Is Mitsubishi Outlander SE Dog-Friendly & Adventurous? #DriveMitsubishi

I had a terrierific time test-riding the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander SE.  For a whole week, it was #OzintheOutlander with more car rides than I get in a month.  When we received the Outlander, I immediately noticed the Cosmic Blue color and the sporty, bold design style.  The overall exterior appearance made me glad we decided to take the Outlander on one of our camping adventures.

We like how the Outlander is equipped with an Eco Mode which you can select for additional fuel efficiency.  Eco Mode provides energy saving control to the engine, the air conditioning and the 4 wheel drive system.  When in Eco Mode, acceleration is controlled to be more gentle and the air conditioning output is suppressed though it remains cool in the cabin.

Oz's 6-Point Inspection of Mitsubishi Outlander SE

1.  Interior Space.  The Outlander is quite spacious for a compact crossover.  I found the back seat to be very comfortable and I imagine so would most small, medium and even large dogs. Though it claims seating for 7, we found that the third row would probably be best used for a small/medium sized dog as the legroom is very limited. 

2. Seating and Comfort.  Both Ma and Daddy-dog found the 6-way adjustable driver's seat and the 4-way adjustable front passenger seat comfortable, both having good lumbar support.  The second row reclining back seat, where I spent most of my time buckled in with my car harness, is comfortable as well.  We all agree the road noise in the back seat is louder compared to the front.

Additionally, the air conditioning system is quick to cool off the entire cabin and maintain a very comfortable cabin temperature. 

3. Visibility and Style.  With a well-set driver's seat and large side view mirrors, the Outlander provides excellent visibility on almost every aspect of the vehicle and road.  The dashboard and controls are simple with smooth, stylized lines and are easily readable.  We liked the big touch-screen radio (can also be controlled from a gadget on the steering wheel) which also serves the navigation system.

4. Drive Quality.  The Outlander SE is agile, well handled and an overall smooth ride.  The 4-cylinder engine provided good acceleration for entering the highway.  Within the campground, which is a dirt/gravel road, the ride was still quite smooth and comfortable.

5.  Fuel Economy.  The majority of our travels were on the highway and here in South Florida, that's 65 or 70 MPH speed limits.  The Outlander proved it is excellent on fuel economy as we got an average 30 miles to the gallon.

6. Safety.  These are the most important features for pets and their parents.  All 7 seats in the Outlander have head rests and 3-point seat belts (so your dog car safety harness can be buckled in to any seat) and there are 7 airbags  - 5 in the front and 2 in the second row back seat.  The second row also includes the LATCH child-restraint system (good if you have older versions of the dog safety harness). 

The Outlander is also furnished with a rear back-up camera so you cannot run someone, something or somedog over.  This feature was particularly handy when backing in to our already occupied campsite.

Dog-Friendly and Adventurous Mitsubishi Outlander

We concluded the Mitsubishi Outlander's cargo area, while large enough for suitcases and other road-trip necessities, is not sizeable enough to carry the amount of gear we need for a long camping (glamping) trip.  That said, its fuel economy and spacious, comfortable interior cabin make it well suited for extended road trips.  Overall, the Outlander is a very dog-friendly vehicle with ample room to safely accommodate a small to large dog and their family on their road-tripping adventures. 

Thank you to Mitsubishi for allowing me the opportunity to test-ride the 2015 Outlander SE.  We were pleasantly surprised at how much we enjoyed driving and riding in it.  For more about the Outlander, please visit the Mitsubishi website.