Mitsubishi Outlander (2012) Review

Mitsubishi Outlander (2012) At A Glance

Easy to drive. Most variants have seven seats. Economical diesel engines. Large and practical boot. Five star Euro NCAP rating.

Interior isn't as plush as rivals.

Real MPG average for a Mitsubishi Outlander (2012)

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

Satisfaction Index

Reviews for Mitsubishi Outlander (2012)'s top 3 rivals

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Easy to drive. All-wheel drive as standard. Well-equipped. Capable tow car. Seven seats. Five star Euro...

SEAT Ateca

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Nissan X-Trail

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Ask Honest John

What hybrid should I replace my Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV with?

"I have a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. I have been happy with it, with the exception of the battery mileage - which dropped from 30 to 24miles within 2 years. I would like another hybrid. What would you recommend?"

The plug-in hybrid market has grown considerably since you bought your Outlander, so there are quite a few good replacements available. We'd recommend the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid or the new Toyota RAV4 Plug-in. You could consider upmarket alternatives like the Volvo XC40 Recharge PHEV, too.

Answered by Andrew Brady

We paid for a reconditioned engine and now the turbo has failed - where do we stand?

"I went to a specialist garage that charged us close to £4600 for a reconditioned engine replacement job for my Mitsubishi Outlander. With this we also received a three month/3000 mile warranty. There is now a whining sound every time I accelerate. The mechanic at the specialist garage confirms that its the turbo. I asked if the turbo would be covered in the warranty and he said no it wouldn't. He also said that there may have been a possibility that when the piston damaged the engine block it could have affected the turbo. The mechanic is now saying including labour to install a new turbo it will cost around £1000. Is this right? Should I even be thinking about paying for this?"

They didn't replace the turbo when they rebuilt the engine and your bill did not include a replacement turbo. But there may be a simple reason for the turbo whine. The turbo bearing has an oil feed and oil return pipe. Any blockage in those (usually carbon from switching off when the engine is too hot) will reduce the oil supply to the turbo bearing, as would failing to re-install the pipes correctly. So, first thing, have fresh turbo bearing oil feed and oil return pipes fitted. If that doesn't solve the problem and you need a new turbo, you needed the new oil pipes anyway.

Answered by Honest John

Do I have any recourse against Jaguar Land Rover for the EGR failure in my 2013 Evoque?

"My 2013 Range Rover Evoque was in for a service a month ago. During the service they reported that there was a coolant leak. This was confirmed to be coming from the EGR cooler and this will require both the EGR and cooler replacing at a cost of £925. I have researched the issue on the internet and note that a significant number of JLR customers have reported issues across the range with EGR failures. I wrote to JLR to complain that this was a widespread issue and was surprised that this was not being covered on a recall. They have eventually responded and after going back and forth they have offered a gesture of goodwill of 50 per cent towards the cost as my vehicle was four years old and now out of warranty. My response was that this was a fault in manufacture and I shouldn't be having to pay for something that is clearly not a one off fail. They said they would review it again but have just come back with the same offer. A concern is that I could be looking at a similar bill in a few years time when the new parts fail again. Do I have any other course of action?"

This is a PSA/Ford engine, not a JLR engine, and I have not seen a massive number of other complaints over other vehicles fitted with it. One previous report in the Evoque suggests that the problem may be the way it is installed in the car: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/land-rover/range-rover-evoque-2011/?section=good/ Only one report of an EGR failure in the Freelander II with the same engine: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/land-rover/freelander-2-2006/?section=good/ None reported in Discovery Sport, Outlander, 4007 or C Crosser with the same engine.

Answered by Honest John

Mitsubishi Outlander turbo whine

"When I start my Mitsubishi Outlander from cold I get a whining noise that increases on acceleration and decreases when I slow down. It sounds like wind whistling through the trees. After 2/3 miles it stops. I think it may be a turbo whine. The manufacturer's guarantee runs out next year. Does this sound like a problem to you and should the supplying garage be informed?"

Yes, it is almost certainly turbo whine. Might be because the turbo bearing is not getting enough oil and, if so, that will be because the turbo bearing oil feed and oil return pipes are partly blocked with carbon from the engine having been switched off too many times when the turbo was too hot. Should have been idled for a minute or two.

Answered by Honest John

On the inside of an Mitsubishi Outlander (2012)

• Boot space is 128–913 litres
• Euro NCAP rating of five stars

The cabin of the Outlander is neatly laid out and feels very well screwed together, but it lacks panache. Spartan though it may be, it’s certainly comfortable, with plenty of legroom and headroom for front and rear seat passengers. The seating position is high up and commanding, while huge door mirrors give a good view back, making the Outlander confidence inspiring to drive despite its size.

