Mitsubishi is blending experience with enterprise as it launches the new Outlander and Shogun.
Both employ proven all-wheel-drive technology and deliver them with added refinement and sophistication into an increasingly demanding marketplace.
Mitsubishi is also taking the opportunity to challenge concepts that these model types are unnecessary and heavily polluting and say they offer greater safety and can be potentially less polluting than a small two-seater sports car.
The New Mitsubishi Outlander
With Britain's conventional SUV market realigning itself towards more medium and larger models, the Outlander has a smaller footprint than many medium sized cars and its on-demand all-wheel drive makes it more economical and cleaner than full-time AWD models.
Used to its seven-seat capacity, CO2 emissions per passenger equate to just 26gkm and in five-seat use its 36.4gkm compared to the best hybrid's 21gkm or the closest SUV at 35gkm.
Lance Bradley, Sales & Marketing Director of Mitsubishi Motors UK, said the death of the 4x4 was greatly exaggerated and forecasts were for further growth. Latest figures show it was the small SUV1 sector that had declined 17% with the SUV2 down 8%c although the large SUV3 sector had grown over 4%.
'The figures are misleading because in each of the sectors where registrations have declined, the major players have been on run-out models and we will be seeing new models introduced which will increase demand,' he said.
This would be revealed when the SUV2 sector alone is expected to increase 35% across Europe after rising 54% in five years.
'SUV2 has been growing dramatically since 2002 and we believe it will continue to grow and even the forecasts may be conservative once the new models are all available,' he added.
'This is not a segment in trouble but one where there are a lot of changes going on at the moment.'
He said the figures also showed that demand for the bigger 4x4s was rising because buyers valued their room and additional safety and claimed the majority of Shogun buyers actually used their vehicles for heavy towing or regularly drive off-road.
'Across the SUV market as a whole, people are buying bigger models to fulfil their needs,' he said.
Going on sale 1 March, the Mitsubishi Outlander has been developed in conjunction with DaimlerChrysler but its 138bhp 2.0 DI-D engine comes from Volkswagen.
Later we will see a 154bhp 2.2 TD from PSA Peugeot Citroen and a 168bhp 2.4 petrol with six-speed CVT as standard from DaimlerChrysler and Hyundai. Maximum speed is 116mph and 0-62mph takes around 10.8secs while combined fuel consumption is between 41 and 43mpg depending on trim.
The five-door bodystyle includes a split-level tailgate for ease of access and it has quick-folding passenger seats which mean its nominal 541 litres can be gradually increased to nearly 1,700 litres.
With a six-speed manual gearbox there is selectable 2WD, 4WD and fully locked 4WD and sophisticated traction and braking controls with Macpherson front struts and multi-link rear suspension.
It has been optimised for good on-road handling with useful off-road and towing capability. Depending on trim level, the ground clearance is 17.8cms to 20.5cms and it will tow up to two tonne.
Standard Equippe specification includes powered windows and mirrors, CD/MP3 player and air conditioning while the 60% of buyers who will choose the mid-range Warrior will also get third row of seats, privacy glass, bigger wheels, cruise control, hands-free phone kit and additional airbags as well as front fog lamps and body kit.
The top Elegance models anticipated for about a third of sales come with electric heated leather seats and an extremely powerful sound system and 30GB hard disk drive satellite navigation and music server capable of holding hundreds of tracks and playing in five modes.
Mitsubishi forecast selling 5,600 Outlanders in a full year, some 10% of the segment, and across Europe the SUV2 sector is anticipated to grow a further 35% over the next two years.
On road, the Outlander Elegance proved a little slow to get going but once the turbocharger was spinning the acceleration picked up smartly, the engine was quiet and the gearchange easy while the ride was smooth. It was also roomy and had good access and visibility.
Over a short but nevertheless demanding test route alongside the Army on Salisbury Plain, the Outlander acquitted itself very well and was hardly limited by its ground clearance or overhangs.
Mode selection is simply through a console switch and it takes all the effort out of poor surface driving.
The Mitsubishi Outlander is comfortable but also surprisingly capable.
