Practical, spacious 7-seater SUV.

The Mitsubishi Outlander, first introduced in 2006, and now in its second generation, is the Japanese manufacturer’s entry into the ever-popular SUV market. Up against rivals such as the Mazda CX-5, the Ford Kuga, and Toyota RAV4, the Outlander finds itself in a sector with a lot of competition. The Outlander is however one of the few cars at this price point to carry seven passengers. It’s spacious and practical as well, whilst running costs are low. It’s not especially great to drive, but it’s comfortable enough, ideal for family buyers. The Outlander is an SUV that ticks a lot of boxes, it’s just a shame it’s not more interesting.

Impressive practicality let down by dull cabin.

Interior

The interior of the Outlander feels a little on the dated side compared to some rivals, but build quality is generally excellent. Practicality is amongst the best in class, whilst equipment levels are generous across the range.

Dashboard

The dashboard design of the Outlander is one that favours simplicity over cutting edge aesthetics. It’s pretty dull on the eye, with black plastics featuring heavily, no matter which spec you choose. Material quality isn’t the finest either. Though there are some nice soft-touch materials on the top of the dash, further down the plastics are hard and scratchy. It all feels pretty well screwed together however. Controls are a little complicated. This is especially the case with the over-complicated infotainment system.

Capacity

Practicality is of huge importance to family buyers, and the Outlander comes up trumps in this regard. The fact that the Outlander has enough room for seven is a huge plus point. OK, the back row seats are only best suited to children, but that’s all most families will use them for. The middle row has plenty of head and legroom, even for tall adults. Boot space is also pretty decent. With the rear row of seats folded down, there’s a very usable 591 litres. But with all seven up, there’s only really enough room for a few shopping bags.

Equipment

Equipment in the Outlander is generous no matter which model you go for. The entry-level GX2 trim only comes with five seats, which won’t appeal to most buyers. GX3 adds two seats, whilst also including dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth, alloy wheels, and parking sensors. Range-topping GX4 adds luxuries such as a rear parking camera, electric sunroof, heated leather seats, sat-nav, and a DAB radio.

Overall the inside of the Outlander is one that favours function, over design. It’s not pretty, but it will stand the tests of time. And though the infotainment system is fiddly, you’ll get plenty of kit for your money. Most importantly, practicality is impressive, making it a great interior for families.

Reasonably comfortable, but not especially driver-focused.

Buyers of SUVs aren’t usually too interested in a racy driving experience. The Outlander certainly doesn’t offer this. It’s nothing more than dull behind the wheel. The steering offers little in the way of feedback, and the steering is light. It’s good for about town, as it makes the Outlander easy to park and maneuver through busy traffic, but it becomes a little unnerving at speed. Body roll is fairly apparent as well, making country lane bends an unstable affair.

Suspension and Chassis

When it comes to comfort and refinement, the Outlander performs reasonably well, though some rivals are better still. The soft suspension system copes with poor British road surfaces pretty well, though deep potholes and major abrasions jolt through into the cabin. Refinement isn’t the finest either. Due to the Outlander’s shape, there’s a fair amount of road and wind noise at speed. So it’s not the finest long-distance motorway cruiser.

Transmission

Gearbox options in the Outlander come in two guises. The standard throughout the range is a six-speed manual transmission. It’s great to use, being both slick and precise. An optional automatic gearbox is also available, though it’s not the smoothest. It can be quite jerky at times, and struggles to keep up when you need a quick burst of acceleration for overtaking.

Only one diesel engine, but it performs reasonably well.

When it comes to deciding how you want to power your Outlander, you’ve only got one option: diesel. It’s a pretty good engine, offering a fine balance of power, fuel economy, and relatively low emissions. A lot of buyers will want to consider the similar Outlander PHEV for ultimate low running costs however.

