SINGAPORE – After selling just five cars up to September this year, Mitsubishi is aiming for a comeback. Will cars like the Outlander give the brand a much-needed boost?

What do we have here?
The new Mitsubishi Outlander. Well, it’s not really new because it was updated last year, but it’s new to Singapore, having just been launched here.

Wait, Mitsubishi is still around? I thought it was, you know, deceased…
Of course it’s still around! The brand has been more like asleep than dead. Local importer Cycle & Carriage fobbed off the retail of the cars to a dealership for four years, but has just opened a spanking new showroom to mount a comeback with the brand.

How’s that going?
Well, in the first nine months of the year, a rather sad number of five (yes, five) Mitsubishis were registered here. At the first weekend of the relaunch, C&C sold 20.

Not bad. Mostly Outlanders?
Good guess. It’s been the top-seller, and is something of a flagship for Mitsubishi here. It’s relatively big with a 2.4-litre engine, but it has seven seats, which always seems to catch the eye of Singapore buyers.

So it’s an MPV?
Actually, no. As you can tell from the chunky looks, the Outlander is a Sports Utility Vehicle. It’s tall, there’s a selectable all-wheel drive system, so you’re expected to take it off the road now and then. This also means it’s not as spacious inside as a proper box-on-wheels type of MPV.

Is it one of those cars with two comedy chairs in the back, then?
Well, if you ask us, if you’re shorter than 1.7m then you can occupy the third-row chairs without having your hair restyled by the ceiling. It’s a bit of climb and a squeeze to get back there, but the seats do feel like proper chairs. It helps that the middle row can slide back and forth by 250mm and can be reclined or made more upright.

So it’s an MPV-killer?
Not quite, but close. The air-con system is pretty powerful, but there are no rear vents. And the boot space is nearly non-existent when you use all seven seats. Otherwise it’s pretty versatile. There are deep storage bins in the cabin, and you can fold the second and third row of chairs to make a large, flat cargo area.

Mind you, you’ll need two hands to do it. But at least the tailgate is electric.

And at least the shape isn’t as dull as an MPV’s.
True, that. The facelift brought silver skid plates, black wheelarches and a new grille with what Mitsubishi calls a ‘twin blade’ design. Then there are LED taillamps and silver roof rails. It’s pretty sporty inside, with a dashboard that curves around the driver. And notice the gearchange paddles…

Ooh, very racy. Are they there for show?
Well, yes and no. The Outlander feels lazy from standstill, but once you’re rolling along it’s actually pretty responsive. The CVT (or Continuously Variable Transmission) makes the acceleration smooth, but when you drive hard it feels better to use the paddles to mimic a six-speed semi-auto. But the engine can get noisy when worked up, so you tend to go gently in the Outlander to keep your journey hushed.

Sounds sedate.

Mostly. It’s actually very good in city traffic, where the tall height gives you a good view out and the speeds are low. But when you push hard on a twisty road the body can lurch through the bends, so the suspension seems tuned for comfort and quietness. It’s not so much that it’s a sedate car, and it’s more like the Outlander is at its most pleasant when driven sedately.

I know what it is, then: a family car in an SUV’s body.
Bingo. There are seven airbags, after all. It’s also a bit of an executive car. There’s a fairly nifty touchscreen satnav entertainment system, a glass sunroof to let light pour into the cabin, and gadgets like keyless entry and engine starting, along with auto headlights and wipers. It won’t park itself, but there’s a reverse camera.

But don’t SUVs wallop fuel?

This one is decently restrained at the pumps. On one non-expressway drive we got 8.8L/100km, but things get worse in rush hour traffic, of course. There’s a 4WD Eco mode that apparently helps to save fuel, and engaging that is the only thing you’ll use the big ‘4WD’ button for. Still, call us if you somehow manage to achieve the 7.8L/100km claim. There will be applause.

Actually I would clap for anyone who managed to meet any fuel economy claim for any car!

Exactly. But if fuel bills worry you, you might as well check out the turbodiesel version of the Kia Sorento. It should be cheaper to fill up, and it’s a bigger car, especially in the rear. There’s an all-new one due in Singapore in 2015, though.

What else is out there?
The Nissan X-Trail is another SUV with seven seats, and it’s Japanese as well, in case you’re somehow wary of Korean engineering.

I’m not but some people are. But it’s nice to see Japanese models proliferating in our market.
I’ll say. And there’s an appetite for them, too. Since that first week, Mitsubishi’s relaunch seems to have been gathering steam. We hear that roughly 70 Outlanders have found buyers so far, and that shows a couple of things.

Like what?
Like Mitsubishi is back. And people have been waiting.

NEED TO KNOW
Engine                           2360cc, 16V, GDI in-line 4
Power          
;                  165bhp at 6000rpm
Torque                           222Nm at 4100rpm
Gearbox                         CVT
Top Speed                      195km/h
0-100kmh                      11.2 seconds                                  
Fuel efficiency                 7.8L/100km
CO2                               186g/km
Price                               $149,999 with COE
Availability                       Now