Used 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Consumer Reviews

Experts have established their biases

I was in the market for a new vehicle for my wife replacing a wonderful Mazda MPV we loved but after 11 years of wonder use it was time. We shopped around and we found the 2016 Outlander for really attractive pricing and great options with the SEL model. We drove to the nearest dealer an hour and a half away. Before I going I went to the normal review site. The 'Experts' seemed to have neutral to negative options. It startled me. Then I read glowing reviews from owners. Quickly it was obvious that the 'Experts' with many of the so called leading review publications must suffer from established biases limiting their ability to have a fair, impartial or relevant view. This still concerned me, but owners are the real experts, so I decide to make the trip. We took the SEL for a drive and I wanted to see how it did especially on getting onto a 70 mph road. As I turned right onto the ramp I focused on the traffic that I needed to merge into. I thought to myself, gee this vehicle seems to be slow accelerating, so I looked down at the speedometer. To my surprise I was already doing 70mph. I guess the 'Experts' were expecting Porsche like performance from the Outlander vs what I experience, solid smooth and surprisingly good performance. What impressed me the most was how quiet the cabin of the Outlander was. This in fact is a part of the reason for it seeming to under perform. There's little to no noise to indicate a highly rev'ing engine or whining transmission to make you to have a performance feel. I guess Mitsubishi should do like some automakers by creating this sensation through the sound system. We decided to purchase the Outlander. With a drive back to our home with a rather challenging 4 mile mountain climb I thought to myself, we'll find out the Outlanders breeding. The mountain is set to 65mph but most trucks are lucky to make it at 40-45. We started up the mountain and concerned not to push a new vehicle beyond reasonable break in, I kicked of the cruise. Without issue or pushing with a heavy foot the Outlander easily kept a 60-65mph pace even on the more difficult inclines. The CVT transmission and engine combination out pace all my expectation. I guess I should have had some of the 'Experts' along for the ride to have a real conversation and experience of what the Outlander is and can do. Frankly, I'm embarrassed for the 'Experts' inabilities to understand that their biases are getting in the way of truly fair, impartial and accurate reviews. Loving my Outlander every time I drive it and I don't feel the need to attempt to make it perform like a V6 or V8.

After a year still a pleasure!

If looking for value and long term warranty this is it! Purchased 10/2015 new. Interior still looks new and easy to clean. Electronics easy to use with no issues. My wife is crazy in love with the sound system. Leather interior is nice. Second row seats are very​ spacious. Third row is tight but could be easily managed by adults for a short trip. The 4cyl engine is not fast but it's enough to merge even when loaded with passengers. The 4wd is excellent with several choices like snow-eco-lock. Exterior paint shines and no rock chips with 20k miles. We get about 30mpg hwy and about 25mpg city. I have one issue with Outlander that dealer said it was normal but annoying to me. There's a clunk in rear brakes everytime I gently press on brake. Other than​ that we still enjoy driving our Mitsubishi Outlander. Waiting for the phev.

Great SUV

Just love the car! Everything.

Great car. Except for mpg and resale value

I purchased the Outlander for its supposedly great fuel economy and third row seats. First of all, the good. The vehicle in the SEL trim is luxurious and nicely put together. The leather seats seem to be good quality and though the lumbar support is lacking they are reasonably comfortable. Like most of today's vehicles, there is plenty of plastic on the inside but the fit and finish is nice, tight, and clean; a nice mix of chrome and leatherette. The third row seat came in handy on more than one occasion. You'll find other reviews stating that the third row is for emergencies only and those reviews are correct with regard to adults. However, kids fit just fine and since kids are most likely to occupy a third row seat in any vehicle, I consider this a non-issue. However, for infants and toddlers, though two car seats will fit in the third row and can be secured using the old fashioned seat belt technique (pull the seat belt all the way out until it starts clicking when you retract it), there aren't any car seat anchors or rear tethers and you aren't actually supposed to use the third row for car seats. Handling is a little squishy and unlike my 2012 Chevy Equinox, seems tuned toward off-roading rather than sport. Not a big deal to me. Now on to the bad parts of this car. First, the acceleration is sluggish. You have to floor it if you want it to get up and go. Not a huge problem since I drive like an old man and always choose fuel economy over horsepower. Nevertheless, the slow acceleration is super-annoying when you are trying to merge in heavy traffic. Next, the supposed fuel economy is no where close to reality. Stated fuel economy is 23/29 for the AWD 4 cylinder. Highway mileage has been about 29 mpg for me so I can't complain about that. However, I average a disappointing 18 mpg in the city. Since I do about 70% of my driving in the city, I find the 18 mpg to be a deal breaker. Last but not least, resale value is TERRIBLE. Just TERRIBLE. I paid invoice for my SEL (a little less than $32,000 as I recall). Eighteen months and only 11,600 miles later, two different dealerships offered me a measly $15,000 for my Outlander. That's less than half of what I paid for it. That's a $17,000 depreciation in LESS THAN two years. I did take it to Carmax and was offered $18,000, but unless you're buying a car from them, you take the tax hit by not trading on your new car. And that would still be a $14,000 loss in, again, LESS THAN two years. In summary, if you're in the market for an 'OK' used car or just don't care about resale value, maybe the Outlander is for you. Regardless, DO NOT buy it new and DO NOT buy it if you expect to get the stated fuel economy.

Great SUV