Thereâs been an overwhelming stampede in the direction of SUVs of late, the majority of that stampede heading in the direction of the smaller examples of the breed. Take a look at our story about initial Mazda CX-3 sales if you need further proof of that exploding segment.
That rush has left the medium SUV segment in a something of a no manâs land. Not as small as the major players, and even though the medium SUVs are bigger now than they ever were, they arenât quite big enough to entice buyers who need a properly large vehicle for the family. Despite those factors, these two vehicles on test here â" the 2015 Subaru Forester and 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander â" still manage to make a strong case.
Thatâs even more apparent when you factor in the Forester being available (finally) with an automatic transmission to match the diesel boxer engine. Thereâs no doubt the automatic/diesel pairing has been a long time coming and the Subaru faithful have wanted one for just as long.
The Foresterâs success in rural areas where owners cover longer distances makes it a walk up start for a diesel engine too. While the Forester has been a favourite of the segment for some time now, the Outlander is the one thatâs had a diesel engine option for longer, so itâs tough to argue which is the pretender to the crown.
Interestingly, the Forester has always been praised for its sporting pretensions in a segment otherwise devoid of performance prowess. Things have changed though and the Forester has grown up, matured, maybe even softened a bit in the process, and now targets exactly the same buyer as the Outlander.
Both vehicles on test here have their strong points though, so letâs put them head to head.
Pricing
On test, we have the top variant of the Forester diesel (in a two-variant spread), which is referred to as the 2.0D-S Auto. Pricing for this model starts at $41,490, before the array of on-road costs and the only option fitted to our test car is the Subaru mat set, costing $168.00. A reverse camera is standard across the full Subaru Forester range.
You can read our Subaru Forester Pricing and Specification story here.
The Outlander on the other hand, isnât quite at the top of the range. We have the second from top 4WD XLS DiD, with pricing starting from $39,490. The only option for our test vehicle is metallic paint costing $550.00.
You can read our Mitsubishi Outlander Pricing and Specification story here.
In the cabin
As we noted at our initial launch drive, there is absolutely no doubt the new Forester represents a genuine step forward inside the cabin compared to the model it replaces. Trimmed in leather, the top spec 2.0D-S model delivers a premium feel behind the wheel that the old model could never deliver.
The HVAC vent surrounds have been redesigned, although we didnât love the brushed alloy trim used throughout the cabin. It doesnât look cheap though, itâs more a design preference. Taste aside, the basic dash design and finish is more appealing than it was.
The centre console is likewise more attractively designed than it was and itâs easy for newcomers to decipher the location of the main controls without too much familiarisation. The Forester has a more basic look and feel than the segment leaders, but thatâs not necessarily a bad thing either. I appreciated the utilitarian nature of the controls and switchgear during my time behind the wheel.
Forward visibility has always been a Forester strong point and itâs an easy SUV to pilot around town. This segment makes a lot of sense around the city when the interior space is proportionately larger than the external physical size of the vehicle and the Forester is a winner in that department.
The Forester is comfortable in the front and second rows regardless of how tall you are and while itâs not quite as spacious as the Outlander, Forester still has more than enough room for the average family or conversely four or five adults. It retains that signature Forester âtough as nailsâ feel that leaves you in no doubt it can take the abuse a family will throw its way over the longer term â" another reason rural buyers have always loved Forester.
The leather-trimmed seats are comfortable, even when youâve spent a fair amount of time behind the wheel, and even the second row is comfortable with a squab thatâs deep enough for longer legs and a backrest thatâs not too upright.
Foresterâs luggage area is wide â" meaning loading and unloading is easy â" and itâs not compromised by the mechanics of a third row sucking up valuable space either. With the second row in position, Forester has 422 litres of storage space. Fold the second row down, and that grows to 1474 litres. Forester has always been a favourite with surfers, bicycle riders and people into sports thanks to the flexible luggage space.
In the cabin, the Outlander achieves an immediate win with seven seats as standard equipment on this model. The third row wonât accommodate fully-grown adults in comfort, but itâs a feature the Forester doesnât have nonetheless. The second row will however, accommodate three adults if need be. The Outlander feels a little larger everywhere than the Forester and itâs evident most when youâre in the cabin.
The Outlander on test here doesnât get leather seats, but that doesnât mean it canât compete with the leather-accented cabin of the Forester. The Outlanderâs material trim looks to be hard wearing, itâs comfortable and never feels too hot or too cold like some synthetic materials can. Some buyers will prefer leather, but the model above this one that features leather trim, costs an extra five grand for that privilege.
With the third row in the up position, you get 128 litres of storage space. That grows to 477 litres with that third row down, and right out to 1608 litres with the second row folded down.
Infotainment
Pairing your phone with the Foresterâs Bluetooth system is easy enough, and once paired, the connection is clear and concise. Audio streaming worked well too. The screen measures in at seven inches and features pinch, swipe and zoom in/zoom out functionality much like a tablet or iDevice. While those features work well enough, Iâm not sure they are something youâll use too much in a vehicle, especially on the move if you need to make a quick adjustment to the mapping for example.
