Every couple of years, automakers refresh their most popular models. They add new features, enhance the exterior to keep up with the times, and upgrade the technology. During this remodel, they also use feedback from the previous year to remove things that didn’t necessarily work on the previous model. When this time comes, automotive designers are incredibly hush hush about what they’re going to change, and how the car will look. Mitsubishi stirred up a great deal of chatter when they decided to refurbish the Outlander, as they had become somewhat unreliable when it came to massive changes to their models.
For a long time, Mitsubishi has been kind of the secret stepchild of the auto industry, because we’ve allowed ourselves to forget that they make fantastic cars. When considering the future of Mitsubishi’s car manufacturing, we must look to the past. They’ve produced one of the most lauded sports cars of the nineties, with the Eclipse. They showed us their ferocious side with the 3000GT, and they also showed us their ability to produce a long lasting and nice looking sedan with the Galant. Perhaps one of the best remembered vehicles in the lineup was the Montero, a rough and tumble sports utility vehicle that people loved to drive.
Since 2003, Mitsubishi has been producing the Outlander, a crossover vehicle that has been greeted with moderate popularity. Drivers that have chosen this CUV are impressed with its capabilities, the price, and its design. However, for years, fans of the car have been crying out for some upgrades, and this year Mitsubishi answered. They’ve decided on a massive overhaul of the already popular vehicle in order to give it a much needed upgrade and to stun the fans into silence as they regarded the new car.
According to Mitsubishi’s website, the changes made to the 2016 Outlander in the effort to remodel, are in excess of 100 different items. With seating for 7, and an exterior that isn’t too big, but also isn’t tiny and cutesy, the Outlander’s changes are evident and seem to be worth the wait. The vehicle, available in six different trim levels, is equipped with a budget friendly 2.4L 4 cylinder engine or a more powerful 3L V6. Each Outlander is also fitted with MacPherson struts, a continuously variable transmission, and power steering. In addition, the Outlander offers a generous towing capacity of 1500 pounds, and most models are seeing a combined gas mileage of 27 mpg.
With this reboot, Mitsubishi has taken some major strides toward updating their lines. They’ve included such standard features as heated side view mirrors, LED lights, and powerful halogen headlamps. A plethora of interior remodels have been added as well with standard adjustable driver and passenger seats, dual climate control on most models, floor ducts to ensure that the heat and air conditioner are reaching the back seat to keep your passengers as comfortable as possible, and the convenience features are not to be believed.
In the Outlander, Mitsubishi has made changes to the exterior and the interior, thus updating the vehicle to fit with these picky vehicular times that we’re currently experiencing. However, in recent years, it is rarely about the interior and exterior changes as much as it’s become about the little technological changes that sway us in one direction or another. Mitsubishi has definitely sweetened the deal for its drivers by ensuring that every Outlander has a super sound system, the FUSE system, steering wheel mounted controls, and a much needed ECO switch to obtain maximum friendliness to our environment and budgets.
There is also a time in our lives when our priorities change; when we go from wanting to speed down the streets in our Eclipse, topping out the speedometer and throwing caution to the wind to the point at which we want safety and security for our most precious passengers. When we’ve shifted to the safety and security portion of our lives, our vehicles safety features can be a deal breaker. The Outlander has 7 standard air bags in every model and trim level, anti-lock brakes, traction control, and brake force distribution that can ensure the absolute safety of those you hold dearly.
Mitsubishi isn’t out there producing multimillion dollar commercials, they’re not making the flashiest vehicles on the market, and they’re certainly not above making history as they close their U.S. production plant, but they do know what they’re doing. For many years, they’ve been making some quality cars that are often the unsung heroes of the auto industry. Mitsubishi isn’t going to pop up during the football game you’re watching, but they deserve a chance. An Outlander may be the vehicle your family is looking for, and may, very well, make you a Mitsubishi convert!
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