As a busy mum of two boys and ALWAYS on the go, a reliable set of wheels combining space, luxury and economy is a must have and so it made sense for Mitsubishi to hand us the keys to a shiny new 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed for 3 weeks. Â
Our task? Put her through her paces, kids and all, and tell them what we thought. Â
So we did.
I have to admit, I expected a nice looking SUV, great to drive with a few bells and whistles along the way but this exceeded my expectations [see what I did there?]
We had already planned a family road trip along the Great Ocean Road so the timing was ideal. We flew in and drove home. Perfect!
First stop, Melbourne!
We picked up the car in Melbourne before embarking on our first ever Family Road Trip. We’d never really had a family holiday of this type or duration so I knew we were in for a treat {insert apprehensiveness, nerves and a whole lot of excitement}. It was either going to be great, or it was going to be really, really bad … the boys are only 3 and 5 after all and it is a LONG drive. As it turned out, we had a ball although it wasn’t without the tears, some triumphs and a whole lot of rain, fog and bribery.  Read all about it here – We Took the Kids on a Great Ocean Road Trip and This Happened!
So what did we think of the car?
Take a sneak peek into my typical day (and hear what I had to say on how The Outlander performed) right here:
2016 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDERÂ – OURÂ BIGÂ 4
Over 100 design and engineering improvements have gone into this latest Outlander model, so it’s not hard to see why it kept ticking all the boxes for a great Family SUV. Here’s why:
[mc_block_title custom_title=”1. Â INTUITIVE”]
I’m on the road a lot and by a lot I mean HOURS every day. Between school, work, family and everything else life throws at us, having a set of wheels that is both intuitive and reliable is really important. Well this car often felt like an extension of me and like I was almost driving on auto pilot. SHE DOES THE THINKING FOR YOU!
- Adaptive Cruise Control – The Outlander raises the bar on traditional cruise control. Our Exceed model uses radar technology to detect the cars in the lane ahead, and adjusts the speed while maintaining a safe distance set by us. This means she’ll slow down and even brake if the car in front of you starts to slow down. Perfect for city driving (although a little painful in bumper to bumper, but you shouldn’t really need it then!)
- Forward Collision Mitigation – Traffic conditions change quickly and we need to have our eyes and ears open at all times! GET THIS – if the car in front of me braked, and I didn’t, the Outlander would BEEP and FLASH on the dashboard and THEN BRAKE (so much so she’d come to a complete halt at the lights then ask me to apply the brake). YEP I know!
- Rain Sensing Wipers – Nothing out of the box here I hear you say? Well no, not normally EXCEPT with this baby, when the rain increases, so does the speed of the wipers! Set it to AUTO and you don’t need to touch a thing. DING!
- Daylight LED Running Lamps & Dusk Sensing Headlights – Great for BEING SEEN on the road, especially so at the end of a busy day when dusk is hitting. Again set to AUTO and they’ll come on when they’re needed!
[mc_block_title custom_title=”2. SAFETY FIRST!”]
Safety is a pretty high consideration for most families when buying a new car and it just doesn’t get any better than the Outlander’s 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating. Top marks for the 7 SRS Air Bags and a host of safety features giving peace of mind that you and your precious cargo will be protected in the event of an accident.
Other winning features include:
- 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating – You can’t get better than that!
- 7 SRS Air Bags (dual front, front side, full-length curtain and driver’s knee) protecting you from side collision AND head on collisions!
- Reverse Parking Sensors and Rear View Camera – Take the guesswork out of reversing with the Rear View Camera, which is actually really clear (displayed in full colour on the dash screen). PLUS automatic sensors alert you whenever a pedestrian or another car/object are sensed at close range. And even better, when in reverse, guidance markers appear on the screen which is perfect for backing into parking spaces or tight spots (cue school pick up!)
- Active Traction Control (ATC) – Helps you maintain control on even the slipperiest roads and surfaces and Active Stability Control (ASC) recognises when you over-steer and applies the brakes to keep you online through corners (could be helpful on super windy roads!)
[mc_block_title custom_title=”3. LUXURY AND NICE-TO-HAVE FEATURES”]
There are so many features that go into making a great car these days. Modern technology is pretty incredible and now more than ever we’re expecting all the bells and whistles normally reserved for luxury European models.
