Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Built for the Road and Beyond

The Outlander Sport is just a little larger than my sedan but it featured a couple things we needed on our trip: 4 Wheel Drive and mirrors that will turn in. We don’t tend to camp at campgrounds where everything is groomed and well maintained. We like to camp off the beaten track. Where the roads may only be created by the Off Road Vehicles, Check for Best Off Road VehiclesTires where trees are in close and we might encounter sand traps. It’s not that camp grounds aren’t nice – but you can really experience nature and the disconnect from technology.

With all of that in mind we wanted to make sure we could get through the worst if we experienced it. Four wheel drive was an essential for our trip, and neither of our cars would have made the trip. When the car was delivered I had been given instructions by my boyfriend to not let the representative leave until I knew how to put the car into 4 Wheel Drive. Luckily as I sat in the Mitusbishi the first thing I saw next to the drivers seat was a large button marked 4WD. To engage the 4 wheel drive you simply click the button once, a second push of the button will lock the vehicle into 4 wheel drive. You can easily switch from from a 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive quickly and only use it when you want to.

Besides the ease of use of the 4 wheel drive, the Outlander also has all of the other luxuries at the reach of your hand. The steering wheel has hands free calling, radio control, satellite radio control and even cruise control. Unlike other hands free control layouts the phone buttons weren’t in a place that I would accidentally hit and call random people while drive.

While it wasn’t something we requested in the Outlander, it provided ample leg room – and since we’re both tall that was an awesome feature. It made sure we were comfortable while we were making our way through the state. While the Outlander looks small it will comfortably fit five passengers and luggage. With only two passengers, our camping gear fit easily.

We took the Outlander through the woods, through many cities and even through Christmas. It took us to parts of our own state we never saw, and through experiences. Have you ever seen an Iron Ore Dock before? We hadn’t! Besides the beautify of Lake Superior it was an amazing sight to see the dock standing by itself in the water.

The space, layout and of the Outlander was a wonderful car for the trip. It got us through the worst sand traps, through some rough roads and over some large mountainous roads – yes, in Michigan! The only thing we wished the Outlander had was a six cylinder engine. She powered through the worst we could put her through, but when we tried to accelerate to get up to highway speeds the car seemed to fight a little. This may be a personal preference, but after having a six cylinder for almost ten years you get use to the power that it provides. After adjusting to the power difference the Outlander still was the perfect car for the trip and was able to take us through our state with ease.

One of our favorite features of the Outlander was completely a cosmetic feature. From above the driver all the way back to the the passenger seat is a large skylight. Not only is it seamless, but it is lit by a trackway of LED lights. At night, during storms and through the woods you can get a beautiful seamless view of your surroundings.

Overall we took the Outlander over 1700 miles in Michigan and it took us to the highest part of the state – Mt. Arvon, Michigan’s only Mountain. It made it through an hour of two track mountain roads. It took us to the most northern point of Lake Michigan and even to our favorite camp sites. It was just what we needed for our adventure in the UP.