2006 Mitsubishi Outlander

I bought this car as a downgrade from an XTERRA - needed something that did well in Central New York winters, and was roomy enough to transport tubas and bass drums around.

The car itself is a very easy drive. Mine is an automatic, with All Wheel drive and in the snow it is fantastic. If you are one of those people who drive carelessly, this car isn't going to be as sturdy as you may need. However, the AWD got me through the 100 inches of the Valentine's Day storm of 2007, and sis a great job keeping my stable on rural roads.

The car is spiffy on the inside. The instruments are easy to read, the controls for the comfort settings and the radio are within good reach. There is a 12v jack right on the console for cell phone. there isn't a great place to mount a cell phone holder (in NY State Cell phones must be hands free).There is a heck of a blind spot off the driver's side from window.

Storage is quite expansive. The rear seats fold down easily for storage. The Only issue is that the back hatch is too narrow for the space, and there is a limit to how wide something can be to get in the car. Still, it was roomy enough for me to put in an assembled gas grill without any problems.

Finally, the comfort of the car is adequate, but not very desirable for longer journeys. First, it is a noisy ride on the given tires. I replaced the set and now have a bit more piece. The fromt car seats are rather firm, and the position of the head rest is troublesome for short drivers. There is a lumbar control, and a seat height adjuster. Both are manual, and probably would have been better of being motorized. I do not like the driver's seat at all, and find it very uncomfortable for the lengths that I am on the road.

The Outlander gets great gas mileage, especially if you are looking for a car/SUV crossover style. My latest results are 25 mpg for highway, and 21 mpg for city. Tire pressure is key for an admirable result, and on the 13 gallon gas tank I can tack on 300 miles for each fill-up.

This is a great car for the price for the buyer who is looking for a better performing vehicle thank a full sized SUV, and is durable for the mosthard-driving buyer!