- Mitsubishi Multi Communication System (MMCS) with 7″ touch screen comes complete with GPS navigation system, Bluetooth iPod connectivity, AM/FM, DAB Digital radio & CD Player. Once I paired my phone with the car I was automatically connected every time I got into the vehicle which is incredibly convenient (and incredibly safe!) Full bluetooth connectivity means music streaming from iPod is easy and (my favourite) DAB Digital radio means you can listen to the crystal clear digital radio tunes on the go. It was a great feature (go the 80’s!) and the speakers had awesome full stereo sound (even up loud, didn’t they Tania!?) NOTE: no children were harmed in the testing of the stereo volume, that was reserved for the girls’ night out!
- Heated Seats – especially handy on a wet, cold and rainy day (aka 12 Apostles on Great Ocean Road trip) these babies warm you up in no time at all and were extremely effective. I can only imagine how fabulous they’d be on a freezing cold winter’s day/night!
- 18″ Alloy Wheels – standard on all models and so much nicer than the traditional plastic hubcaps. Plus the two tone black and silver finish gave it a really sporty look.
- Electric Sunroof – Our model had one and it was really refreshing, even on cold days, to have fresh air circulating without blowing through the car and especially great at high speed on the open road – you didn’t get blown around! The kids loved it too (and I admit I did sometimes feel 20 again!)
- Power Tailgate – at the press of a button the tailgate  automatically opens or closes which is really handy for those times you’ve got your hands full (or just can’t be bothered reaching up to close the boot!)
- Retractable Cargo Blind – ensures total privacy in the (spacious) boot, especially handy for protecting groceries and other goods from the harsh Aussie sun.
- Loads of pockets and fittings – there’s decent storage inside the car cabin, large door pockets, sunglass holders and cup holders at the front and back.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”4. GREAT FAMILY MOTORING”]
In addition to beefing up the Outlander’s underlying structure with bigger suspension and more stiffeners throughout, Mitsubishi has installed noise-isolating glass and additional sound insulation to quiet the SUV’s interior. This made for really comfortable and quiet driving, and most likely the reason my husband referred to the car as ‘the Cloud’. Â True story!
- Extremely economical 2.2L Direct Injection Diesel or Petrol Engine – unlike our current SUV, the Outlander is extremely fuel efficient, and really made light work of open road and city driving. I was pleasantly surprised at just how little fuel she used (and how gutsy she was in everyday and country driving). On our Great Ocean Road trip we only added $65 to the tank – pretty impressive for a 1,000 km trip!
- The new generation CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) ensures a really smooth and quiet ride, unlike the days gone by with quite noticeable gear changes. CVTÂ technology means you don’t jump up gears. Instead, it speeds up with tension and momentum like a rubber band. New technology with less moving parts = less things to go wrong! I was REALLY impressed by this as it made a huge difference to the driving experience!
- 2WD or 4WD Models available. The electronic control 4WD means you can switch to 4WD mode at the simple press of a button. You can then select 4WD Eco, 4WD Lock or 4WD Auto modes, but we didn’t do any of that!
- Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) – great for being seen on the road (and look really sporty too). Again, set your headlights to AUTO and these babies came on when needed (more intuitive driving!)
- I love a big boot and I cannot lie!  This one may not be the biggest on the market (*477 litres*) but it’s big enough for your typical day to day needs and then some! Don’t forget you can fold all the seats down for mega space (perfect for visits to IKEA and the like … did someone say shopping?!)
- Isofix Child Restraint Anchorages are fitted throughout the vehicle and top strap anchorages at the top of the rear fold seats. I’m unsure how you’d go getting 3 car seats into the back seat as there was no way it would fit with the 2 Infa Booster seats, however Safe n Sound do a Compaq which could potentially work.
- The Outlander offered a spacious cabin with plenty of room in the cabin with luxury leather seats on our model and leather bound steering wheel as standard. Â
- Electric power steering meant she was so light to turn and steer with a great turning circle for a car her size (10.6 metre turning circle curb to curb) and was a breeze for manoeuvring in busy car parks and city driving.
- A choice of both 5 seater and 7 seater options – I was really impressed at just how easy (and quick) it was to convert to a 7 seater (refer the video at 1:11 mark for more info) and I especially loved that you don’t need to remove any child car seats to activate seats 6 and 7!
- Loads of legroom in the back meant the boys weren’t kicking the back of our seats (as they have been known to do once or twice in smaller cars..ahem!)
191 Comments
Great review! I love how the car stops automatically if needed, I didn’t even know that exsisted 🙂
I like how the car brakes if you don’t brake. I think it’s a very safe car.
Fuel Efficiency
I love all of the features but the Forward Collision Mitigation is pretty damn amazing!!