Best Performance

Power and pace aren’t of great importance in an SUV, but the 2.2 litre DI-D engine in the Outlander offers more than enough power for daily use. With 147bhp, and an impressive 280lb/ft of torque under the bonnet, it is quick enough on the motorway, as well as having enough low-down grunt for towing caravans and trailers. It’s not the quietest engine at idle, but it’s pretty quiet once you’ve got it up to speed.

Best Efficiency

Eco-friendly buyers won’t be especially impressed with the diesel engine in the Outlander, but it’s certainly not the worst on offer in this class. The 2.2 litre DI-D produces a reasonable 139g/km of CO2 when paired with a manual gearbox, or 153g/km with the auto. For this reason, planet-conscious buyers should stick to the manual. Fuel efficiency is decent as well, with up to 53.3mpg on offer. For a seven-seat SUV that’s impressive, though the automatic’s £185 road tax bill won’t please money-savers.

The diesel engine in the Outlander is solid, without being especially spectacular. It does the job well enough, with enough power and performance, without compromising fuel economy too much. For family buyers it is well suited to its purpose.

Full marks in NCAP safety tests, with solid standard safety kit.

Like nearly every car in its class, the Outlander easily achieved the highest possible 5-star NCAP safety rating. With scores of 94% in adult safety, 83% in child safety, 64% in pedestrian safety, and 100% in safety assist, the Outlander is one of the safest in its class. You’ll get plenty of safety kit as standard as well. All models come equipped with seven airbags, and electronic stability control, whilst top of the range models add lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and a city braking system. The added safety of four wheel drive also means it’ll cope well with unholy weather conditions.

Great value for money, if you avoid the cost of new-car depreciation.

The Mitsubishi Outlander is one of the best value cars in its class. Not only is it cheap to buy for a seven seater SUV, it also boasts competitive running costs. It’s not the most fuel efficient by any stretch, but with up to 53.3 mpg on offer, it won’t cost you too much to run day-to-day. Road tax will also be reasonably low for a car in this class. Manual models are the pick of the bunch, costing just £130 per year.

Insurance

Insurance groups for the Outlander depend on which model you go for. Compared to rivals, the Outlander scores pretty well, being cheaper than the less spacious Honda CR-V. The Outlander range begins in group 20 for the 2.2 DI-D GX5 5d Auto, and climb up towards group 24 for the 2.2 DI-D GX4 5d.

Depreciation

Depreciation is a big factor to consider with the Outlander, but only if you choose to buy from new. With first year depreciation as high as 40%, you’re better off opting for an inspected used equivalent.

The Mitsubishi Outlander is a solid option to consider if you’re looking for a spacious, stylish seven-seater SUV. It might lack the class of a Mazda CX-5, and it certainly lacks the on-road dynamism of a Ford Kuga, but few can match the Outlander for practicality. Especially at this price point. The Outlander is comfortable, reasonably efficient, and is solidly put together. It’s worth noting that the Outlander will depreciate in the first year by quite a large margin, so it’s worth going for a used model if you want to save yourself some money.

Buying a used Mitsubishi Outlander online with Carspring

If you’re after a used Mitsubishi Outlander for sale, it can all feel like a bit of an ordeal. What, with long days spent around gigantic car supermarkets, or time spent trawling through classified websites, looking for that ideal used Outlander. Carspring makes it simple. Buy your next used Mitsubishi Outlander online with the touch of a button. Simply decide on the model you want and choose how you want to pay.

Looking to finance your used Mitsubishi? Not a problem, we work with our carefully selected finance partners to ensure that, if you’re paying monthly for your used Mitsubishi Outlander, you know you’re getting the best rates. What’s more, with any Carspring used Outlander, you also get our 14-day money-back guarantee and 6 months’ free Warranty. Plus, you don’t have to leave your home. We’ll deliver your used Mitsubishi to you at a time and place of your choice.

*This is an approximate figure based on the range of the car’s list price and the AA’s average 1st-year depreciation cost of 40%.