The Civic Type-R and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. Two very fast cars with legendary status. Except that ‘punks’ drive the Type-R around London, Pakistanis do their thing in Evos. Technically though, things are far more different. The Type-R was designed to burn the streets and occasionally fry more exotic stuff on track days. The Evo was designed to do all that and forge its way through forests, lay bare vast tracts of land and, er, help Mitsubishi get out of their recall mess. It’s a rally bred four-door saloon then that generally doesn’t cross swords with the Civic. Except now. No, we aren’t sleep-talking, but under the two crossovers you see here, there is a lot of commonality with their sedan brethren. Both the CR-V and Outlander are based on the same platform as the Civic and Evo. But then again, there are some differences. One is a proper road-centric crossover, the other has four-wheel drive gear with lockable diffs. Street cred vs rally bred? It doesn’t get any better than this.
DESIGN
While the Evo is loud visually, the Outlander is more sober. Not that it appears discreet, but in a while, it’ll appear like just another SUV. Nevertheless it’s robust and sharp in its appearance with the right amount of tones and bulges – take the crease that runs along the centre of the bonnet or the inverted air-dam on the grille, for instance. The Outlander appears taller and narrower, somewhat accentuated by the narrow track. The slab-sidedness becomes pronounced in profile, though the D-pillar integration is a smart touch. It’s not known to many, but the Outlander is sold as a seven-seater in some markets, hence the slightly MPV-ish greenhouse. The large wheel arches and smaller wheels do leave some air for imagination if fitting larger wheels and tyres is on your agenda. The tail lamps do seem aftermarket to most and the only smart touch is the two-piece tailgate that makes loading a breeze. How does it compare with the CR-V?: The CR-V, like the Type R, has presence. Its unconventional looks and coupe-like greenhouse mark its soft-roader pedigree. We still can’t get over the cleft-mouth grille-bonnet combination, but it’s a matter of personal taste. One thing is for sure, it will stand out even when other SUVs come and go.
INTERIOR & COMFORT
Space is at a slight premium in the Outlander. Designed to be a seven-seater, it skimps on crucial legroom. When compared to some of the competition, it feels like premium money for a smaller portion of real estate. Where the Outlander covers ground well is with the driver and passenger seats that offer good support, though there’s no way of adjusting lumbar support. Most, however, will like the seat warmers whose buttons are conveniently tucked away on either side of the handbrake.Mitsubishi interiors traditionally have stuck to good old black, and with the Outlander, the tradition continues. It’s a simple layout with not too many knobs and buttons to fiddle around with. The centre console has a pseudo carbon-fibre look with soft inserts. It isn’t the best of solutions, given the tendency of such surfaces to catch dust and grime rather easily. The rotary knobs for the air-conditioning unit are slightly plasticky, while the volume and track controls for the stereo a bit fiddly. Some of the plastic is of the hard and slightly poor finished variety, though on the whole it’s still fairly well put together. The Rockford Fosgate sound system is probably one of the best in the market, with a deep resounding bass and thump that will appeal to potential customers in this segment.
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