Reverse Parking Sensors and Rear View Camera
never having to second guess when reversing into an area with parked cars and post that are too low to see!
Isofix child restraint anchorages
We have SUV which consumes a lot of fuel. So I love Mitsubishi Outlander’s fuel efficiency feature.
Reverse parking sensors and rear view camera. I’m not good at reverse parking and this feature is very handy to me.
Backside Warmers!!!
I love every feature of the Outlander from the heated seats to the optional DVD player (which keeps the kids nicely entertained) to the rear view camera and the overall smoothness of the ride. The only thing I think they could do to improve the car (my parents have a 2012 model) would be to put vents for heating/cooling the passengers in the back seats.
I love this car! looks so fabulous and is incredibly convenient in its features. My favourite feature is just how easy it looks to add in the extra seats! Makes it easier for a busy mum to add in some seats when there are extra kiddies to pick up!
So many wonderful features, but fuel efficiency has to be one very good one.
Reverse parking sensors are great! Think every car should have them
5 star AMCAP safety rating
Big boot and lights that come on when needed when set in auto are two of my favourite features
The spacious cabin with lots of legroom is a definite advantage. Our family are all tall so we need the extra room for a comfortable drive!
So many awesome features, but if I have to choose just one it would be the ease of the 5-7 seater conversion, so handy when car seats occupy a couple of seats & you have extra people to travel with
The Power Tailgate is by far my favourite & most luxurious feature!! Oh, how I wish for the sweet convenient pleasure of a power tailgate each time I reach open or close the back!!
The price of the Mitsubishi Outlander is luxurious but at an affordable price. I love Forward Collision Mitigation and Reverse Parking Sensors an excellent innovation for safety: parking and avoiding accidents on busy roads.
My favourite feature is definitely the high fuel efficiency!!
Reverse parking sensors and rear-view camera. Definitely a must-have for me!
Rear view camera, SO handy!
I love how spacious it is!
Leather seats! Easy to clean and oh so comfy.
Isofix.. Car seats feel more secure and would me more important to me than a radio
I so want a car with a sunroof. I once was a passenger in a car with a sunroof and I felt free, wild, rebellious! Of course, I’ve never felt a heated seat before, but I can guess how wonderful this would be.
Rain sensing wipers … that is AWESOME!!!!!!
I am totally in love with the Reverse parking sensors & rear-view camera – so useful and a must have..
Heated seats and sunroof (couldn’t stop at one feature)
I love the sunroof! It would give me and my passengers a whole new perspective on life, as well fill the interior with light and a feeling of space!
Oh yeah, I felt like I was young all over again! Check it out! 😉
The reverse parking sensor & rear view camera . I think it’s great!
The reverse parking sensor. So helpful!
Totally love the rain sensing wipers function – no need for constant adjustments!
Just one less thing to worry about – more focus on the road ahead!
Which to choose, reverse camera, reverse park assist, forward collision monitor. Safety is always a priority.
Rear leg room for limited back of seat kicking is a great must have.
Extremely economical 2.2L Direct Injection Diesel or Petrol Engine!! Need to have an economical car these days!!
I’d have to say the Forward Collision Mitigation feature is definitely up there as the best feature. I drive in traffic everyday and this would be great peace of mind for me.
The Intuitive features and of course the 5 star safety AMCAMP rating
Heated seats – what a luxury on a cold winter’s morning! We have had a Mitsubishi Lancer for the past seven years and it has been amazing After reading this review would love to upgrade to the Outlander now
Outlander is a smart car with a lot of solutions for today’s busy life, I love Healed Seats and & Daytimes Running Lamps.
I’ve always thought a reverse parking sensor & rear view camera would be an ideal safety function for any family car. The 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander ticks all the boxes for me.
The choice of a 7 seater is perfect for me
Now that we have child 1, 2 and 3
No need to change the car seats for friends in the back
Can see how many kids into the car we can pack!
I love the 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating … nothing surpasses safety as the top requirement.
Reverse parking sensors for safety and the heated seats for comfort.
Love the extra boot space, so convenient when shopping for larger items
Fuel Efficiency, much better than the fuel guzzling beast I currently drive.
Electric power steering, for the easy maneuverability
Heated seats, nothing nicer during the cold of Winter.
The heated seats. Fantastic now that winter is coming!
Not only is it leather, but the seats are heated too! Double bonus for someone who loves their leather but hates sitting on cold seats!