All models, with the exception of the entry level GX2, come with seven seats as standard and the rearmost pair are surprisingly useful and very easy to fold up and down. They are easily capable of seating a child even when the middle row is occupied with adults. When the back two seats aren’t in use they fold flat into the boot floor, giving a sizeable 591 litres of load space. The load deck is flat, but it is quite high for loading heavy items.

Mitsubishi supplies a flimsy, annoyingly tricky-to-use load cover but when not in use, it does stow neatly under the boot floor. For those who carry large items the middle row folds completely flat, giving a usefully large 913 litres in seven-seater models or 1022 litres in five-seat GX2 versions.  It’s a bit of a fiddle to drop the seats flat first time around, but once you figure it out it's not a problem.

Standard equipment is good enough. Entry level models get an audio system with aux/USB-in, along with cruise control, electric windows, keyless entry and climate control. Moving to a higher trim level adds extras like satellite navigation, leather upholstery, heated seats, a power tailgate and a reversing camera.

Standard Equipment:

GX2 models come with lockable all-wheel drive, five seats, 16-inch steel wheels, daytime running lights, keyless entry, iPod/USB/AUX connection, six-speaker audio system, climate control and electric windows.

GX3 trim adds additional row of two, fold out seats, plus 18-inch alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, folding, heated door mirrors, auto wipers, Bluetooth, leather gearknob and steering wheel, dua-zone climate control, underfloor storage in boot and parking sensors.

GX5 adds a sunroof, reversing camera, electrically operated tailgate, keyless start, HiD lights with washers, DAB radio, satellite navigation, leather seat trim, electrically adjustable driver’s seat and heated front seats.

Child seats that fit a Mitsubishi Outlander (2012)

Our unique Car Seat Chooser shows you which child car seats will fit this car and which seat positions that they will fit, so that you don't have to check every car seat manufacturer's website for compatibility.

Which car seat will suit you?

Driving Mitsubishi Outlander (2012)

• Engines range from 2.0 to 2.2 DI-D Automatic
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 30–50 mpg

The Mitsubishi Outlander is available as a PHEV plug-in hybrid which is covered in its own review. The only other engine offered is a 2.2-litre diesel with 149PS. Peak torque is 380Nm and it comes it nice and low down the rev range at 1750rpm, making the Outlander a flexible and easy-to-drive car.

The power is delivered smoothly and the gear change is slick and precise. The automatic option is reasonably smooth although it can hang on to gears a little when accelerating hard. But it’s a smart transmission, adapting to your driving style over time and changing shift patterns to suit.  Once up to speed it’s easy to amble along without too much effort thanks to the torque output, so for A-roads and motorways the Outlander is ideal.

The Outlander feels quite heavy though despite its light power steering. Indeed there is a noticeable amount of body roll, although that doesn’t translate to a lack of grip. The Outlander is safe, planted and secure and all models come with all-wheel drive, which helpa in wet weather or snow. It's also capable in tougher off-road situations thanks to a low-range gearbox setting and selectable differential lock. Paired with a braked tow-weight rating of 2000kg that makes the Outlander a good choice of tow car, whether for horse boxes, caravans or trailers.

Rough roads are taken care of with fairly comfortable suspension. It’s not the very last word in smooth serenity but it’s not bad at all over potholes or speed bumps. The Outlander is big, so town drivers might struggle, but a high-up driving position makes visibility good and a reversing camera helps out with tight parking spaces if you choose a GX4 or GX5 model.

Emissions and economy depend on the trim level and transmission. The higher trim levels are heavier and so emit more CO2 and consume more fuel, but figures are reasonable across the board. Emissions range from 138-153g/km and economy ranges from 53.2mpg for the GX2 manual to 48.7mpg for the GX5 auto. Unusually those figures are reasonably accurate and can be achieved in real world driving.

Mitsubishi Outlander (2012) Models and Specs

Currently on sale

On sale until November 2019

On sale until November 2018

On sale until October 2018

On sale until April 2017

On sale until October 2015

On sale until September 2014

Good

Bad

What to watch out for

Recalls

Model History

• March 2012: Third generation Outlander unveiled at Geneva Motor Show
• August 2018: Outlander 2.0-litre petrol launched
• January 2019: Mitsubishi Outlander Black Edition on sale now
• October 2019: Mitsubishi Outlander Petrol updated