUV's on the market.
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Replying to: psychogun (May 16, 2008 3:22 pm)  We factory ordered to get exactly what we wanted. Forester sales were up 49% in April and demand is hot, so the popular LL Bean model was hard to find, especially the colors my wife liked. Closest one we could locate was in NJ, almost 4 hours drive. High demand is a mixed blessing - it should mean good resale down the road, since the public really likes it, but it also means no incentives.  We should be taking delivery in early July, so if incentives show up by then they will apply to our deal. I'm not holding my breath... |
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Replying to: ateixeira (May 16, 2008 4:37 pm) |
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Replying to: ateixeira (May 16, 2008 4:37 pm) Depending on how high gas prices go over the next month or so, there is a chance demand for the new Forester may soften... But like you said, I wouldn't hold my breath either. Demand for the Outlander has softened considerably since the end of '07, unfortunate for Mitsubishi, but good for consumers... Hopefully, with the 4-cylinder Outlander now well represented on dealer lots, sales may rebound...
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Replying to: psychogun (May 16, 2008 8:40 pm) The report states that total global production came in at 128,606 units, an increase of 12.1 per cent over the same month last year, and marking the 12th consecutive monthly increase since March last year. Production volume in Japan at 86,909 units was up 17.7 per cent, the 17th consecutive month of year-on-year growth and marking a new record since Mitsubishi Motors spun off its truck and bus operations in 2003. This growth, carpages.co.uk reports, was driven by a 37.6 per-cent increase in output (29,444 units) of the new Lancer for the Russian, North American, Middle East and African markets and by a 36.1 per cent increase in output (17,243 units) for export shipment of the new Outlander, which continues to sell briskly in European and Chinese markets.
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And that's exactly the reason why Outlanders for Europe are already being built in the NedCar plant in Europe itself because of the great demand for the Outlander and its variants, the Peugeot 4007 and Citroen C-Crosser. Exports from Japan just can't satisfy the great worldwide demand. If Outlander is a "boring" SUV, I don't think Peugeot and Citroen will want to rebadge it under their own brand.
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