Oh yeah there’s nothing worse, right?! They are super efficient so your bum’s warm in no time! Oh and there’s 2 heat levels too, did I mention that?! 😉
It’s sporty yet fuel efficient & has 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating
with money so tight lately and petrol prices so exorbitantly high, the five star fuel efficiency rating is an impressive advantageous feature
Fuel efficiency impressed me
For me the best feature and my favourite, of the Outlander is the digital radio incorporated into the sound system, yes I am a child of the eighties and I’d have Pure 80’s ringing out so loud, dudes. 🙂
Oh Antoinetta, a woman after my own heart! I was in heaven with the DAB radio – O.M.G!! I had that baby programmed up in no time and LOVED I was never stuck for wicked tunes!
Mitsubishi Outlander is a car with my favourite designs, like 2WD and 4WD Models, 7SRS Air Bags and CVT. It is a car with smart ideas.
The heated seats is my favourite feature, great for winter as leather seats can get really cold 🙂
everything. i love mitshubishis i have owned 3 and currently drive a 2001 magna 🙂 <3 would lo9ve the new one
passenger safety must be the most important
Heated seats! I work long days, and leave very early in the mornings. There is nothing worse than jumping on a freezing cold leather seat at 4 in the morning!
i love the Forward collision mitigation as it will save collisions in the future
Lots of boot space and storage space 🙂
“Adaptive Cruise Control” all for safety!
The legroom in the back would be a definite plus especially as I have a tall hubs which means the kids are also gonna be long legged 😉
The boot space, we travel long distances and need lots of space for our stuff
Reverse Parking Sensors and Rear View Camera
Heated seats! How luxurious for winter!
I love the fuel efficiency- especially the fact that it runs on diesel. Fuel is so expensive as it is at the moment, but diesel often seems to be the cheaper option as the price doesn’t fluctuate as much as unleaded. And who wouldn’t love a car that burns less of the liquid gold? The longer I can go in between fuel stops the better!
Agree! I drove the Diesel model at the Sydney Launch and it was a great drive too!
fuel efficiency is definitely the biggest winner.
Love the leg room in the back my little man lives kicking the seats also love the big boot hard to fit a pram and shopping in my car
Yep we have constant battles over kicking backs of seats too. No fear here!
I think the fuel efficiency is definitely the best feature of the car!
Right now, heated seats!
oh I love the heated seats 😀 yes please
The roomy boot!
I like the car think for you and reminding you when to brake.
I love how it’s a small car but also has the option for the 2 extra seats. Having a family of 6 that is very handy
AND that you don’t need to shuffle car seats to get them out!! 😉
rTheadar technology to detect the cars in the lane ahead, and adjusts the speed while maintaining a safe distance set by us. Great intuition.
its terrific on Fuel meaning more Sunday Drives
heated seats will keep the little ones happy!
I have to say Fuel Efficiency! With fuel prices soaring, especially over holiday periods, it’s a big factor in deciding where to go and what to do!
Its amazing the smarts that can be built into cars today. I love the safety features like adaptive cruise control and forward collision mitigation features.
They were my 2 standouts as well Allen. Smart car! 😉
Love them all!! So hard to pick….6 it is 😉
The safety features – always improving using available technology gives a greater peace of minfd on the road.
Definitely the safety features !!
Love the Fuel Efficiency! That’s what a family car needs to save us some money at the bowsers.
Oh yeah, saves on the hip pocket and makes a huge difference at the end of each month!
That mega big boot is fantastic. So handy!
I love that it has heated seats!! Perfect in the colder months 🙂
After hearing about my bro running up the back of someone I think Forward Collision Mitigation is my favourite. Anything to stop being part of an accident is good in my books.
Oh yeah, it’s so clever! It took a little getting used to but once you ‘got it’ wow-ee! Amazing!
It sounds great for safety sake. I also like the fact it has heated seats – great for someone who has a prolapsed disc in lower back. Sciatica is a constant problem so heated seats will keep that at bay and leather to boot! I could really get used to one of these.
Love the safety features
Love the reverse sensors and the in built reverse display camera in the dashboard. A great safety feature!
Retractable cargo blind and large boot are great for shopping!
I love how much room it has inside and, it has reverse sensor so you can’t hit anything without it making a sound
I like the Reverse Parking Sensors and Rear View Camera
I love that it has ISOFIX
The heated seats
heated seats, I do a nauseous shiver all winter, i dont retain heat
and SO efficient too! Hot bums in no time!
CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) IS REALLY COOL
Oh it’s amazing Reshma. I loved it, such a smooth ride!
