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2003 Mitsubishi Outlander, Compact, 5-door Sport Utility Vehicle
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The suspension puts MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link arrangement at the rear.
It holds the back wheels in line while also damping vertical movement prompted by pavement bumps. The design has a trailing arm and three control arms at each wheel for stability on various surfaces.
Then the big tires (225/60R16) boost the ride height.
The bottom line: Outlander feels substantial in motion, despite its compact size.
It will charge off the line, glide over lumpy pavement, hang hard around corners, and run confidently at speed.
All versions draw power from a familiar Mitsubishi four-cylinder plant -- the same one that drives base issues of Galant sedan, Eclipse coupe and Eclipse Spyder convertible.
The 2.4-liter in-line four, rigged with an overhead cam, four valves per cylinder and sequential multi-point fuel injection, mounts transversely up front and directs all torque to the front wheels. Output reaches to 140-hp at 5,000 rpm, with 157 lb-ft of torque at 2,500 rpm and special tuning to muster more muscle at those lower and mid-range speeds needed for city drivers.
The four-speed automatic contains an adaptive controller linked to a computer that learns a driver's habits and manipulates shift patterns to suit the driving style. Then slide the shift lever laterally into a side gate for the Sportronic manual mode, where fore-aft stick action bumps up or down the gear ladder one notch at a time.
Outlander in LS trim stocks gear like air conditioning, a 140-watt audio system with CD player, power controls for windows and locks and mirrors, cruise control, and reclining rear seatbacks divided 60/40 in sections.
Options extend from alloy wheels to a tubular roof rack, keyless entry system and a cover on the cargo bay.
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