Review of the new Mitsubishi Outlander Juro

4x4 vehicles have been a Mitsubishi forte for a very long time, so it must have made a killing since demand for them started to rocket, right? In the event, things didn't quite pan out as expected. Established rivals and even some with little or no all-wheel-drive experience outperformed Mitsubishi in the sales charts. Now the focus of the UK 4x4 market is shifting again. There's a move away from the rugged off-roaders Mitsubishi is known for towards more civilised crossover 4x4s. Rather than flying the white flag, Mitsubishi is fighting back with the latest facelifted Outlander in Juro special edition guise.

The Outlander was always known as a compact SUV: even the official Mitsubishi website described it as such. It was a rival for the likes of Toyota's RAV4, Nissan's X-Trail and the Land Rover Freelander. It even shared technology with the Peugeot 4007 and Citroen C-Crosser. To an extent, little has changed but it's possible to detect a subtle repositioning of the latest facelifted Outlander. The term 'crossover' has replaced that of 'compact SUV' or 'compact 4x4' in the marketing material. This is Mitsubishi's attempt to align its product more closely with the softer side of the 4x4 motoring as successfully pioneered by smaller models like Nissan's Qashqai and as seen in the marque's own ASX crossover.

The Juro special edition models are powered exclusively by the Outlander's Peugeot-sourced 2.2-litre DI-D diesel. This modern engine uses common-rail architecture and puts out a healthy 154bhp. Torque is strong with 380Nm available at 2,000rpm and refinement is also well up to standard. The 0-62mph time is 9.9s and the top speed is 124mph.

".the hope is that Mitsubishi's 4x4 can grab a piece of the crossover pie."

So far so good, and things get more intriguing when we look at the gearbox options. The standard manual will be most popular but Mitsubishi is also offering its latest dual clutch SST transmission as fitted to the high performance Lancer Evolution X models. The system is far more efficient than a normal automatic, using its electronics to predict the next gear and pre-select it with the extra clutch. The gearchange can then take place almost instantly as soon as the driver gives the word with the wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

From the word go, people taking a trip in the Outlander and expecting the bouncy ride, loose body control and raucous soundtrack of a serious off-road vehicle will have been pleasantly surprised. The steering has a nice weight to it and there's a firm, mechanical quality to the manual gearchange. The dreaded body roll that afflicts many tall 4x4s is well suppressed by the firm suspension and ride comfort on long distance jaunts is also out of the top draw. If you had to pick fault, it would be with the ability of the springs and dampers to soak up the imperfections that litter our minor roads but most would happily take this slight firmness in exchange for the cornering poise it helps to produce. From a driver's point of view, Mitsubishi's effort has always had the ability to compete with its more road-biased rivals.

The looks of the Outlander always used to be aligned with Mitsubishi off-road products like the Shogun family 4x4 and the L200 pick-up but as if to highlight its on-road credentials, today's facelifed version borrows styling cues from the Lancer family car. The 'Jet-Fighter' grille is the most distinctive feature but the front skid plate is smaller and the side sills are more pronounced. All make the Outlander appear lower and more planted on the road while the Juro special edition models enhance the looks with 18" alloy wheels and privacy glass.

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 definitely a no go area for adults. The middle row is a different story with excellent amounts of legroom even for taller passengers. The seats are mounted higher than those in the front so that children can get a good view out but this does restrict headroom a little and may be a problem if you're over six feet tall. The boot is very large too, so there should be plenty of space for all the paraphernalia of family life.

Despite now tilting at the crossover market, the Outlander remains a 4x4 vehicle in all but the entry-level guise. The All Wheel Control (AWC) transmission forges a close link between the four-wheel drive system and the Active Stability Control program so that it can switch smoothly from two-wheel-drive (for better fuel economy on road) to a locked four-wheel drive mode when it gets really slippery underfoot. You can also lock it into 2WD or 4WD mode as required using the rotary dial by the gear lever.

You've heard of run-out models, high specification variants that bring down the curtain on a model range. Well, the Outlander Juro must be a run-in model. Launched in advance of the rest of the facelifted Outlander range, it's a high-spec special edition designed to preview the latest Outlander and its revised crossover approach. Metallic paint is a no cost option, leather trim is standard and the prices look fairly attractive, especially in light of the Outlander's usual generous equipment levels.

The latest Outlanders feature Hill Start Assist which prevents the vehicle rolling backwards by holding the brakes for a couple of seconds when you pull away up a steep slope. There's also an ESS Emergency Stop Signal function that flashes the hazard lights after a sharp braking manoeuvre to warn drivers behind.

The 2.2 DI-DC engine manages 38.7mpg economy on the combined cycle which isn't spectacular by modern standards but we are dealing with a seven-seat 4x4. The Outlander is a weighty vehicle, so top line fuel economy was never going to be on the agenda and the 194g/km CO2 emissions put the vehicle in a high tax bracket.

Compact 4x4s used to be all the rage but now the buzz-word in the 4x4 market is 'crossover' and the latest Mitsubishi Outlander is looking to get in on the act. By emphasising the reasonably polished on-road driving dynamics that it's always had in its locker and adopting sporty styling themes from the Lancer, the hope is that Mitsubishi's 4x4 can grab a piece of the crossover pie. The Juro special edition versions offer lots of equipment at a reasonable price and the 7-seat Outlander package should continue to attract family buyers.

TOP 5 OUTLANDER DEALS

The results below show the top OUTLANDER deals on buyacar

Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2 DI-D GX4 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £25,917 Read Outlander Reviews	Save £3,987
Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2 DI-D GX3 5dr 2WD Diesel Estate
Price £19,542 Read Outlander Reviews	Save £2,086
Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2 DI-D GX3 5dr 2WD [Leather] Diesel Estate
Price £20,655 Read Outlander Reviews	Save £2,298
Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2 DI-D GX2 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £20,828 Read Outlander Reviews	Save £2,331
Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2 DI-D GX4 5dr SST Diesel Estate
Price £27,264 Read Outlander Reviews	Save £4,245
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