The auto scene has suffered from the recent spikes in gas prices. Car manufacturers took steps to reduce their production of large SUVs which are known to be gas guzzlers. While the auto world has seen a reduction in the demand for SUVs, car manufacturers have taken a step to provide the versatility of an SUV with the fuel efficiency of a small car.
The answer to the demand for the versatility of a large vehicle and the fuel efficiency of a small car comes in the form of a crossover vehicle. Crossover vehicles are essentially sport utility vehicles built on a small car platform. Currently, the crossover vehicle market is expanding at a high rate. One crossover that stands out though due to its sporting ability is the 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
The Mitsubishi Outlander is a compact crossover sport utility vehicle which was unveiled in North America at the 2001 North American International Auto Show. Since then, the nimble crossover has earned numerous praises from consumers and auto experts. For the 2007 model year, the Mitsubishi Outlander is set to once again capture the attention of car buyers.
The company claims that the new Outlander is a fusion of a rally car and an SUV. While this may seem remarkable and totally uncommon, Mitsubishi has succeeded in infusing their crossover SUV with rally car attributes.
Compared to its predecessors, the 2007 model year version of the Outlander is remarkably larger. While it may have increased its size, handling and performance are still one of the best in its class. Mitsubishi created three trim packages for the Outlander, the ES, LS, and the XLS. All of these trim levels are equipped with V6 engines unlike other car manufacturer’s lineup which offers a four-cylinder engine option for their crossover vehicles.
All 2007 Mitsubishi Outlanders are equipped with a 3.0-liter V6 engine which is very much capable of producing 220 horsepower at 6,250 revs per minute. The powerplant is coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission which operates as smooth as a Ford window motor. The gear box is equipped with “Sportronic” technology which allows manual gear changes.
The Mitsubishi Outlander features a Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution chassis which gives it that rally car attribute. The chassis used on the Outlander has a rigid unibody structure. The use of the chassis allows the use of MacPherson struts for the independent front end suspension and a multi-link suspension for the rear. The steering and suspension system plus the all-wheel drive system option gives the Outlander its rally car-like handling and performance. And because of those remarkable features, the Mitsubishi Outlander can easily handle rough terrains and allow tight cornering on city streets.
A car with such rally car attributes must be equipped with proper safety features to keep in check the power produced buy the massive engine. Mitsubishi equips their Outlander units with four anti-lock disc brakes with the electronic brake force distribution. A tire pressure monitoring system is also featured on the 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander. Aside from these, the sporty crossover is also equipped with dual stage front air bags with a passenger seat occupant sensor. Seat mounted side airbags are also present in the Outlander as well as side-curtain airbags.
By: Katie Jones