When we ventured off-road, we did use the pinch functionality to zoom in and out of the map to take a closer look at where we were headed in the national park. That said, we were stationary at the time and the system was responsive.
The screen is clear on the move and in any light as well, and the image from the reverse camera was also crystal clear. We used the reverse camera quite a bit off-road too â" it comes in handy when you need to make any tight moves on narrow tracks.
With all that said, thereâs still something about the Foresterâs infotainment system that doesnât seem right up to date with the segment leaders. If we take CX-5 as the standard-setter in this regard, the Foresterâs system is harder to use, less intuitive, and not as premium feeling. Itâs certainly better than any Forester before it, but itâs not as impressive as the best in the segment. Thereâs nothing especially glaring thatâs wrong with the Subaru system, it just isnât as accomplished as it could be.
The Mitsubishi is likewise in this segment, behind the pace. The system is controlled via a 6.1-inch colour touchscreen, which is clear enough and legible, but somewhat old in appearance, especially the graphics.
Pairing your phone via Bluetooth is needlessly complex and not especially easy to work out either. Once paired though, call clarity was excellent and audio streaming worked well too. Like the Forester, the Outlanderâs system does what it needs to and itâs reliable enough, it just isnât premium enough or well thought out enough to really take it up the segment leaders.
The Outlanderâs reverse camera screen is clear and wide enough to be genuinely useful. Around town, youâll appreciate being able to manoeuvre into and out of tight parking spots using the camera.
Under the bonnet
For the first time, the Forester is available with a diesel engine and automatic transmission. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged boxer diesel has been around for some time now, but previously it was only matched to an (excellent) manual gearbox. Paired here to a CVT (with manual mode), the oiler chugs out 108kW of power at 3600rpm and 350Nm of torque between 1600rpm-2400rpm.
Subaru quotes a 0-100km/h time of 9.9 seconds and the ADR fuel claim is 6.4L/100km on the combined cycle. On test, we covered just over 300km and saw an indicated average of 8.6L/100km. The comparatively small 60-litre fuel tank still gives the Forester a whopping touring range, with a theoretical 800km between stops based on our average consumption. As tested, the Subaru Forester weighs in at 1667kg.
Drive these two back to back and thereâs no doubt the Forster is the punchier of the two turbo diesels on test. Off the mark, thereâs virtually no lag whatsoever and the Forester feels much more inclined to get up to speed rapidly than the Outlander. Where the Forster encourages you to shoot into gaps and across traffic gaps into side streets, the Outlander is a more relaxed cruiser, which takes some time to get moving. Roll on acceleration however, sees a slight advantage go to the Outlander.
The Subaru diesel remains the only boxer diesel engine in use and itâs a flexible unit regardless of road speed. Itâs matched perfectly to the CVT as well, one rare example of an otherwise soulless gearbox working beautifully. Thereâs none of the fizzing or buzzing weâve found with other CVTs â" a refreshing change for a transmission Iâd usually run a million miles from. CVTs state their case when it comes to efficiency, but for the most part, if you love driving, you wonât love a CVT.
As the engine revs rise to the short redline, thereâs nothing in the way of nasty noises entering the cabin either. The theoretical âstepsâ within the transmission give back some of the conventional gearing feel, and itâs refreshing not to be assaulted by the sound youâd usually associate with a slipping clutch.
At start up, just like we noticed at launch, thereâs very little diesel chatter or vibration as the boxer settles into an idle. As the revs rise, the insulation thatâs been added to the engine and transmission is apparent, namely due to the lack of noise entering the cabin. At 100km/h on coarse chip country roads, the Forester is impressively refined and quiet.
The Outlander is also powered by a refined diesel engine. Where Subaru has opted for a CVT, Mitsubishi has retained a conventional six-speed automatic, which according to the company is better equipped to handle the dieselâs torque.
As youâd expect, the Outlanderâs slightly larger 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine trumps the Foresterâs in both power and torque outputs, although not by much. The Mitsubishi engine makes 110kW of power at 3500rpm and 360Nm of torque between 1500rpm-2750rpm.
The Outlanderâs ADR fuel claim is 6.2L/100km. Like the Forester, we covered the same 300km plus in the Outlander and our indicated return was 8.0L/100km. The real world fuel figures back up the ADR claims, which show the Outlander as being more frugal and like the Forester, a 60-litre fuel tank means thereâs a lengthy theoretical touring range for owners covering long distances. As tested, the Outlander weighs 1630kg.
Buyers who enjoy their driving will appreciate the choice of a standard automatic by Mitsubishi despite the Foresterâs CVT being so accomplished. The Outlanderâs diesel engine is also quiet at startup and once settled into idle.
The gearbox shifts precisely regardless of how hard youâre working the engine and the ratios work well with the broad torque spread. Where the Forester is more rapid off the mark, the Outlander gets up to speed more gently, but retains plenty of punch once there. Thereâs a level of refinement under the Mitsubishiâs bonnet, that leaves me in no doubt youâd be smart to opt for the diesel if you cover plenty of kilometres commuting in the course of a year.
