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03-09-2012: 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander VRX Test & Review

I think the stereotype “doof doof” will have to be thrown out the window, and in future I will have to think twice about which car I will see coming down the street when I hear some bass off in the distance. Will it be the local P plater with a 12 inch sub hooked up in his 10 year old lancer playing the latest Ministry of Sound? Or is it the soccer mum from up the street driving her 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander VRX cranking the wiggles for the kids in the back?

You may wonder how I could mistake the difference? The reason is because the Outlander VRX is fitted with a superb Rockford Fostgate stereo system which includes a nine speaker 710 Watt system which could fool anyone into thinking they should see the former.

The Mitsubishi Outlander VRX is a pleasantly surprising car with many options and gadgets to be found on the inside. Outside you have a design which looks like a Lancer with a hunchback on steroids. This may not sound appealing but it is actually an aggressive and stylish design for an SUV. The Outlander VRX uses many accentuates from the Lancer and this can be easily recognizable by looking at the front of the SUV.

The Outlander VRX is categorized as a compact SUV but can easily seat five adults in the first and second row and two children in the third rows fold out seats, therefore seating a total of seven people. Considering the amount of seating capabilities you would easily be fooled into thinking it is should be fighting in a heavier weight class. However with that said, head room in the rear seats are restrictive and are easily noticeable when a standard sized adult sits in the rear. On the other, side leg room is sizeable and seating positions are comfortable.

Some of the many internal features include heated front seats in both passenger and driver, electronic driver seat adjustments, chilled glove box compartment, auto dimming rear vision mirror, rain sensing wipers, iPod/iPhone connectivity, Mitsubishi Multi Communication System (MMCS) with Satellite Navigation and Rear seat entertainment system.

The beauty of the MMCS is that it’s able to do dual zone, allowing both passengers in the front and the rear to watch or listen to something completely different. One issue encountered with the MMCS was the not so user friendly Sat Nav as it was not the easiest interface to use and caused a bit of confusion.

As mentioned earlier, the VRX comes standard with a nine speaker 710 Watt system which is highly impressive. Bass was not over powering and the system can go extremely loud and how you value this will depend on the individual, but all the hearing aid specialists will be rubbing their hands right about now.

Not to forget our survivalist/doomsday friends, the Outlander VRX can cater for people who like to store a week’s worth of drinks within the car. A total of six cup holders were counted in just the front of the car alone with an additional four in the rear. And while an atomic war might make the world a dreadful place, you will be sure driving in comfort with the leather upholstered seats that come standard with the VRX.

Powered by a 3.0ltr MIVEC V6 engine and coupled to a 6-speed “INVECS II Smart Logic” automatic transmission, the Outlander VRX is an attractive package. With a sporty dual exhaust the engine produces a healthy 169kW and 291Nm of torque; however it felt like the power distribution was shifted too far to the front as spirited launches gave the feel of torque steer.

Economy figures as quoted by Mitsubishi are 10 litres per 100 km which is about standard for a car this size with a V6 naturally aspirated engine. This figure was slightly lower than we were able to obtain.

The car rolls on 18 inch wheels with multipurpose tyres which are quite noisy and that is in comparison to the Mitsubishi Triton GLX-R which produced slightly less road noise. Side mirror indicators add a touch of class to an already attractive car.

There are also numerous safety features including Automatic Dusk Sensing Headlights, HID lights with Adaptive Front Lighting System, Hill Start Control, Electronic Brake Distribution, Active Stability Control, Multi-Mode Anti Lock Braking System, Reversing Camera, Active Traction Control and all this leads it to obtain 5 Star ANCAP safety rating.

ADM Opinion

The Outlander is a very deceptive vehicle with surprises around almost every corner. It was a pleasure to drive and kept you entertained while driving. The driver assisted technology is great and can keep you focused on the road instead of the little things like how fast the wind screen wipers need to be.

The price is a little steep especially for a Japanese manufacturer, but there is also a lot of car at your disposal. Overall the total package, including the price, is still appealing; however it leaves you thinking what the European counterparts could get you for the same money

Likes
Sound System
Driveability
Overall Look
Dislikes
Hard to use Sat Nav
Price
Torque Steer

Features

Price – 2012 ZH Outlander VRX 3.0 V6 4WD Petrol
$52,640 plus dealer deliver and on road costs

KEY FEATURES

3.0L V6 MIVEC engine6 speed automatic transmissionINVECS Smart Logic with Sports ModePaddle gearshiftsSuper All Wheel Control 4WD (S-AWC)Fog lampsChrome dual exhaust tipSide SRS (driver and passenger) and curtain SRS airbagsAlloy sport pedalsReverse parking sensorsCargo blindPrivacy glassBluetooth phone connectivityElectrochromatic mirror with reverse cameraChrome exterior highlightsPremium 18″ 7 spoke alloy wheelsSports steering wheelElectric sunroof

Smart KeyAutomatic rain sensing wipersAutomatic dusk sensing headlampsHigh Intensity Discharge (HID) headlampsAdaptive Front lighting System (AFS)Rockford Fosgate premium audio with 9 speakersRear seat entertainment systemMitsubishi Multi Communication System (MMCS) including satellite navigation and reversing cameraLeather seat facingsPower driver seatHeated front seatsPremium interior

ADM gives the Mitsubishi Outlander VRX 4 out of 5 helmets

Written by Jason Sharman

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