Tag Archives: Mitsubishi

2017 Mitsubishi Outlander 3.0 GT (1170)

06-12-2016Autolove No comments

Overview:
This is the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander 3.0 GT

The 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander is one of four (4) other SUVs in its class, of the 11 that are listed below, with a third row seating. Although the third row is only comfortable for children or other small people. The Chevy Traverse is the only one that seats 8, and the best fuel economy is the Mazda CX-5 (4-cylinder). The quality of the materials in the cabin is very good but the cabin is a bit noisy for my taste. Some think it is weak in performance but I found it to be fast enough even though acceleration is indeed a bit sluggish.

The Outlander comes with a long list of features, many of which are only available in upper trims. In researching I found that while the infotainment system is satisfying, it’s not particularly user-friendly.

General Information: It is assembled in Okazaki, Japan Parts – US/Canadian 1%, Japan 93%; Engine and transmission – Japan; Classification is Small SUV. Cars from Mitsubishi: iMiEV, Lancer, Lancer Evolution, Mirage, Mirage G4, Outlander and Outlander Sport.

Handling & Performance:

It is a perfect size even though it is technically a small SUV.

Styling:

Pretty Generic.

Fit and Finish:

Very Good.

Cost:

Just about right, price wise, and generally a good value in today’s world.

Conveniences and comfort:

Fantastic array of standard features. . . you’re going to appreciate.

Consumer Recommendations:

There is a large field to choose from. The only way to be sure it fits your expectations is for you to test drive. Or if you travel a lot you may want to schedule your rental car from one of these whenever you can.

Recognized Competition:

Mitsubishi Outlander $33,000, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport $33,000, Nissan Pathfinder $33,000, Ford Explorer $33,000, Ford Edge $41,000, Kia Sorento $36,000, Dodge Journey $31,000, Subaru Outback $36,000, VWTiguan $35,000, Chevrolet Traverse $34,000, Mazda CX-5 $31,000.

Good News:

Well priced for what you get, 7 – seater, good safety features.

Bad News:

More road noise than I like. They should fix that.

Standard Equipment:

3.0 liter V6 engine, 6-speed automatic transmission, power steering, all wheel drive, auto headlights, fog lights, heated power folding mirrors with turn indicators, Power glass sunroof, rain sensings wipers, rear window wiper, windshield wiper de-icer, 18” two tone alloy wheels, roof carrier / silver rails, dual vanity illuminated visors, front map and floor lights, rear cargo area light, 7-passenger seating, drive mode selector, leather seating, heated front seats, 8-way power driver seat adjustment, 4-way power passenger seat, 60/40 rear split fold down seats with slide and recling adjustments, 50/50 third row seat with fold flat feature, dual zone auto climate control, leather wrapped tilt and telescopic steering wheel, remote hood and fuel door release, 9-speaker audio system, 7.0” smartphone link display with Apple carplay and android auto, dual USB ports, SiriusXM satellite radio, hands free link system with Bluetooth tech included on steering wheel controls, rearview camera, auto dimming rearview mirror with Homelink, power remote liftgate, fast Key passive entry system, one touch start/stop engine switch, ECO mode switch, cruise control, power windows and locks, 3 – 12 Volt accessory outlets, underfloor cargo and storage area, Blind spot warning with rear cross traffic alert and lane change assist, Hill Start assist, electric parking brake, aBS braking system with Electronic Brakeforce distribution and brake assist, stability control, traction control, tire pressure monitoring, front, side and side curtain airbags, driver knee airbag, LATCH child restraint system and safety locks, anti-theft security with engine immobilizer.

Gas Stats:

$2.59 Gal avg. December 3, 2016

www.fueleconomy.gov

for more information.

20 City and 27 Highway MPG

Pricing:

MSRP $31,695.

2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV ES (1163)

20-10-2016Autolove No comments

Overview:

This is the 2017 Mitsubishi i-MiEV ES. Well – I have to tell you I’m not a fan of electric only vehicles. BUT – we cannot forget everything has a use. OK, so Politicians may be the exception.

Anyway, my point is that you must consider the what the right ‘tool’ is for the job you have. Let me be perfectly clear (sorry, I’m beginning to talk like a politician), you may be perfectly happy with this new technology vehicle.

Me – I live 50 miles from my office. (no wise cracks). The range on this EV is 60 miles… and takes 8-12 hours to recharge to a full charge. I like my job but I don’t intend on working 12 hours while my car gets recharged to get me home. Result of this is that I had to drive my internal combustion engine vehicle to get to work. Then if I have side trips to make during the work day I’m able to use my all electric vehicle as long as I’m not traveling more than 20 miles one way.

The real problem (for me) is the anxiety I feel when I venture out. Even if there were recharge stations for a fast charge it will always be at least an hour or more to get me back on the road. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to spend all my time planning how I get from charge to charge.

Let me be even more clear – it isn’t Mitsubishi’s error in providing cars to the public, it is the politically correct pressure for car companies to manufacture such modes of transportation. After all, you say, Tesla makes versions that cost $150,000 so it must be a good technology. Our company has a Tesla and the problems are only multiplied by the cost of the Tesla that is 7 times more than this Mitsubishi.

Well a little more clarification is that more than 100 years ago electric vehicles had a range of 100 miles. Granted they only traveled 20 mph but we have made precious little improvement. What does that say about the technology? Just say’n.

General Information: It is assembled in Kurishiki, Japan Parts – US/Canadian 0%, Japan 100%; Engine and transmission – Japan; Classification is SubCompact Cars. Cars from Mitsubishi: iMiEV, Lancer, Lancer Evolution, Mirage, Mirage G4, Outlander and Outlander Sport.

