Mitsubishi Outlander: Cabin Quality

So could the cabin. Well-appointed interiors aren't a Mitsubishi hallmark, but the Outlander feels like one of the brand's shoddier efforts. Dashboard plastics are hard to the touch and have a texture that would have looked trendy about five years ago. Numerous controls, from the window switches to the A/C dials, impart the tinny quality that's characteristic of entry-level cars. The doors slam with a hollow echo, and their armrests are marginally cushioned. The dash panels are uneven in many areas. Most crossovers in this class have woven headliners and upholstered, well-padded sun visors. Mitsubishi has roughish mouse fur up top, and the visors feel like cardboard.

Two high points: the navigation system and the steering wheel, which is dressed in high-rent leather and precise audio/cruise controls in higher trim levels (and optional on the ES). The nav system — optional on any trim — looks dated, but functionality is a home run. Alongside the touch-screen are physical shortcut buttons to zoom in and out, as well as a joystick to scroll the map — far more convenient than smudging up the screen as you finger-drag the cursor around. There are also plenty of street labels, which is far superior to systems that leave you guessing exactly when Ogden Avenue might be coming up. Want to find a route on highways with carpool lanes only, or see all the satellite radio stations in a certain music category listed on one screen? Check and check. There are systems that look twice as good and work half as well as this one.

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