According to Mitsubishi, the small crossover segment will grow 480 percent in 2013. This means that there are at least half a dozen new pint-size SUVs joining the new Outlander Sport so far. Only this year, Mitsubishi has new competition from both the Kia Sportage and Nissan Juke.
Specifications
Peel the body of the sport and you will see that the Sport is called Outlander Outlander for reasons unrelated to the efficiency of marketing. The Sport shares much of its mechanical composition with the larger Outlander. The two vehicles share the same front portion of his office, along with the structure to the pillars A and B. The wheelbase is the same, and bandwidths are only half an inch away. But to give a five-passenger wagon recreational dimension more about your brother seven passengers, 14.6 cm of chopped Mitsubishi Outlander front and rear. This, combined with weight-saving measures, such as front fenders plastic, the front-drive version of the Outlander Sport tips the scales at just 3098 pounds, about 400 pounds less than the Outlander.
It’s a good thing that the engineers shaved some weight, because the only engine available is 148 packing 2.0-liter four-cylinder horsepower Lancer 145 pounds-ft of torque. All competitors Mitsubishi offers four-cylinder engines with more horsepower and torque. To a lesser degree ES model, this engine is paired with a five-speed manual or CVT with paddle shifts and standard magnesium front wheel. But in the more upscale SE model, it is a CVT and only the option of all wheel drive Mitsubishi system called all-wheel control (AWC).
Do not confuse with the CTA systems found in the Lancer Evolution Outlander or even regular. It is less advanced but still uses a myriad of electronic sensors to detect slip and send the appropriate amount of torque to the rear axle. In lock mode, you have a 60/40 torque split front and rear, which is variable up to 30/70. In most vehicles with four wheels, a lock mode means that the proportional torque transfer case will lock in a 50/50 torque split transmission equal doses of engine power for each axis.
The suspension systems of the Outlander and Outlander Sport are almost identical, with MacPherson front and a multilink design in back. The Sport uses a little lighter softer springs and rear stabilizer bar less tense. In front, the Sport debut new electric power steering system to reduce the load on the engine and help fuel economy.
The Drive
The Sport Outlander admits 20 horsepower compared to its Hyundai, Kia, Nissan and competitors, so exactly why good Outlander’s 2.4-liter engine to 168 hp four-cylinder was not used is intriguing. But because of the weight reduction of the sport, she does not feel weak off the line. The model more agile and fun to drive programming is the lowest price, five-speed manual model ES. The power train front-wheel drive, save a little weight, and line capacity of its gears makes the manual itself sprightlier feel that the CVT.
