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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