Faults:

Regular wear and tear (keep in mind, I used it as a taxi).

- Ball joint.

- U-joint (only all wheel drive models have these).

- Wheel bearings.

- End links (connects sway bar to suspension)

- Brake pads.

- Tires.

General Comments:

The first week of ownership, I drove it up a black diamond ski run (the hill was closed at the time)... This vehicle is great in snow!

I bought this car new because I needed a reliable car for taxiing. It lived up to my expectations and did not cause any problems at all. Since most of the 148,000 km on this car (or 92,500 miles) were city driving, it is not surprising that I was required to change the above-mentioned parts. All these parts, with the exception of brake pads, only needed to be replaced after 100,000 km (62,500 miles). The brake pads went at about 75,000 km.

You really have to keep in mind that it was a taxi, carrying heavy people and luggage, constantly starting and stopping with hard cornering and acceleration to not waste time (time is money with a taxi). Not to mention the endless hours of idling the engine to stay warm/cool.

Also, where I live, the yearly inspections are extremely thorough and the parts mentioned above are expected to be in "as tight as new" shape. So I could have gotten away with not replacing them for longer had I lived elsewhere if I were not responsible for the safety of thousands of people (both passengers and other drivers/pedestrians/cyclists).

This car does not have great acceleration, but handles extremely well for an SUV (or CUV). As a taxi driver, safety came first when transporting customers, so I got really good winter tires for winter driving (Bridgestone Blizzak - highly recommended). I only got stuck once because I was lazy and did not shovel my driveway after working 14+ hours in a snow storm (I was one of the few taxis on the road). I got stuck only because the car was on top of the snow and the tires were no longer touching solid ground. I had to shovel the snow out from under the car and it dropped down every once in a while til it finally "landed".

This reminds me of one complaint - the only one I have with this car. Be very careful when stopping in slippery conditions (this may sound obvious). If the ABS kicks in, the car seems to have a hard time stopping. Luckily, I had the common sense to pull the emergency brake in close situations.

Other than that, I highly recommend this vehicle. It has treated me well. I have moved on from taxi driving to office work and am now enjoying my Outlander more. Now it's a just pleasure to drive as opposed to strictly business.

Faults:

Nothing at all.

General Comments:

The Outlander is a very well equipped cross over vehicle that has adequate power and handling and has exterior styling that definitely doesn't look like anything else out there. It has rugged, yet smooth, styling and the spare tire is stored inside the vehicle adding to a clean, finished look. Fit and finish is comparable to anything else in its price range. The seats are very supportive and comfortable, and the controls are easy to see and use. The styling of the instrument cluster seems a through-back to '70's muscle cars. There are only a few minor shortcomings with the interior worth mentioning. One is the lack of back lighting on the door mounted accessory switches and on the automatic gear selector (though there is a gear selector indicator in the instrument panel). The LS sound system performs and sounds well, but it lacks a MP3 player. Interior lighting could be a little brighter as well. At night, one wishes for a brighter cab light or floor illumination.

Handling is precise and stable, though there is a little body roll during hard cornering. The brakes are secure and the ABS helps bring the vehicle to a stop in a hurry. The 4 cylinder engine is quiet at highway speeds and is quite economical. Thus far I'm averaging about 24 mpg overall in both city and highway driving. Acceleration is hardly neck breaking, but the 4 cylinder does an adequate job of getting the vehicle up to highway speed. The "sportronic" manual shift selector is a fun feature as well. The Outlander isn't an off-road rally racer, but for getting around in snow and ice, or for a trip to the beach, it can't be beat.

Overall, I'm very happy with my Outlander, especially when I compare its price to that of the competition. At thousands less than its rivals and with an unbeatable warranty, I wonder why there aren't more of them on the streets.