Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) just revealed the all-new 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander yesterday, featuring a new design direction, premium quality, rugged performance and innovative technology.
The flagship SUV, which has been reimagined and reinvented in every way, will go for sale in North America in April 2021with other markets to follow. Hopefully Malaysia is also in the list.
Exterior
From what we can see, the all-new Outlander has a very powerful sense of presence, thanks to the next generation Dynamic Shield front face, 20-inch wheels, protruding fenders, and what not.
The daytime running lights and turn signals are positioned in the upper part and given a thin, sharp shape to improve their visibility by oncoming vehicles and pedestrians. The headlights are actually placed beneath them toward the outside to illuminate the road more brightly and emphasize the wide body.
For the first time, Mitsubishi has used an ultra-high tensile strength steel sheet with hot stamping around the cabin to create a high-strength cabin structure with little deformation while also achieving weight reduction.
Powertrain
Powering the all-new Outlander is a newly developed 2.5-litre petrol engine that is paired to an 8-speed sport mode CVT, and an electronically controlled 4WD system for the 4WD model.
The all-new Outlander is also equipped with six modes for 4WD models and five modes for 2WD models. The mode selector in the centre console can be used to select the drive mode for choosing the road situation and Eco mode for choosing the operation style. The modes are Normal, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow, and Mud.
Interior
Inside, the upper part of the dashboard is covered with a soft padding wrapped in leather, and stitching has been applied to project a high-quality feel. The door panels feature a large area of door inserts, and the same soft padding as the instrument panel and floor console sides is used to create a high-quality and comfortable space.
In addition, features such as seat heaters, 3-zone automatic climate control, and rear door sunshades are available depending on the trim level to make the rear seats more comfortable for a family SUV.
Speaking of seats, they can be flexibly arranged with multiple configurations to suit the number of passengers and their luggage. The second-row seats have a sliding and reclining function, as well as a 4:2:4 split division, allowing two adult passengers to comfortably sit in the second row even when carrying long items such as skis.
Space for storing smartphones is provided in the centre console tray, centre console side pockets, driver’s seat back pocket, and quarter trim pockets. The centre console tray also has a wireless phone charging function (15W) that charges smartphones when placed on it. USB charging ports Types C and A are provided, respectively, on the front and back of the centre console.
There are two types of meters depending on the trim level. While high-spec versions get a 12.3-inch full digital driver display, other variants get a 9-inch screen as the central display.
Features
For the first time, Mitsubishi has also installed a windshield-type 10.8-inch Head-Up Display (HUD) to project in full color the information required for driving. Audio services come courtesy of a Bose 10-speaker premium sound system, which also combines large door woofers with dual subwoofers for a powerful deep bass and a high-quality sound like a live performance.
Last but not least, safety and driver assistance features include Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), 11 airbags, Mitsubishi Connect, as well as operation by smartphone which can be used to display the vehicle’s parked position or to cause the vehicle’s lights to flash to show where it is parked.