Handling & Performance:

Electric power is immediate power and it performs well around town or very short trips on the highway. Literature indicates that the annual cost of operation is $600 for this EV. That is somewhat less than the annual cost of a compact gas powered car.

Styling:

Unique styling. Remember the first VW Beetles in the 1960s? Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.

Fit and Finish:

Good.

Cost:

Considering the size and constant need to recharge the cost is not very competitive with other options.

Conveniences and comfort:

This EV car does have several convenience features. However most, if not all, take energy and thus you must consider if the feature is important enough to shorten the range you can travel. So on a hot day I may be pressured to open the windows and not turn on the Air Conditioning. Lights, Radio etc. That fact defeats the usefulness of the ‘tool’ I’ve decided to buy / support.

Consumer Recommendations:

The real consideration is what you intend to use the vehicle for. You must also consider that you will be using electricity and there IS a cost comparable to a conventional gas powered car. You must also consider the continuous need to recharge once or more times per day, and you will never go long without thinking about where and how you will get your next ‘fix’ if I can use the analogy akin to having a drug addiction.

Among battery / electric cars on sale in the U.S., only three vehicles have sold more than 10,000 copies since 2010: Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model S, and BMW i3.

Recognized Competition:

Mitsubishi i-MiEV $24,000, Chevrolet Spark $26,000, Nissan LEAF $30,000. Tesla S $67,000

Others without sufficient data available: 2017 Chevy Bolt, Honda FCV, Hyundai ionig, BMW i3.

Good News:

All electric – no gas required

Bad News:

All electric – no gas possible. . . except indigestion.

Gas Stats:

$2.59 Gal avg. October 16, 2016

www.fueleconomy.gov

for more information.

121 City and 102 Highway – Average is 30 KW hours per 100 miles.

Pricing:

MSRP $22,995.

2016 Mitsubishi Lancer 2.4 SEL AWD (1159)

26-09-2016Autolove No comments

Overview:

This is the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer 2.4 SEL AWD. And in this class they are fairly basic general purpose 4-door sedans that seat 5. This Lancer is comparable in most respects and I enjoy all competitors listed here. All are affordable at around $22,000.

Some will determine their purchase based on country of manufacturer that include Japan, Germany, Korea and USA. I’d be hard pressed to make a final decision and although I don’t presently need to make that call, you may.

Considerations will vary widely based on your particular situation. But if your current car will need major repairs all the way to simply needing tires, you can hardly go wrong replacing that car that also is likely 5 years old and pushing 70,000 miles. Make your choice and take the plunge – that’s my suggestion.

General Information: It is assembled in Kurishiki, Japan Parts – US/Canadian 1%, Japan 97%; Engine and transmission – Japan; Classification is Compact Cars. Cars from Mitsubishi: iMiEV, Lancer, Lancer Evolution, Mirage, Mirage G4, Outlander and Outlander Sport.

Handling & Performance:

Handling is perfectly fine. I enjoyed the ride all week and enjoyed the excellent fuel economy while I never felt shorted on the power it delivered. I was a happy camper.

Styling:

Basic… and that’s a good thing.

Fit and Finish:

Very good.

Cost:

Competitive.

Conveniences and comfort:

Basic in this class to me means it just doesn’t have that level of convenience including things like adaptive smart cruise control, Blind spot detection, Crash avoidance and the like. But that being said, it DOES include all the necessary features as standard equipment. I was, for example, surprised when it began to rain and the windshield wipers came on before I would have turned them on. Yep, rain sensing wipers. Cool.

And you know what, as I drove each day I appreciated simple things – like the radio that actually had knobs for volume and tuning. That is important because it gives me hope that some car makers still agree that knobs may be the best way to select stations. Not everything needs to be push button. A good example is the years that Chrysler employed a push button shift system. Predictably it didn’t last long.

Consumer Recommendations:

Mitsubishi has a long heritage and a very good reputation. I haven’t heard a lot about them and for me that is a very good thing. Why? Because as you may recall I was co-owner of an automotive repair shop in La Canada CA for many years. We simply didn’t work on many Mitsubishi cars.

Recognized Competition:

Mitsubishi Lancer SEL $23,000, Subaru Impreza $20,000, VW Jetta $25,000, Hyundai Elantra $22,000, Chevrolet Cruze $20,000, Mazda 3 $24,000, Dodge Dart $25,000. Kia Forte $21,000, Toyota Corolla $24,000.

Good News:

Fantastic price point value, very good fuel economy – what more can you ask of a lower cost family sedan / commuter.

Bad News:

A little light weight that IS this segment of the market. For example, you notice the “thin” and a bit flimsy sun visors and they don’t extend. I know it’s a small thing but it reminds me that I’m in a basic car priced accordingly and you therefore expect such things including a higher level of road noise and trunk lids and doors that sound tinny when closed.

Standard Equipment:

2.4 liter 4-cylinder engine, power steering, all wheel drive, auto headlights, fog lights, heated mirrors, rain sensings wipers, 18” alloy wheels, heated leather front seats, 60/40 split folding rear seat, climate control, leather wrapped tilt steering wheel with audio, cruise and Bluetooth controls, am/fm/cd/mp3/siriur XM 6-speaker audio, bluetooth technology with usb port, rear view camera, keyless proximity entry system, power windows and locks, ABS brake system with brake force distribution and brake assist, stability and traction controls, tire pressure monitor, front and side airbags and driver knee airbag, LATCH, safety rear door locks, theft security alarm system and theft deterrent engine immobilizer.

Gas Stats:

$2.59 Gal avg. September 24, 2016

www.fueleconomy.gov

for more information.

23 City and 31 Highway MPG

Pricing:

MSRP $21,995.