Mitsubishi Outlander CU (2001–2006)

Origins: the Airtrek and the 2001 ASX concept

The Airtrek was a car-based compact SUV, and its background is part of the wider history of Mitsubishi Motors. It drew on the ASX concept shown in 2001 and went on sale through Mitsubishi's Car Plaza dealer channel in Japan. That concept is not the same car as the later production Mitsubishi ASX, a smaller model that arrived years afterwards.

Export markets received the car as the Outlander. In North America it arrived in 2003, taking the place of the Montero Sport; the US version had a revised grille and headlamps that are quoted as adding about 130 mm (5.1 in) to its length. Germany and the rest of Europe got it from spring 2003, and several South American markets called it the Montero Outlander. English-language references link its platform to the Grandis people carrier, while German sources describe a Lancer base; both point to Mitsubishi's mid-size passenger-car parts rather than the ladder frame of the Pajero.

How the dates fit together matters when matching parts or data. The table summarises the timeline by market.

Production records list Airtrek and Outlander output continuing until 2008, after the CW had launched, while the usual model span for the export Outlander is 2003–2006.

Body, cabin and four-wheel-drive layout

The CU is a five-door, five-seat crossover with independent suspension at both ends. At 1,620 mm (63.8 in) tall it is low for an SUV, closer in shape to a raised estate than to an off-roader.

Four-wheel-drive versions use a simple full-time system: open front and rear differentials with a viscous coupling in the centre. German sources state that the base 2.0 was sold with front- or four-wheel drive, while the other European versions had permanent four-wheel drive. There is no low-range gearbox, so the CU is built for wet roads, snow and gravel tracks rather than rough terrain.

UK and Australian versions carried names such as Outlander Sport SE and Outlander Activ, which are trim labels for this generation only.

Engines: from the 4G63 to the Turbo-R

Every CU is petrol-powered, and the range differed between Japan, Europe and North America. Outputs appear in kW first, then the PS figure the source quotes.

Sources differ on the number of ratios in the automatic. German data quotes a four-speed unit for the European 2.4, and the main English reference names the INVECS-II automatic but gives both four and five speeds.

German figures put the European 2.0 at 192 km/h (119 mph) and 10.7 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h with front-wheel drive, or 11.4 seconds with four-wheel drive. The manual 2.4 is quoted at 9.9 seconds and 200 km/h (124 mph), the automatic at 11.2 seconds and 191 km/h (119 mph).

The turbo versions

The turbo is the most distinctive version of this generation. Its 4G63T is a detuned version of the engine from the Lancer Evolution, and the Japanese Airtrek Turbo-R of 2002 was the first to get it. Export Outlanders followed in 2004 with a different turbocharger and engine software that cut output to 148 kW (201 PS).

In Germany the turbo reached 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds and 220 km/h (137 mph). It sat about 25 mm lower on a Bilstein-developed chassis, and a scoop on the bonnet fed air to the intercooler. German sources say sales fell well short of expectations, which makes a European turbo a rare find today.

Dimensions of the European CU

Sources quote the European Outlander at 4,545 or 4,550 mm long, so the table gives both figures. A UK spec database supplies the weights and capacities, which should be read as typical rather than exact for every version.

The same database gives 31 mpg UK combined for the European 2.0 4WD, roughly 9.1 L/100 km, and 28.2 mpg UK, about 10.0 L/100 km, for the turbo.

Safety results for 2001–2006 cars

No Euro NCAP result for the first Outlander has been found, so the available data comes from Australia and the United States.

The ANCAP test car had dual front airbags. Neither organisation's test from that period can be compared with current ratings, and pole and stability-control checks were not part of the 2003 ANCAP assessment.

What to look for in a used CU

The youngest cars are now around two decades old, so condition outweighs version choice. We found no independent reliability survey for this generation, so the points below are practical checks rather than known faults.

• Turbo: check for a documented service history, signs of tuning and the condition of the intercooler and its bonnet scoop; the export turbo was sold in small numbers.
• 2.4 automatic: confirm smooth shifts and ask when the gearbox fluid was last changed; sources disagree on the number of ratios, so identify the exact unit before ordering parts.
• Four-wheel drive: listen for noises from the centre coupling and differentials on tight, slow turns.
• Japanese imports: an Airtrek with the 4G64 GDI or Turbo-R engine differs from the European cars, so confirm parts availability first.

For newer alternatives, compare the second-generation car on the Outlander overview page, or browse the full Mitsubishi catalogue.