Mitsubishi has a good track record in the SUV market and Land Rover has built its brand on SUVs, so how does the new Mitsubishi Outlander fare against the Land Rover Freelander 2?
The Outlander has seven seats compared to the Freelander’s five, but the third row of seats or ‘bench’ in the Outlander is only really suitable for children, as legroom is limited and has been criticized for being uncomfortable. Both compact SUVs have 60/40 split rear seats, but which one has more room? The Outlander has three rows of seats in a 2-3-2 configuration and offers 220 liters of space with all 7 seats up, 541 liters with just five seats up, and 1,691 liters with all but the front seats folded down. The Freelander 2 has a maximum seating capacity of 1,670 with all rear seats folded down and 755 with seats up. Both have impressive maximum capacities, but the Freelander offers more usable space when all five seats are up. A 7-seat Freelander is expected sometime this year, which should add additional versatility to the range.
The Freelander 2 is touted as the cleanest Land Rover ever built, with the new eD4 2.2 diesel engine with start-stop technology producing 158g / km of CO2 and 47.2 miles per gallon. However, this is for the 2WD version, the 4WD model produces 45.6mpg and 165g / km. The Outlander is not far from those numbers, the 2.2-liter diesel engine emits 169 g / km of CO2 and delivers 43.5 miles per gallon. The Outlander’s new diesel engine is also more powerful than that of the Freelanders: it produces 174 hp compared to 150 hp generated by the Freelanders 2.2 diesel.
The Freelander has been criticized in the past for being unreliable and poorly built, but it has been said that the new Freelander 2 feels really solid and handles as well as you’d expect off-road, tackling even the toughest situations with ease, but it’s just as solid. competent on the road. The Outlander apparently handles very well too and is especially agile for a 4×4 thanks to the firm suspension.
So how do they compare the price? The entry-level Freelander S model starts from £ 21,995, while the higher-end Freelander 2 HSE will set you back £ 32,995.00. The Mitsubishi Outlander costs from £ 22,099 for 4WD models and from £ 23,349 for 2WD versions, with the GX4 starting at £ 28,599.
They both look very rugged, but the Land Rover has the upper hand, even with the recent styling update the Outlander is still pretty “bland.” At the moment I am not sure whether I will visit my local Mitsubishi dealership in Somerset or go to my local Land Rover dealership as both have their strengths and their pitfalls.