Ride and Handling
A few CarAdvice testers commented that the Foresterâs ride is a little on the firm side on harsh urban roads, and that seems to be the result of the balance Subaru has taken between comfort and outright handling ability.
Shod with Bridgestone 225/55/R18 tyres, the Forester is capable of hooking into a corner with the exact amount of ability you expect given the brandâs performance heritage. You might never desire to drive your diesel Forester so enthusiastically, but itâs reassuring to know you can.
Around town, I found the Forester to be firm without ever being uncomfortable. Itâs an interesting balancing act in this segment. Subaru has a proud sporting heritage and the company feels the need to maintain that heritage to a certain degree with Forester even if that means sacrificing a small element of outright comfort. The company could soften out the Foresterâs ride and make it more compliant, but it wouldnât handle as well or be as assured at higher speeds through the bends.
While I agree with some of my fellow testers that the suspension tune is on the firm side, itâs only noticeable on consistently poor surfaces. The bigger and more bloated an SUV gets, the less engaging it is to drive too, and we wouldnât want the Forester to head down that road.
Offroad, and onto some forest trails for our photo shoot, the Forester continues to impress in a handling sense. Corrugated dirt is dispatched without the Forester ever feeling loose or uncertain. You can fire it into and out of slippery, scrabbly corners with surety and the AWD system ensures thereâs plenty of grip at all times.
Thereâs a reason rural buyers have loved the Forester for years. Wet roads, dirt tracks between towns, and plenty of mud are no match for the Foresterâs competent AWD system and resultant grip. Thereâs something to be said for not having to switch into an AWD lock mode too, the Forester is always ready for whatever surface you encounter.
The Mitsubishi Outlander surprised us with its ability to iron out poor road surfaces while still maintaining balance and handling ability. Itâs a definite step forward from the previous model, which wasnât an SUV that youâd ever describe as being dynamic. On test, the Outlander was wearing 225/55/R18 Good Year Eagle LS tyres.
Off-road, we selected the â4WD Lockâ mode via the console-mounted switch and the Outlander was just as composed on slippery dirt and clay as the Forester. Where the Subaru skipped over the worst of the bumps and ruts, the Outlander soaked them up a little better and with more composure. You can have a bit of fun behind the wheel of either vehicle on dirt tracks, and the Outlander gets the basic job done easily enough as well.
New Outlander is no racecar either, but coupled with itâs quieter and more comfortable cabin, the new cosseting ride is impressive. The revised suspension system, which is assisted by a stiffer chassis, improves every element of the ride and handling experience. The retuned electrically assisted power steering is sharper too, much more direct than the old model and never feels too heavy or too light.
Where the Forester sacrifices an element of bump absorption for handling prowess, the Outlander goes the other way. Its body control isnât quite up to the standard of the Forester, but thereâs a level of comfort behind the wheel of the Outlander that the Forester canât quite match.
That extra notch of comfort is a definite strong point in the Outlanderâs favour in my book. The question for buyers in this segment is whether you value outright comfort or outright handling. These two medium SUVs approach the same buyer from a slightly different angle in that regard and thereâs no right or wrong answer. Which vehicle you prefer will come down to driving preference.
Warranty and Servicing
The Forester gets a three-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, with three years or 75,000km of capped price servicing. The first two services at 12,500km/six months and 25,000km/12 months will cost $304.89 each. Then comes 37,500km/18 months for $388.95, 50,000km/24 months for $547.95, 62,500km/30 months for $508.16 and finally 75,000km/36 months for $388.95.
Mitsubishi has changed its warranty structure slightly, and new Outlander is covered by a five-year, 100,000km warranty, down from the previous 130,000km. Maintenance is recommended every 12 months or 15,000km and capped-price servicing prices vary between models with coverage running for four years. The diesel model on test here costs $450 for the first service, and then $550 for each service in the following three years.
Verdict
Itâs an extremely tight tussle this one. If you value driving dynamics and the heritage of AWD, then youâre going to prefer the Forester. If you prefer a more comfortable ride around town, and you need a little extra space â" especially the flexibility of the third row â" then the Outlander will appeal.
Both vehicles here genuinely have their strong points and neither does anything particularly badly either. Both are better for the diesel engine and accomplished automatic gearboxes especially given the real world economy figures we saw.
At launch we scored the Forester half a point ahead of the Outlander overall (7.5 to 7.0) and, while our week behind the wheel for a full test was extremely close, that score difference remains the case. Those scores reflect the respective vehiclesâ standing overall in the segment too, where they canât quite take the fight up to the CX-5 ultimately.
There are areas where the Outlander is better than the Forester and vice versa. While I agree the Forester is a little firmer around town, I appreciate its balance between ride and handling. I also appreciate the advancements that Mitsubishi has made with the new Outlander â" especially in the cabin. If I had to pick though, Iâd have the Subaru â" but only just.
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