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Mitsubishi Outlander CU. Why? One of the rarest, most exclusive, and sporty cross-overs you can buy for the same money you spend in a weekend at the supermarket, enters the Almostcars arena. Mitsubishi Outlander CU, the car that dynamites your wallet and makes you feel good while throwing money around like those fine musicians throw money at equally fine ladies which do various dance moves with their buttocks.

I wrote in the article about the first Aygo – the official pizza delivery car of the 2010s – that there’s a car for everyone, even for Fifth’s Element Chris Tucker . And then there’s the Mitsubishi Outlander CU – a car only for car enthusiasts. You won’t see regular people driving a Mitsubishi Outlander CU, and it’s even rarer to find one that isn’t tuned or modified.

Launched in 2003 when Mitsubishi and Subaru were making waves in the rally world, the Mitsubishi Airtrek jumps over the pond between America and Europe and transforms into the Mitsubishi Outlander CU. If the Subaru Impreza was competing in a ball-kicking contest with the Mitsubishi Lancer, the Mitsubishi Outlander CU squared off against the Subaru Forester XT, just like bodybuilders fight in locker rooms with wet towels. I say this because both are powerful cars, both come with standard all-wheel drive, both only come with petrol engines and both retired as crossovers in the next generation. Therefore hardly anyone in Europe bought them except for car enthusiasts. All-wheel drive and exclusively petrol engines, these two create a more explosive combination than Kevin Hart and Ricky Gervais. More explosive than PUBG and mental integrity. More explosive than Mountain Dew and Vodka. More explosive than an angry woman who crosses her arms and clenches her lips while listening to you.

Mitsubishi Outlander CU Engines

Petrol

• 2.0 4G63 of 125 horsepower – The starting engine on the Mitsubishi Outlander CU is part of the 4G family, just like the rest of the engines. The simplest, cheapest, most popular, and hardworking engine from our perspective. If you see an Outlander I somewhere in the countryside or climbing a muddy hill, it most likely has the 2.0 gasoline engine.


• 2.4 4G64 of 140 horsepower – More popular on the L200 and in America where petrol costs next to nothing, this engine wasn’t the most popular choice for the Mitsubishi Outlander in Europe. After all, we offer LPG on 0.9 litre engines and we don’t even use them for taxis.


• 2.0 Turbo 4G63 of 201 horsepower – The legendary engine from the Lancer Evolution that caused a ruckus in the rally world. However, that engine develops 240 horsepower while on the Mitsubishi Outlander it has only 201 horsepower to deal with. In an all-wheel-drive SUV.

Mitsubishi Outlander I Common Issues

• First of all, it’s the kind of car that has the looks you either like or you don’t. There’s no middle ground. Personally, I like it, but I know people who would rather stick a blender in their eye and turn it on at maximum speed while tied to a chair and listening to a recording of squeaky nails on a chalkboard.


• Secondly, rear visibility is almost non-existent. Salma Hayek and Sofia Boutella could play “Twister” on the trunk, and you wouldn’t have the slightest idea.


• The petrol engines are more sensitive to fuel and oil than a BMW F10 or a student entering a dorm room for the first time. If you don’t change the oil on time and use cooking oil, you might end up destroying the camshaft. Overall, the Mitsubishi 4G engine has proven to be very reliable. Occasional issues might arise with the O2 sensor and the catalytic converter.


• You don’t need to be a graduate of the School of Life to realize that a 2 litre petrol engine that delivers power to all four wheels won’t achieve impressive fuel economy. But again, for the kind of person who owns a Mitsubishi Outlander CU, fuel consumption doesn’t really matter.

Mitsubishi Outlander CU Verdict

It’s definitely a car for enthusiasts. But what if you know nothing about cars and still end up with one of these? Then you’ll have a family car that’s reliable, fast, and capable on the roads of your countryside, whether they’re paved or not. The only real downsides are the appearance and the poor fuel economy, but you have the rest of the positives. Especially since we have a classic case where you’re buying the car, not the logo. You won’t impress anyone by saying you have a first-generation Outlander. Most people will just ask for a bag, similar to the ones used on airplane seats. But does it really matter what others think, or how you feel behind the wheel of one of the most reliable and powerful cars you can buy for the equivalent of a shelf at a Mega Image?

Which engine do I recommend? The wallet says the naturally aspirated 2.0 of 125 horsepower, the heart says the 2.0 Turbo of 201 horsepower.