By now, you most likely know all about my love for the Mitsubishi Outlander. Back in 2015, I was raving about the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, and then in 2016 that love was eclipsed by the Mitsubishi Outlander after the very first drive. The luxuries of the bigger CUV size and the adaptability of the third row seating truly make the Outlander the perfect vehicle for our on-the-go lifestyle.
And, after taking a look at the newest 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander, I can positively say that the newest model checks off everything on our lists, even things we had never thought of. Here’s all the many things we love about the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander:
Mama Likes
A cozy little cabin – Even though I love having seating for seven, I despise huge SUVs. It’s not just the actual size of the vehicle that turns me off, it’s the feel of the vehicle itself and the fact that conversation with the far backseat is next to impossible. The Outlander CUV {compact utility vehicle} was basically made for me with its quiet and cozy cabin that can still fit our whole crew – and then some.
Keyless entry and ignition – My next car *will* be keyless. After having experienced it in all of the Mitsubishi cars we’ve driven, I’m more sold on it than I was before. I love leaving my keys safely in my purse, especially since I never have my hands free with three kiddos.
Perfect size for city life – I really like the mid-level height for getting in and out of as well as for loading kids and gear into, and I love that the Outlander is big without being unmanageable in small parking lots or on narrow roads. The Outlander somehow feels big and small at the same time, and in all the right ways.
3rd row within seconds – As the kiddos get older and having friends along has become the norm, not the exception, we really do need a vehicle that can allow us the option of having more passengers. What I love about the Outlander is that it allows us the flexibility of having extra seats when we need them without having an empty row sitting when we don’t. The 2018 Outlander is the only vehicle in its class to offer seating for seven passengers standard, so you have the option of having a third row anytime you want without feeling like you’re driving a bus the rest of the time. And since the second row slides forward and adjusts the recline angle, you can make sure the third row is big enough for whatever passengers need to fit.
Cameras – I’m all about safety, so I love the wide-angle backup camera on the Outlander. This camera made it even easier to navigate out of tight parking spots or when backing up, which makes it even more city-friendly since parallel parking is a way of life in Seattle. On the higher trim levels, they even offer the amazing multi-view camera system that gives you a 360 degree birds eye view with the push of a steering wheel button. How awesome is that?
A place for everything – I love the large cabin storage console, and the little recessed cubbies along the sides of the cargo space that are perfect for a small purse, baby essentials, or camera gear to keep it from rolling around as we drive. And, I love that there is a spot for all the many, many beverages our little family requires. It’s the small things that make or break a vehicle, and this is a small thing that is anything but.
All the luxuries – We’re talking heated leather seats, dual-zone climate control, auto liftgate, a heated steering wheel, auto-control high beams, and rain-sensing windshield wipers that make the driving experience feel completely luxurious.
Mama would like – The only thing I would ask Mitsubishi for on the next model would be more fine tuning adjustments on the front passenger seat. The driver seat is 6-way adjustable and has precision adjustments that you can customize, but the passenger seat is only 4-way adjustable. This may not seem like I big difference, but I found the options are rather limited, and after driving for 9+ hours at a time, I wished I had more comfort options. Overall, I would love to see more premium features on the passenger side in the higher trim levels.
Daddy-O Likes
Hubby is a big fan of station wagons and he’s always wanted to convince me that a station wagon was the way to go for us. And, while I love the gas mileage and the feel of a wagon, the 7 seats is a deal breaker for me. So, he couldn’t be happier about my love of the Outlander that gets him the station wagon feel but the extra seats we need.
Infotainment – With a 7″ touchscreen display, hands-free link system with Bluetooth, and full steering wheel controls to control the Outlander’s premium 710W Rockford-Fosgate sound system, my tech-loving hubby was in heaven. He loved that all the many controls allow you to dial in the sound just how you like it and the 9 speakers give you a nice full sound. These details are a huge deal to him.
Safety – We can all agree safety is paramount, right? That’s why hubby especially loved the Outlander’s many safety features like the Super All-Wheel Control {S-AWC} that handled like a dream in Montana mountain passes, and the blind spot warning, adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning, hill start assist, and the cross-traffic warning that can keep you safe even from unseen dangers as you drive.
Eco mode – Who doesn’t want to save money on gas? With ECO mode the Outlander helps you drive more efficiently by tempering initial throttle response on acceleration as well as fine tuning the air conditioner and engine for maximum efficiency. Plus on S-AWC models, it keeps the Outlander in 2WD until AWD is needed. This kind of savings is the best kind because it happens behind the scenes the whole time you own the car which makes it even more affordable to drive.
Price – Speaking of affordable, the Outlander is crazy affordable. In fact, the Outlander was named to the “10 Most Affordable 3-Row Vehicles” List by Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com 2 years in a row. Our well-loaded test model came in at around $32,060 but we both agreed the lower trim level had an amazing amount of features {and even more were added this year, including the touchscreen display, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, lane change assist and power remote liftgate}. Since so many features are standard, we would probably go with the SEL trim if we were buying one.