The anti-collision features for sure. For example rear sensors. When I moved from my wagon to an SUV in 2004, I immediately missed being able to see directly behind the rear due to the higher window and have knocked over bins and bikes before. Mind you they were asking for it putting themselves behind my car and not waving a little flag or something as I was reversing so I have no sympathy but their lives were needlessly short. I also love knowing someone in the new Outlander would not bump me in the rear while texting. 🙂
I love 5 seats and 7 seats options and Isofix Child Restaint Anchorages are my favourite features of Mitsubishi Outlander . It is a smart car for today’s modern lifestyle.
So much room for shopping – this will make the supermarket run so much more comfortable!
Parking sensors
The electric power steering,
Extremely economical 2.2L Direct Injection Diesel, awesome!!
Everything really but mainly spacious and safe family car. Energy efficient so safer for environment.
The extremely economical 2.2L Direct Injection Diesel or Petrol Engine for everyday family-friendly fuel efficiency; thank you for the opportunity to win and good luck to everyone who enters!.
The fuel efficiency.
I love the Adaptive Cruise Controlling function.
economical and stylish,with parking sensors,how coo is that
7 SRS Air Bags and fuel efficiency are my favourite features about Mitsubishi Outlander, I love that car.
I love leather seats – the smell, and the luxurious feel.
Comfort – so very important. Makes it enjoyable to be in the vehicle.
the cruise control function and compfort and style of the car
Cruise control with automatic braking
Adaptive Cruise Control . Great for long trips.
5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating – I’ve seem too many car crash test videos – safety is always number one!!
Heated seats. I think I’d spend all winter driving around just so I can enjoy a warm bottom.
Fuel efficency so less money on petrol, means more to spend on me
the easy conversion from 5 seater to 7 seater
I like the capped priced servicing.
Definitely the 5 to 7 seat conversion because you never know when you need to pick up an extra person.
Luxury Leather Seats and Mitsubishi Multi Communication System with 7″ touch screen are excellent design for comfort, I love that car.
Love the spacious leg room at the back especially feasible for baby capsules and kicking toddlers!
Space and style
Extremely economical you need more bang for your buck these days
Its value for money which is so important.
The ability to seat 7 when it is needed.
love the electric sunroof
Isofix Child Restraint Anchorages.. Safety always comes first for my 2 boys..
The value for money and the extreme economy and safety of the vehicle..
Extremely Economical 2.2 Direct Injection Diesel or Petrol Engine and Electric Sunroof are my favourite features about Mitsubishi Outlander . I love that car.
I’m super surprised that its extremely economical and is available with direct injection diesel or petrol engine, sounds perfect!
Loads of Legroom, for my growing family to fit into!
I love the Sunroof!
Dream family car! Just absolutely spacious, luxurious and perfect in every aspect!
Comfortable seats
As petrol prices increasing all time , this Mitsubishi Outlander’s fuel efficiency is truly amazing for saving money. I love that car.
oooooohhhh the heated seats! to keep me and my girls warm and toasty in the late rainy winter night drives home from dance
The Active Traction Control – I was involved in my first major skid a few months ago, and luckily didn’t have the kids with me. But it sure scared me. I don’t ever want to have that happen again!
Continuously Variable Transmission and Big boot are my favourite features about Mitsubishi Outlander. Mitsubishi Outlander has smart solutions for today’s lifestyle.
The ability to fit seven seats as I have four children perfect also Heated seats for winter Thankyou
Very selfish! Heated seats, yes!!!
With climbing petrol prices I’m always looking to save a penny so fuel efficiency is important to me!
The 5 Year, 100,000km New Vehicle Warranty
the CVT fantastic technology for a smooth drive and economical as well
Plenty of interior room and the warranty makes it really attractive
Adaptive Cruise Control
Heated seats ♡
Retractable Cargo Blind and 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating are my favourite about Mitsubishi Outlander features. I love that car.
As amazing as all those bells and whistles sound, for me the 5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating reigns supreme as nothing is more valuable than peace of mind 🙂
I just want that new car smell for once, the rest, they are all the same essentially.
Mitsubishi Outlander has everything I dream about smart technology, like 7″ screen and reverse parking sensor. I love that car.
Big boot to fit pram and shopping and everything else!
Not with the rear seats up. There is no room at all
love the seated seats and useful technology and the 5 star ANCAP safety rating is just a great bonus
If you need a car with automatic braking, stability controls, smart cruise control or abs you really shouldn’t be driving a car
did it have a full size spare wheel, reversing camera and paddle gear changers?
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