2007 Mitsubishi Outlander

Introduced as a 2003 model, the first-gen Outlander came to market with an anemic 140-horse four-cylinder engine (upped to 160 the following year) and a body that could best be described as inoffensive. No surprise, it set the world on fire like a box of wet matches, with sales in the U.S. peaking at just over 34,000 in 2003 and falling below 12,000 in 2005. For the Outlander, a big boost was in order.

Throttle into the 2007 model's 220-horsepower V-6, and it's evident Mitsubishi has injected that boost. Paired with a six-speed automatic with manual shifting and available steering-wheel-mounted magnesium paddle shifters, the new 3.0-liter, replete with MIVEC variable valve timing, is a refined, robust unit whose 204 pound-feet of torque--of which 90 percent is available at 2000 rpm--brings newfound vigor. Of course, there's a lot more to a vehicle than simply its engine, and Mitsu's sport/ute has it in spades.

For starters, the new Japan-built Outlander is handsome, decidedly dashing next to its predecessor. Whereas the first-generation bore a tall-wagon look, a la the Subaru Forester, the new Outlander has an air that's all SUV, enhanced with such luxury cues as standard LED taillamps and available Xenon headlamps and 18-inch wheels. Based on Mitsu's new C-segment platform, which will be used by the upcoming Lancer, this Outlander is nearly four inches longer, over an inch wider, and rides on a wheelbase stretched almost two inches; thus, interior volume has increased by nearly four cubic feet and second-row legroom is up by 4.1 inches.

Interior quality is premium and the design contemporary, with modern options including a 30-gigabyte hard-drive-based nav, rear-seat DVD entertainment, and a 650-watt Rockford-Fosgate stereo. Front, side, and side-curtain airbags are neatly tucked away. Topline XLS versions even come standard with a kid-friendly fold-flat third-row seat--to battle the RAV4, no doubt.

Speaking of the RAV4, the Outlander can't equal the Toyota's available 269-horsepower V-6, but the Mitsu's six-speed tranny and available paddle shifters better the RAV's five-speed. Based on our drive in preproduction vehicles at Mitsubishi's proving grounds in Okazaki, Japan, the new Outlander can easily hang with the best in its class.

Thanks to a buffer body--torsional and flexural rigidity are up 18 and 39 percent, respectively--a newly developed front strut and rear multilink suspension, and an aluminum roof that lowers the center of gravity, the Outlander delivers excellent balance through high-speed maneuvers, especially when equipped with Mitsu's new All-Wheel Control system. AWC, available on both LS and XLS trims, utilizes a console-mounted rotary knob to switch between three drive modes--2WD, 4WD Auto, and 4WD Lock. In 2WD, no torque is applied via the electronically controlled transfer clutch, thus improving fuel economy; in 4WD Auto, torque is routed front to rear as surface conditions dictate; and in 4WD Lock, roughly 1.5 times the torque of 4WD Auto can be transferred to the rear wheels. Regardless of mode, AWC works seamlessly with Outlander's traction- and stability-control.

Seeing that the Outlander is now a legitimate contender, and that a well-equipped 2WD LS should start around $22,000, reestablishing the brand may not be so difficult after all.