Big, but not too big – We understand that in cars everything is a trade off, but we found that the Outlander size is pretty perfect for us. With the rear seats folded down we had a ton of room for our road trip, even with a stroller, souvenirs, in-car entertaiment, and all the luggage for 5. If we were filled to capacity and had 7 riding, the luggage space would definitely be minimal, but it would still hold the bare necessities. Our plan is that we would attach our Thule rack when we need it to pack away anything that wouldn’t be needed until we arrived at our destination. Then, once we can go stroller-less, space will be even less of a worry and the 3rd row seats can be used even more often.
Handling – I was shocked our first time trying to maneuver a tight parking lot when I realized how tight the turning radius is. I guess I was still thinking big huge SUV, but the Outlander turned much sharper than I expected and more like a car. This also translates to the open road of course, where the Outlander handles more like a wagon than an SUV.
Apple Car Play and Android Auto – This is a huge bonus for hubby, a devoted Apple user. He’s been saying for years how it would be awesome if in-car navigation and entertainment mirrored the apps that were already on your phone, and he’s finally got it in the Mitsubishi Outlander.
Daddy-O would like – This is a small detail, but Daddy-O really would like a phone holder of some sort, Mitsubishi. Can you make that happen for him? Just a small little cubby or nook to keep our phones stationary so they aren’t sliding around the dash when I’m not playing DJ would be great. Yes, I know, we *could* keep the phones in the large cubby that separates the drivers seat from the passenger seat, but that’s not really convenient when the passenger is using them for apps or is waiting on an important call.
Kiddos Like
More vehicle, more fun – Like me, our kiddos are ready for a bigger car. They loved being up higher so they could see out the windows on our journeys, and they loved filling every available space with all of their “necessities” they insist upon bringing. This is just one glimpse into the nonsense that I have to deal with on a simple family roadtrip with backpacks {for hiking}, audio books and headphones {for entertainment on our 18+ hours in the car}, water bottles for everyone {and sometimes more than one for each person}, and all of their “treasures” they pick up along the way.
In-dash navigation entertainment – I love that the kids think something as basic as the map and navigation screen in a vehicle is exciting. On our trip, we were navigating new towns and exploring Glacier National Park, and the kids loved being able to watch our movements on the map as we drove. This glimpse into the larger picture allowed them to suggest ideas, help choose routes, and see what we were passing on our journey. With the integration of Apple Car Play, the map has gotten even better, and it’s an even bigger asset while exploring new places.
The joys of the 3rd row – Our little passengers absolutely love the novelty of the 3rd row. Sure, this would eventually wear off, but the fact that we would *mostly* have the 3rd row folded down would mean that when it did get used, they would be begging to be the ones that used it. And, since they love having friends and family ride with us, the Outlander is quite the upgrade from our little sedan.
Kiddos would like – The kids were so sad when I told them the Outlander would be going away, especially since they know we’re looking at buying a car fairly soon and the Outlander is one of two cars we’re considering. But, the one thing that they consoled themselves with was that maybe our next car would have an in-car entertainment system. Spoiler alert: it won’t. Mitsubishi, please DO NOT listen to my children, the Outlander should never have a built-in TV that keeps us from making memories as a family or prohibits the kids from using their imaginations. Someday they will understand.
The 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander
As you can see, there’s a whole lot to love about the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander. This was the first vehicle I thought about seriously as an upgrade to our sedan, and it still holds its own years later. In fact, I love it even more after riding in it for 18+ hours, which I think says a whole lot. It was the absolute perfect vehicle for our Glacier National Park trip, and I can’t wait to take one on a spin again.
It’s a great little vehicle with lots of room inside, a compact footprint, and it can go anywhere and do just about anything that most people will realistically ever need a sport utility vehicle to do. You can test drive an Outlander at your local Mitsubishi dealer, or you can learn more at MitsubishiCars.com
As an owner of this vehicle, I agree with 90% of this article. But as the father of a four year old and 2 twin 2 year olds, I do wish there was more trunk space with the 3rd row up. All of my kids require car seats, so we have to use all 3 rows as well as a huge twin stroller or 2 seperate strollers. So we also have a huge Ford Expedition EL to accommodate. We use the Outlander as a commuter car and back up vehicle. But if it had more trunk space, it could’ve been our family vehicle. Also, after driving the Expedition, it has become merely a preference to sit up that high cause I truely can see a lot more. I suppose no car can do it all for my situation.
Timothy, I love that you added a 3 car seat and stroller perspective to the post from an owner’s view. I also have three car seats and a big huge double stroller, but I currently drive a sedan, so just about anything feels spacious – ha! We had always planned on adding a rooftop carrier, but that would be a huge pain for a stroller for everyday use! I cannot wait for the day of one car seat and maybe a tiny stroller to replace our mammoth beast, but for now any storage is used up with just that alone.