From May 2010 issue

List price when tested: £28,549
Kerbweight: 1810kg*
85% match: 1351kg
Max towing weight: 2000kg
Towball limit: 90kg
30-60mph: 13.8 seconds
30-0mph: 10.9m
*Includes 75kg for the driver and luggage not included in Mitsubishi’s figure

THE OUTLANDER is a fine towcar, but it’s hampered by its high price. Over £28,000 is a lot to pay for a mid-sized 4×4. Admittedly that’s the price for the range-topping Diamond version, but even so.

The 2.2-litre diesel engine is strong enough to pull any suitable match, although it can’t match the brawn of the 2.2 CRDi engine fitted to the latest Hyundai Santa Fe. The Outlander is stable as well as strong. For a 4×4 it performed very well in our lane-change test, with no pushing and shoving from the caravan and plenty of grip, in spite of very wet conditions.

In the hill start test the handbrake needed a firm pull to stop the outfit rolling backwards, but otherwise the Mitsubishi coped well.

Leave the caravan behind and the Outlander is a pleasant solo drive, with precise steering and a comfortable ride. There’s a little more road noise than we’d like at motorway speeds but we’d still happily tackle long motorway journeys in the Mitsubishi.

Those in the rearmost seats might not be quite so happy, though, since leg and headroom are limited. If you regularly carry seven, a Santa Fe is a better choice. As a five-seater with occasional extra seats, the Outlander makes more sense, with a large boot and plenty of luggage space.

We say       
Towing: 3/5
Solo: 4/5
Practicality: 3/5
Buying & owning: 3/5

Verdict: 3/5 – Expensive but good to drive, well equipped and capable.

Find out more about this car at www.whatcar.com