2010 Mitsubishi Outlander

The 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander is a quirky ride for a quirky family. It's definitely not the same old thing, and it's great for someone who doesn't want to blend into the crowd. While more sporty than luxurious, the Outlander still offers nifty stuff like Bluetooth streaming music and LED lighting.

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That's not to say this small SUV doesn't have some luxury features including optional leather seats with contrast stitching. Other features were almost nostalgic such as actual knobs for audio tuning and climate control.

Driving the Mitsubishi Outlander was a pleasant surprise. I expected some kind of compromise on the engine's power considering the modest price, but the Outlander performed beautifully on the brutal hills of my hometown. Acceleration with the optional V-6 was downright perky. While there was some noticeable engine noise, it wasn't obnoxious. The ride is definitely on the firm side, but I would say it's more bouncy than hard. I wouldn't call it relaxing, but driving the Outlander was never uncomfortable.

The Mitsubishi Outlander starts at $20,840, but my test car, a four-wheel-drive XLS model, cost $28,850.

EXTERIOR

For 2010, the Outlander had some work done in the front, and the result is, well, from the front it looks like a manta ray. I like manta rays, but it looks strange on a car. The rest of SUV looks much less sea-lifey, though, and rather cute. The Diamond White-colored test car I drove was particularly sporty looking, especially with darkly tinted windows and body-colored trim.

The Outlander is light on chrome, only using it to outline the grille and headlights and to line the bottom of the doors. In all, it's a crisp look. The profile is bowed rather than rounded and ends in a small roof-mounted spoiler. Black roof rails echo the roofline and add definition. A huge rear window dominates the back end, with angled LED taillights perch at the corners. The bumper is two-toned, creating an illusion of a higher vehicle. The chrome-tipped exhaust seems to float in midair, which is a nifty effect.

Getting in and out of the Outlander is no struggle since it doesn't sit much higher off the ground than a sedan. Getting into a vehicle that sits slightly higher is always easier for me because there is less danger of whacking my head on the roof. True to form, I was head-injury free during my time in the Outlander. My kids didn't struggle with getting in or out, either, thanks to a flat step-in area that reaches all the way to the third-row entry. There is plenty of headroom for everyone, even my freakishly tall brother who likes to complain, but he couldn't in the Outlander. The liftgate opens easily with one hand, because who has more than that to spare with kids around?

My test four-wheel-drive Outlander came with the optional 230-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 engine, which requires premium gas. The four-wheel-drive Outlander gets an EPA-estimated 18/24 mpg city/highway. The front-wheel-drive Outlander with a V-6 engine gets 19/25. If you're looking for better gas mileage, the Outlander's base engine, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that takes regular gas, gets 21/27 mpg with front-wheel drive and 21/25 mpg with four-wheel drive.