Mitsubishi is known for its high-performance towcars, writes Mark Bigault. My initial experience of our Outlander reinforces the brand’s credentials.
[tl:gallery size=180×180]On my first trip in it, I was towing an Elddis Avanté 556 some 200 miles to Kent and back. With an MTPLM of 1545kg the van was an 85% match for the car, but as the Elddis had a small payload the real match was closer to 75%. Because of this, it towed beautifully. Solo, the suspension is squishy and the car pitches and wallows. With a van on the back it drives nicely.
Ours has a punchy 2.2-litre diesel engine, plenty of low-rev pull and the power to make motorway cruising a pleasure. It’s in top-level Diamond trim, which includes privacy glass, a ceiling-mounted DVD player in the back and more chrome than a space shuttle. It has the fancy touches you expect when paying this much, such as leather seats and sat-nav.
First impressions suggest that the Outlander is not very refined but everything works well, from its six-speed manual gearbox to its poised cornering, whether towing or solo. What’s more, with a healthy 1765kg kerbweight it will be a sound match for most four-berth caravans and even some six-berth single-axles.
We’ve not run a Mitsubishi since our tow-anything Shogun. While the Outlander doesn’t quite have the weight of that towing Goliath, it looks like yet another Japanese towcar star.
Data
Price £27,999
Power 154bhp @ 4000rpm
Torque 280lb.ft @ 2000rpm
Kerbweight 1810kg
Towing limit 2000kg
Towball limit 100kg
