So far, our 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander hasn’t proven to be all that different from the 2014 model we last had in our fleet. To see if anything has changed performance-wise, we took the three-row crossover to the track to run it through our usual battery of tests.
Our car, a 2016 Outlander SEL AWD, is very close in spec to our 2014 Outlander SE S-AWD. Not surprisingly, the new model performed similarly in testing. Acceleration numbers are nearly identical, and braking distance from 60 to 0 mph is 119 feet, 3 feet more than its predecessor—perhaps due to the 2016 model’s roughly 110 extra pounds. The one number that has increased significantly is its figure-eight lap time. The 2016 Outlander took 28.8 seconds to complete our figure-eight course, almost a second longer and with a lower average g than the 2014 model. You might be able to chalk that up to the extra weight, but it’s surprising that it’s that much slower despite the structural rigidity enhancements made for the 2016 refresh. We’ll have to check with Mitsubishi to find out exactly what those upgrades entail.
The naturally aspirated, 2.4-liter I-4 with its 166 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque may be on the small side for a vehicle weighing 3,651 pounds, but it’s fine with just two people onboard. It feels much less adequate once you start adding more weight. Driving dynamics are also greatly affected when more passengers and cargo enter the equation. “The most disappointing part of the drive is how it reacts to increasing payload,” associate editor Benson Kong says. “Getting the ride balanced and dependably stable with and without additional passenger weight is fairly important for bigger vehicles (maybe not as much nowadays with mandatory stability control), but the Outlander conveys the feeling that it’s too soft for much extra weight. Four people and their cargo aboard were enough to start noticing the Outlander’s more languid behavior.”
The Outlander’s interior is handsome in a minimalist sort of way, but there’s no denying that it looks dated—like something you might have expected to see in the last-generation car. “The best way to put a spin on the interior,” Kong says, “is to say it only has a vintage look if you haven’t examined any other crossovers from the last five years.” Its throwback design isn’t the interior’s only problem, though. Build quality seems acceptable from the front seats, but the second-row bench is flimsy and grows less comfortable the longer passengers have to sit on it. The seat cushions flip forward to allow the bench to fold perfectly flat. I appreciate that feature but not at the expense of a cushion that always seems like it wants to pop up. You can push it down all you want, but it never feels like it’s seated properly.
More on our long-term 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander here:
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