| 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander vs 2010 Mazda CX-7 | January 2, 2010 | AUTORIVALS.NET |
| Share |
|
|
|
| Two of the sportier looking vehicles in the compact SUV segment are the recently redesigned Mitsubishi Outlander and Mazda CX-7. Both take on design characteristics from each automaker's lineup which gives each vehicle a different character. | ||
| 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander | vs | 2010 Mazda CX-7 |
 |
 |
|
| The Outlander is based on the
Mitsubishi Lancer and was restyled to look like the
Lancer Evolution with the new trapezoidal grille and
headlights that resemble the Evo. The design looks good on a
sports car but raises some questions on an SUV. It does make the
Outlander a lot more aggressive than its predecessor but the
previous design might have wider appealing looks. The new Mazda family face is a familiar sight these days with every model in Mazda's lineup getting the smile treatment. The new lower grille is a design cue started with the Mazda 3 but now seen on everything from the Mazda Miata to this SUV. It actually has the opposite appeal than the Outlander has with the new fascia looking better on an SUV than a sedan. |
||
 |
 |
|
| The flatter shape of the Outlander starts to resemble a wagon a little even though its taller and shorter than the CX-7. The straightedge window shape looks boring in comparison to the CX-7 which has a rising beltline creating a dynamic window design. The wheel arches were inspired by the Mazda RX-8 and look more muscular than the Outlander. It also looks sleeker with a shallow A-pillar flowing into a curved roofline. | ||
 |
 |
|
| The Outlander's rear fascia is similar to the front with the taillights and license plate housing. The clear taillights actually look pretty good and are a better choice than traditional red ones. The rounded design of the CX-7 continues in the rear which leads into a steeper-raked rear than the Outlander. Every line and corner are smooth unlike most boxy SUV designs like the Outlander. | ||
 |
 |
|
| Mazda has a knack for making sleek interiors and the CX-7 is no exception. The dashboard looks chic and sexy and doesn't look like it belongs in an SUV. The "double-roof hood" fitted on top of the dashboard was redesigned to make room for the information screens in the center which are tiny in comparison to the Outlander's. The new steering wheel gets fitted with even more buttons controlling new features such as Bluetooth which can connect cell phones and MP3 players. The Outlander's interior has more of an SUV feel to it with a more rugged look but less refinement than the CX-7. The information screen is larger which is good but look poorly integrated into the dashboard. | ||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RECAP | RECAP | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
PROS +Weighs less, tows more +Large information screen +Evo-inspired front end (if you like it) CONS -Evo-inspired front end (if you hate it) -Unrefined interior |
PROS +Mazda's smile looks better on an SUV +Dynamic side window design +Refined interior CONS -No V6, tows less, and weighs more? -Tiny information screens |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Video Source: YouTube | Video Source: KBB.com via YouTube |
| NOTES | |||||||||||||||
|
|