Mitsubishi: Noisy, but well planted

Mitsubishi's LS Outlander has generous seating, and is well designed for busy families. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

Our LS Outlander drive was conducted in a hilly, rural environment with gravel roads, peopled by adventurous lifestylers so active the atmosphere could tire a toddler at 20 paces.

SUVs abound among the practically-minded, with Subarus for the keener drivers. So a 2WD soft-roader would seem out of its depth, particularly given moss-stippled roads and plenty of rain. Thus it was with extra care that we steered this entry-level front-wheel-drive Outlander west.

The 2.0-litre engine tucked under the bonnet makes an effective argument against buying the range-topping 3.0-litre V6 I recently sampled. It's certainly less powerful, but neither delivers startling acceleration and the smaller unit is naturally more frugal, its main drawback a rather strained soundtrack under acceleration; courtesy the CVT auto.

This car also feels better balanced, though it's a pleasant, rather than involving drive.

Like the rest of the range, the LS Outlander is very well designed for busy families. Apart from the standard suite of stability and traction control and six airbags, there's a single-CD audio system with Bluetooth hands-free and USB and auxiliary ports to carry your own music, plus enough storage cubbies for most tasks and a twin glovebox. There's even a kerb-side parking mirror which flashed annoying glimpses of the verge while driving.

Kids want to give their friends a lift? A third row of seats pops out of the boot floor. Headrests fold up, a second row seat folds and swivels out of the way at the touch of a button and you're ready to go. It's short-term seating only - there's no footwell and an adult's knees will be touching their ears, but I can see this feature being popular come school-run time.

All this easily tucks away again for a roomy boot; haul out the footy kit and fold the tailgate down for a seat while you watch the game.

Unfortunately, this entry-level Outlander suffers the same drawbacks as its pricier siblings. The too-hard cabin plastics feel cheap, and there's far too much road noise. Mitsubishi says lessons learned in building the newly launched (and quieter) ASX will eventually filter through; meanwhile, make sure you're happy with the road noise before buying.

Two wheel drive soft-roaders are increasingly popular among those who like a high-riding wagon because they can see over traffic - but don't need four-paw grip, or the extra cost to buy and run the more complex set-up.

The higher stance does make for a handling compromise. That said, this $37,990 Outlander handles well and never required its stability or traction aids despite the demanding test route.

That makes it a compelling argument for those needing the third row seats, for it saves seven grand over the seven-seat four-wheel-drive 2.4. Won't use them? I'd pay the extra $4000 to access entry-level four-wheel-drive for true SUV performance.

Mitsubishi Outlander 2.0 LS

We like
Very well thought out family wagon with easy-access third row seats, ideal for school runs and entry-level price

We don't like
Hard cabin plastics, too much road noise, engine-CVT combo sounds thrashy under acceleration

Powertrain
2.0-litre in-line four, 111kW at 6000rpm, 200Nm at 4200rpm, six-speed CVT auto drives front wheels

Performance
0-100km/h n/a, 7.6l/100km claimed

Safety
ABS brakes, stability and traction control, six airbags

What it's got
16-inch steel wheels, air con, single CD with USB and aux, Bluetooth hands-free, third-row seats

Vital stats
4640mm long, 882/1691-litre boot, tows 1200kg, 63-litre tank