Review of the new Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi's improved Outlander is smarter in more ways than one, more powerful - and more efficient, thanks to variable valve diesel technology. Here's a 7-seat contender in the compact SUV sector that you don't need to be a compact SUV kind of buyer to appreciate.

Is there really such a thing as an 'SUV' or a '4x4' any more? You wouldn't know it to listen to the people who used to make them. Even Mitsubishi, whose reputation for tough, uncompromising off roaders is up there with anyone's, tends to prefer terms like 'crossover' and 'adaptable family transport' these days for its mainstream go-almost-anywhere models. They will tell you that the clunky, bumpy SUV has evolved into something far more socially acceptable. A kind of automotive jack-of-all-trades, able to combine the roles of MPV, family hatch and soft roader in one practically affordable package. And for proof, they'll wheel out this car, their much improved Outlander.

Its predecessor was a neatly designed piece of work, offering seven seats for the kind of money that RAV4 or Freelander rivals would charge you for five. And it proved beyond doubt that buyers in this sector value an established track record amongst brands selling this kind of car. Mitsubishi, you see, had to share its design almost entirely with the French PSA Group so that Citroen could create their C-Crosser and Peugeot their 4007. Yet the Outlander out-sold its two French counterparts almost three-to-one. All of which bodes well for this enhanced model, with its more powerful hi-tech diesel, its smarter looks and its significantly lower running costs. Let's check it out.

"A very versatile, very capable go-almost anywhere 7-seater family car, built by a brand with a tough reputation."

This Outlander pioneers the use of variable valve timing amongst diesels in this sector, thanks to its hi-tech 177bhp 2.2-litre MIVEC DI-D unit. MIVEC stands for 'Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control' and it is indeed pretty clever in the way it can deliver prodigious pulling power - there's 380Nm of torque, so 0-60mph occupies 9.8s on the way to a 124mph maximum. And do this at the same time as returning better fuel consumption and CO2 returns 12% greener than the old 154bhp PSA 2.2-litre unit that continues on in the range for those in search of an automatic.

As for how it drives, well it's not like a Nissan Qashqai or Peugeot 3008-style crossover model that a family hatch buyer could get into and drive without even noticing the difference. If you want one of those, then buy Mitsubishi's smaller ASX. So yes, there is a little adjustment required, with a little more bodyroll and a slightly harsher ride on poor surfaces than you'd get in the kind of 7-seat compact people carrier that this Japanese maker rather optimistically hopes at least a few buyers might be comparing the Outlander to. But the differences aren't too great and will be compensated for in the eyes of many by the purposeful looks and that commanding raised driving position.

And this car's off road ability? Well, a reasonable proportion of buyers will find that this car doesn't have any at all, since Mitsubishi believes that a significant number of sales will be accounted for by the two-wheel drive entry-level version. But most will understandably, see buying a car of this kind without all-wheel drive as being rather pointless and for them, a rotary controller on the floor console allows selection of three settings. '2WD' is a tarmac mode that keeps you front-driven only. '4WD' is for rainy or icy days - or light off road use, automatically shifting up to 30% of the engine's torque to the rear wheels for better traction on slippery surfaces. And should those surfaces degenerate into the kind of terrain you really shouldn't have been on in the first place, the third 'LOCK' setting equalises torque 50:50 front and rear, giving you a fight chance of keeping moving.

The styling of older Outlanders always used to be aligned with Mitsubishi off-road products like the Shogun family 4x4 and the L200 pick-up. This one though, shares its look with the smaller and more dynamic ASX crossover model which, in turn, bases its front end on the 'jet fighter' nose the brand first used on its Lancer Evolution rally-replica. So it's a more purposeful approach that makes this car appear lower and more planted on the road. And it's one complemented by a smarter front skidplate, chrome bezels for the front foglamps and restyled side sills.

At the wheel, it's all very neat and well built, if essentially unmemorable, and in true Mitsubishi style, feels built to last. But this is a car for families, so let's look a little further back. Certainly, the Outlander's 7-seater capacity will continue to prove a big draw. The 'Hide & Seat' third row is big enough for smaller children but will only suit consenting adults if they're not too fussy - or hefty - and the journey is quite short.

As for the boot, well a split tailgate, capable of supporting 200kg, provides easy access to a 541-litre space, which can be extended to a vast 1691-litres with the second row of seats folded away flat into the floor. That's enough to swallow a couple of mountain bikes whole, despite a vehicle footprint smaller than that of most family estates. Plus there are at least 20 storage compartments dotted around the car. Plenty of room, in other words, for all the paraphernalia of family life.

List pricing suggests that you'll be paying somewhere between £22,000 and £30,000 for your Mitsubishi Outlander. Opting for a 2WD version rather than one of a similar spec with 4WD will save you a useful £1,500 and there's a £1,400 premium for the SST automatic transmission option. Though these prices aren't inexpensive, they do enable Mitsubishi to continue to offer 7-seat flexibility at the kind of money you'd pay for a significantly smaller 5-seat soft-roader like Toyota's RAV4 or Honda's CR-V. But then the same boast is made of the two models that share this Mitsubishi's basic design, Peugeot's 4007 and Citroen's C-Crosser. And by rivals like Hyundai's Santa Fe or Kia's Sorento that are slightly cheaper and a little more powerful. None of these 7-seat competitors though, can beat this Outlander's low running costs.

Whichever of the 2.2 DI-D models you choose - 177bhp MIVEC 6-speed manual with two or four-wheel drive or the 154bhp SST automatic - you should find all the expected equipment features in place. So all models have climate control, xenon headlamps, a decent quality MP3-compatible CD stereo, front electric windows, a factory-fitted alarm and hill start assist to stop you drifting backwards at uphill junctions. The base model also offers a 4Work commercial conversion for van customers. Safety-wise, there's all the usual airbags, stability, braking and traction control systems, plus an Emergency Stop signal System (ESS) that flashes the hazard warning lights under severe braking to warn following motorists.

Mitsubishi is gathering its efforts towards cleaner emissions and lower running costs under an 'Intelligent Motion' eco sub-brand. It all sounds very sensible: over 95% of an Outlander is recyclable and the designers have even gone as far as making the roof from aluminium to save weight. But what matters are the figures - and they seem to add up. Despite the 14% increase in power boasted by the 177bhp MIVEC 2.2-litre DI-D models over their older 154bhp counterparts, the more powerful engine manages to return a 12% improvement in CO2.

This is most notable of course is the 2WD version which puts out 162g/km at the same time as managing 46.3mpg on the combined cycle. Mind you, the 4WD variants aren't too far behind, with CO2 figures between 165 and 169g/km and combined fuel returns at around the 44mpg mark. Go for the 154bhp automatic and those figures fall to 189g/km and 39.2mpg. An 'eco-driving indicator should help owners get somewhere near those figures on a day-to-day basis. What else? Well, service intervals aren't terribly infrequent - every 12,500 miles - but there's a low cost Mitsubishi service plan that almost all owners buy into to keep those costs in check. Plus you get a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty with its pan-European breakdown and accident management service, plus a 12 year anti-corrosion perforation warranty.

How people like us define this Mitsubishi Outlander - 'Crossover', 'Compact 4x4', 'go-anywhere MPV' - isn't ultimately very important. For customers, it's quite simply a very versatile, very capable 7-seater family car, built by a brand with a tough reputation for getting people where they want to go, whatever the terrain.

Is there a price to pay for all this capability over buying something more conventional? Of course there is, but with this improved, more efficient version, Mitsubishi has reduced it significantly thanks to a revolutionary diesel engine. Here's a car then, that many families will find it very difficult not to like - wherever they're headed.