We had four extra people visiting who flew in from out of town during our daughter’s high school graduation. As we drive a Honda CR-V and a VW Jetta, both which only seat five people, I was a bit perturbed that we were going to have to drive both vehicles everywhere the week our guests were here.
STI Drive came to my rescue though and loaned us a 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander SE for the week, which just happens to be a vehicle that seats seven people.
This model has the Labrador Black Pearl paint job with a black leather interior. Thankfully it was not too hot yet here in North Texas the week we drove it. I can imagine that it could get a little toasty on the inside in the hot Texas summers. It’s kind of sporty looking, which I liked, our daughter thought it looked like something a spy would drive 😉 .
The 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander SE has a lot of nice features which I’ll get to but I have to share my favorite with you right up front. It’s the automatic function of the back door/tailgate with a push of a button on the key fob. For teenie people like me – this is fantastic. I was trying to put things in the rear area as much as I could, just so I could use it!
Some of the other features that we really appreciated are the One-Touch Start/Stop Engine Switch (you know the kind where you just need to have the key on you and you put your foot on the brake and then just press a button to start the car…love it!) and the auto-headlights (seriously if you’ve ever driven without your headlights on and get honked at by all the other drivers or you’ve drained your car battery by leaving them on you’ll love this feature).
The heated front passenger seats are a nice feature, there would be a few mornings here in the DFW area that they certainly would come in handy, but having spent my entire life in the north prior to moving to Texas last year, think they are a must have feature for those living in cold weather climates 😉 They are also very comfortable to sit in. One of the things that Mitsubishi excels at is the S-AWC (Super All Wheel Control) on this vehicle. This is their advanced full-time four-wheel drive system that provides vehicle stability no matter the weather conditions. While we never had any inclemental weather while driving the Outlander SE it gave me peace of mind knowing that the vehicle had this in case I had to drive in some pouring rain.
The 6.1 inch touchscreen display with a rear camera gives you confidence to pull out of parking spots and driveways knowing you can see the blindspots behind you. One of the other things I liked about the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander SE is that the visibility throughout the windows is really good. I have found on some vehicles that I feel like I can’t see out the side or rear window but had no issues with that on this vehicle.
While I didn’t pair my cell phone to the system it has a FUSE hands-free system, and the Outlander SE has controls for hands free use on the steering wheel for your blue-tooth enabled phone and the volume for the sound system.
The sound system in this upgraded model is pretty sweet y’all. If you like rockin’ to the tunes in your vehicle the 700 Watt Rockford Fosgate Premium stereo system is going to knock your socks off.
An interesting feature included in the SE package is the lane departure warning. Using radar sensors on the vehicle it can tell in certain traffic areas if you are too close to the lane or curb in which you are driving. If you start to drift too close it will annoyingly beep at you so you can correct yourself. I found it extremely handy while driving because with an unfamiliar vehicle it was nice to know when I was in my lane and when I was getting too close to either side of it. It would prove to be a good reminder to those who change lanes without signal lights as well, as the departure warning will not sound if your signal light is on 😉
While we activated this function on accident (must have bumped the console) the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander SE also allows you deactivate the front passenger side airbag. While some may not like that option, as a very petite person of 4’9″ in height, it’s a nice option for our family. Technically I should still be sitting in a ‘booster seat’ at my height and weight and a deployed airbag could potentially be more harmful than helpful in my case. I’m not saying that I would turn it off, it’s just nice that the option is there.
We’ve got some bumpy, uneven roads here in North Texas and we were very pleased with the suspension of the Outlander SE on those roads. It was a smooth ride wherever we drove it.
As for the interior itself, I loved the option of the third row seats in the back. Obviously, because that’s the whole reason we needed the vehicle 😉 There isn’t a ton of space for two extra adults in the back row, but for kids it would be just fine, and in a pinch when you need the extra seating space, like we did, it works.
When you don’t need that third row the seats are easy to put down and it provides for a nice amount of cargo space. Need even more cargo space? Then put the second row of seats down too. If you don’t need the center space for the second row of passenger seating, the back comes down revealing a cup holder. Nice touch.
Considering the upgraded SE touring package options and destination fees are included in the total cost of the model we drove, I think $32,720.00 is a pretty fair value for the vehicle.
To learn more about the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander SE visit their site and build one of your own.
I have to say I'm impressed. It's not only the sleek style and decent size, but it seems Mitsubishi really put a lot of thought into the other details to keep it convenient but under $35K.
I drove a 2012 or 2013 version of this vehicle and I really liked it. I don't remember it having a lane departure warning, which is cool. I didn't find it was good on gas, how was this version on gas?
I can't afford another car right now, but what a beaut! 🙂
I love how roomy it is, perfect for me and the boychild.
Looks very roomy!
Being a second row passenger was great and so was the Slurpee. It was a very quiet ride even on those terrifying Dallas highways!
That looks like a pretty stylish vehicle! I've never driven one but now I want to.
That backseat is just a little too small for my kid.