Mitsubishi Outlander: Is it underrated, or does it just suck?

Question

I currently drive a 95 Saturn, but my parents are going to buy myself a new car come H.S. Graduation. Looking at the Outlander, it seems ever so ideal (the XRS..) I mean a 3.0L V-6, great on gas, optional 3rd row, and an impressive audio system. Yet the depreciation on the car seems drastic and they're often rare on the road. So... are they just not popular or is there something I don"t know..

Answer 1

it's a "bitsa"  it has bits of all the other Bitsashiti models all moulded in to a car that tries to cover too many genres.

major identity crisis on wheels.

Answer 2

I'm not gonna say their bad, but I'm not gonna say their good either.

In my limited experience with Mitsubishi, I have found that I don't like them, but that's just me.

Answer 3

The 03 and 04 models got high marks from Consumer Reports; newer models have "insufficient data" so they haven't sold well. It may make it a bargain if you can find one in good shape.

Answer 4

The Outlander has an excellent predicted reliability according to the new Consumer Reports survey. The 4 cylinder actually got a better score compared to the V6. The difference is mainly in the ride. The report says that it is the smaller wheels in the 4 cylinder that actually made the ride more forgiving. The 4 cylinder also had better gas milage of course. The V6 definitely isn't bad at all.

I've had numerous Mitsubishi cars over the years and the new Outlander has gone a long way. Sure, it's not selling as fast or as many as the RAV4 or the CRV but it can hang with the guys. The new design is modern and clean. The rear doors particularly I like with the split tail gate. The Rockford Fostgate stereo system is also awesome. I'm not sure about he third row seating option though. I think you can skip that if you really don't need it. The seats are too small to be comfortable anyway.

Now to answer your question, it's not underrated, it's just not popular. But why would you drive a car that every other person has?