Wednesday, February 20, 2013

2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: Vehicle Profile



The Mitsubishi Outlander is back for 2013, and as some of you might know it is now built in the U.S.A!

Since last July, the 2013 Outlander Sport has been built at Mitsubishi’s advanced automobile manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois. The updated Outlander Sport models produced here will be shipped to the U.S and its foreign markets.

The 2013 Outlander Sport received many design and feature improvements for the new model year:

Exterior and Interior

Just by taking one look at the 2013 Outlander Sport, you will notice that it is different. That is because for the 2013 model year, the entire front-end of the Outlander Sport has been completely redone. It features a redesigned front bumper section, new grille styling and a new fog lamp design.

To complement the front redesign, the rear bumper has also been refreshed to match the Outlanders new front look.

Also for 2013, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport will be equipped with new black-colored side sills to match the lower sections of the front and rear bumpers. The 2013 Outlander Sport will feature standard 18-in. alloy wheels on all on all trim levels.

Inside the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport you will find new interior fabrics, new chrome accent molding on the front doors and an all new All Wheel Control push button switch.

Mitsubishi also decided to add some zing to their paint selection. The Outlander Sport’s selection previously featured Laguna Blue, Labrador Black Pearl, Mercury Gray and Rally Red. It now adds White Pearl and Quick Silver to their color selection

Trims and Features

The 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is available in 2 trims: ES and SE

Standard features for the ES include 16-inch steel wheels, cruise control, heated mirrors, keyless entry, cloth upholstery, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, 60/40-split-folding rear seats, Mitsubishi's Fuse voice-activated electronics interface and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and an a USB/iPod interface.

The SE adds 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic super-wide beam xenon head lights, foglights, rain-sensing wipers, automatic climate control, heated front seats, keyless ignition/entry, a sliding armrest between the front seats, a second-row armrest with center pass-through, and upgraded upholstery. Those who get the SE trim also get a dynamic 6 speaker premium audio system with SiriusXM satellite radio and a free 3 month subscription


Under the Hood

Under the hood the 2013 Outlander Sport stays mostly the same. It is equipped with a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that produces 148 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. The standard transmission offered in the ES is a five-speed manual.

For 2013, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport received an Enhanced Continuously-Variable Transmission (CVT) calibration for improved acceleration performance and a smoother shift feeling. The CVT is available as an option for the ES and is standard on the SE.

Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive available for either of the Sport's trim levels. As with the regular Outlander, AWD models feature three driver-selectable modes to optimize traction.

The 2013 Outlander Sport gets an EPA estimates fuel economy of 25 city/31 highway mpg and 27 mpg combined for a CVT front-wheel-drive model. The manual earns 24/30/26 mpg, while automatic AWD Outlander Sports come in at 24/29/26 mpg.


Safety Features

Among the included safety features are driver knee airbag; anti-lock brakes(ABS) along with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist, Active Stability Control, Hill Start Assist (HSA) and an advanced front air bag SRS with passenger weight and driver's seat position sensors, front seat-mounted side-impact air bags, and curtain side air bags with roll-over sensors.

Conclusion

The 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport looks better than ever! This one is definitely worth a shot. It is sporty, fun, and loaded with features, yet it is a vehicle that maintains its elegance for those of you looking to take a night out on the town. The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is now in my list of favorites!

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