Saint-Alexis-des-Monts, Quebec — The Mitsubishi Outlander made its Canadian debut in 2003. Four years later, a sleeker second-generation model hit the market. For 2010, the popular crossover receives the brand’s signature front fascia and makes a direct connection to the almighty Lancer EVO. Now that’s a lot of changes in a short amount of time!
Really, a connection between the Outlander and the Lancer makes perfect sense. After all, they share a common platform and some powertrains. In addition, they’re both among Mitsubishi’s best-selling products across the globe — and a 1-2 punch in Canada.
Fortunately, the automaker did not merely add a "shark nose" to its CR-V, Forester and RAV4 competitor. Generously sized and positioned halfway between compact and midsize SUVs, the Outlander is now more comprehensively equipped and more neatly finished. Mitsubishi executives want to start a move upscale, which is why they will soon introduce a smaller entry-level SUV on the Canadian market. Called ASX in Europe and RVR in Japan, this vehicle should bear the name "Outlander Sport" over here in order to capitalize on the reputation of its larger sibling. No decision has been made yet, though.
Super all-wheel drive
It’s no coincidence that we went to the heart of Quebec, in Saint-Alexis-des-Monts, to try out the new 2010 Outlander. While the model’s lineup stays the same (ES, LS and XLS), the XLS now stands out from the pack with a new, more sophisticated all-wheel drive system known as "Super All-Wheel Control" (S-AWC).
Using an electronically-controlled Active Front Differential, this system offers three operating modes: Tarmac (FWD on dry pavement), Snow (4WD with a slight front-wheel bias on wet/snowy roads) and Lock (4WD with a locked rear differential and a slight rear-wheel bias for driving in the worst conditions).
S-AWC ensures variable torque distribution between the front and rear axles based on road and grip conditions. Thanks to the Active Front Differential, torque distribution also varies between the two front wheels, which helps maintain grip whenever either one is slipping. This way, you avoid losing momentum and wasting power as the vehicle tries to catch up.
 |
| The new Outlander from Mitsubishi makes a direct connection to the almighty Lancer EVO. |
Really, a connection between the Outlander and the Lancer makes perfect sense. After all, they share a common platform and some powertrains. In addition, they’re both among Mitsubishi’s best-selling products across the globe — and a 1-2 punch in Canada.
Fortunately, the automaker did not merely add a "shark nose" to its CR-V, Forester and RAV4 competitor. Generously sized and positioned halfway between compact and midsize SUVs, the Outlander is now more comprehensively equipped and more neatly finished. Mitsubishi executives want to start a move upscale, which is why they will soon introduce a smaller entry-level SUV on the Canadian market. Called ASX in Europe and RVR in Japan, this vehicle should bear the name "Outlander Sport" over here in order to capitalize on the reputation of its larger sibling. No decision has been made yet, though.
Super all-wheel drive
It’s no coincidence that we went to the heart of Quebec, in Saint-Alexis-des-Monts, to try out the new 2010 Outlander. While the model’s lineup stays the same (ES, LS and XLS), the XLS now stands out from the pack with a new, more sophisticated all-wheel drive system known as "Super All-Wheel Control" (S-AWC).
Using an electronically-controlled Active Front Differential, this system offers three operating modes: Tarmac (FWD on dry pavement), Snow (4WD with a slight front-wheel bias on wet/snowy roads) and Lock (4WD with a locked rear differential and a slight rear-wheel bias for driving in the worst conditions).
S-AWC ensures variable torque distribution between the front and rear axles based on road and grip conditions. Thanks to the Active Front Differential, torque distribution also varies between the two front wheels, which helps maintain grip whenever either one is slipping. This way, you avoid losing momentum and wasting power as the vehicle tries to catch up.
 |
| The Outlander XLS gets the automaker’s new Super All-Wheel Control system, which is controlled via a rotary knob on the console. |