Faults:

Moisture in running light initially, standard brake, tire, and oil maintenance.

General Comments:

THIS CAR SAVED OUR LIVES.

I've driven this car (we named her "Electra" because she was "Electric Blue") for 5 years.

The negative:

The sunroof was noisy when the interior roofdoor was open and window closed, and general road-noise was a bit louder than we would have liked -- so much so that we'd have ringing in our ears after long car rides. Also, the front cigarette lighter metal holder detached but was easily repaired.

The positive:

- Power -- My prior car was an Eclipse Spyder, Turbo, so I get what a powerful car feels like. My car before that was a Mercury Topaz -- so I get what an "underpowered" car is too. This Outlander was just perfect, and I never felt frustrated getting on a highway.

- Stereo -- Sounded great, and 5-disc changer! Bluetooth would have been nice...

- Storage -- I needed to carry lots of pro video gear to events, and this thing packed it all in wonderfully.

- SAFETY -- I was just involved in a high-speed (highway) roll-over accident where our car rolled probably at least twice before stopping, upside-down. My wife and the driver were pulled out of their windows (smashed open by EMT) and I was able to crawl out after mine was smashed. AND -- our worst injury (I think) was my wife's broken shoulder. *WE ALL LIVED* This car did everything it was supposed to -- air bags deployed, side arms held the weight of the car above them so we didn't get crushed -- windshield spider'd and we weren't doused with glass.

Although my prior Mitsubishi vehicles (two) had premature rusting which ultimately caused their demise, I didn't have that happen with this car, and she took care of us when we needed. Would definitely recommend this vehicle!

Faults:

One tail light was retaining moisture, required replacement, $100.

General Comments:

This is one great car! Bought used to replace my wife's Lexus, totaled in an accident. The quality of the car was very evident after a short test drive. The car, being a 4 cylinder, is a bit buzzy at full throttle, but the transmission is very well suited for the power available. Once up to speed, the car is quiet and the road noise is dependent on the tires and road surface.

The interior is well thought out; there's even an analog clock on the dash! The Limited has heated leather seats and they are comfy for the average height driver. My son, 6'4", has no problems with head or legroom. Back seat head and legroom is generous. Rear seat backs adjust for inclination as well as drop down for cargo room. Under the rear cargo area is more storage. Child seat tethers are installed.

All the usual bells & whistles to be expected. Cruise control is very accurate, even up inclines. The steering is precise and very nice over a long trip. Brakes are super responsive and very powerful. Found this out when the car in front of me swerved to avoid an object on the freeway and I didn't have the luxury of a clear lane beside me. I hit the brakes hard and the car slowed down rapidly and with complete control.

The only interior items I would improve on are the 3 switches for the A/C, rear defrost and the recirculate, clustered in the center console. They each have a small LED that is very difficult to see in the daytime. I constantly have to lean over to see or shade with my hand. If the switch would stay recessed when on, I could just tell if it was on or not.

AWD is fabulous. It is constant and not computer controlled. No internal slippage is ever felt. No binding or chattering.

Power wise I would have liked a V6, but it does well with just a couple of people on board. Load it up with people and gear and you do notice that the 4 cylinder is working to get it up to speed. Downshifts happen often when loaded and a slight incline is encountered.

Fuel mileage is less than I had hoped for, about 20-21 MPG in town. Once on the highway it jumps to around 28-30 MPG.

Overall I believe the Outlander is an excellent choice for a "round town runner" and highway. Not so much as a pack mule. Reliability is paramount for me as I want to be able to trust a vehicle to start, go and bring me back home. Total cost has been very reasonable; oil changes, a set of front brake pads, a timing belt at 160,000 KM and that's all.