Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has this week revealed its all-new Outlander, featuring a new design and a host of new technologies.
It’s the first all-new Outlander model in nine years, with the flagship SUV gearing up for sale in North America in April 2021, with Australia to follow in September or October.
“Based on the product concept ’I-Fu-Do-Do’, which means authentic and majestic in Japanese, the all-new Outlander has been crafted into a reliable SUV with significantly upgraded styling, road performance, and a high-quality feel to satisfy the needs of customers who want to expand their horizons and take on challenges of every kind,” said Takao Kato, chief executive officer of MMC.
Through three generations, the Outlander has been a proven winner for both fleets and private owners, with total sales volume reaching 167,575 in Australia and 2.6 million units globally.
The newly developed platform greatly improves collision safety performance and achieves a high level of steering stability. The newly developed 2.5L gasoline engine improves maximum output by 8.9 percent and fuel efficiency (WLTC mode) by 2.6 percent over the previous model.
The all-new Outlander is equipped with drive modes that allow the driver to select the vehicle driving characteristics that are optimal for a variety of operation styles and driving situations. There are six modes for 4WD models and five modes for 2WD models. The mode selector in the center console can be used to select the drive mode for choosing the road situation and Eco mode for choosing the operation style.
The Drive mode settings are:
- Normal for normal driving
- Tarmac for sporty driving on paved roads
- Gravel for high traction performance and stability on unpaved roads
- Snow for snowy and other slippery roads
- Mud to increase the road handling ability on muddy roads, in deep snow and similar conditions.
On the safety front Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Keep Assist (LKA) supports driving operation by maintaining the distance between vehicles and keeping the vehicle in the center of the lane. Vehicles equipped with navigation link system can read the speed signs to automatically change the set speed and utilise the navigation map information to automatically adjust the vehicle speed to that appropriate for curves and forks in expressways and other situations.
For the airbags, a front center airbag for the driver’s seat and side airbags for the second-row seats are standard equipped, and a total of 11 airbags are installed. In case of a side collision, the front center airbag deploys between the driver’s seat and front passenger seat.
Sales of the all new Outlander will commence in North America April 2021, with Australia to follow in September/October (TBC). Local pricing and specifications will be announced closer to launch.
