When it comes to Japanese car makers, most people are quite familiar with their Big 3 – that being Toyota, Honda and Nissan. This is with good reason as these big 3, along with their affiliated luxury brands Lexus, Acura and Infiniti have long held a reputation for well built, quality vehicles and have always been amongst the top selling imported brands. With that said, it needs to be mentioned that these three automakers aren’t the only quality Japanese car companies around.
Mitsubishi motors, along with other Japanese car manufacturers like Mazda, Subaru and Suzuki don’t get anywhere near the same amount of attention, nor the sales volume that the bigger three get but still produce quality vehicles. In 2010 Mitsubishi sold slightly less than 20,000 vehicles in Canada which is close to 140,000 vehicles below what top selling Toyota sold. Their line-up isn’t as extensive as Toyota’s either, but they do make some solid vehicles and with this Enviro Dad Test Drive instalment, we’ll look at the 2011 Mitsubishi RVR Compact Crossover Vehicle.
FIRST IMPRESSION
The RVR is the Canadian specific name given to what is called the Outlander Sport in the U.S. It’s a 5 seat crossover with forward slanting aggressive lines in its design. When compared to say a Nissan Rogue, a Toyota RAV-4 or even a Chevrolet Equinox, it sits higher and perhaps more box-like in its design.
When you step into the interior of the vehicle you sense that everything is functional, but not glamorous. Round knobs dominate everywhere and some take a second to get used to. A somewhat utilitarian dark gray cloth interior dominates as well. Clearly this is a vehicle that leans more on the functional versus fashionable side when it comes to first impressions.
DRIVE
The marketing material for the RVR claims that it’s the most fuel efficient non-hybrid compact crossover in its class. The RVR delivers a fuel efficiency of 6.6 L/100 km (Hwy) and 8.4 L/100 km (City) or an average of 7.6 L/100 km (Combined) according to government ratings. My personal experience over a one week test produced combined rates that were close to what is claimed, but slightly higher.
As for the engine, this is NOT a vehicle for you if what you are looking for is something with a little pep. To be honest this may have been one of the most boring engines I have tested thus far. I found it to be extremely loud in lower gears and it takes some time to get going. The 2.0L 4 cylinder engine puts out about 148 hp which is passable for anyone using this as a general commuting vehicle. The CVT transmission I had made for a smooth ride once it got going but again this isn’t a vehicle that will get your heart racing. My GT 4WD tester also came with wheel mounted paddle shifters for those wanting to manually change gears instead of relying on the smooth shifting CVT.
INTERIOR COMFORT
Despite the rather utilitarian design of the interior, the seats both front and back are sturdy and comfortable. Where I did have a problem is with leg room. I found that my driving leg was not able to extend to a comfortable length and while this is not uncommon for me, other vehicles I’ve tested would compensate by allowing for multiple adjustments to the seating position of the driver. This wasn’t the case with the RVR however as I had limited seat height adjustment capabilities and the end result was that I found I had leg fatigue whenever I was driving in stop and go traffic.
The interior is functional with gauges that are easy to read and the control switches for audio and climate controls are easy to access. The one frustrating discrepancy though was with the location of the driver and passenger heated seat controls. It took some time for me to discover them as they were placed on the inside part of the seats and tucked a couple inches below seating level. Given the location of the transmission and brakes in the middle I found it to be very difficult to reach and I couldn’t help but feel there had to have been a more functional place to put this popular feature.
GADGETS AND GIZMOS
The Mitsubishi RVR comes equipped with a number of features that are becoming more common place amongst all vehicle classes. Things such as BlueTooth wireless handheld, heated seats, push button start, satellite radio and tilt/telescoping steering wheel are all good features that make driving more enjoyable – but at the same time are found with far greater frequency now than even only a couple years ago.
However a couple things are certainly noteworthy on the RVR. First is the Rockford-Fosgate 710 Watt 9 speaker sound system. It provides clear sound but also comes with a pretty hefty subwoofer in the cargo area and it can make the windows shake a bit, if you know what I mean.
The other interesting feature available on the GT 4WD version is the Panoramic Glass Roof with Interior LED Illumination. When the cover is pulled back there is a clear and unbroken view up for both front and back seat passengers. Given the height of the cabin as well, it does tend to make it feel that the cabin is somewhat of a clear bubble all around. The LED lights inside are visually unique, although I’m not sure how practical they are, or what purpose they genuinely serve other than aesthetics.
STORAGE
As with most crossover vehicles, the Mitsubishi RVR has a full hatchback that opens up to a respectable amount of cargo space. Offering just over 20 feet of rear cargo space, there is enough room for a weeks worth of groceries, at least a couple sets of golf clubs or even a well stocked hockey bag. With the subwoofer in the rear cargo area it does take away some space and I suppose you might not want to place your eggs beside the low frequency punch that a solid subwoofer can provide.
IN THE END
The 2011 Mitsubishi RVR is a compact crossover vehicle that’s good on gas, generally reliable but otherwise unremarkable. I remember seeing a Press Release from Mitsubishi back in May noting how sales of the RVR have been continually growing on a year over year basis, so there is indeed a market for this vehicle, albeit not a bountiful one.
With a price range starting at $19,998 for the ES 2WD up to $28,498 for the GT 4WD it falls into a category where the Toyota RAV 4, Ford Escape, Chevrolet Equinox and even the Nissan Quest come into play. To my mind, while it’s a decent vehicle it might be challenged to come out of that group of vehicles with anything more than a typically consistent fraction of the marketplace which it already occupies.
ENVIRO DAD’S Test Drive Ratings (Out of 5):
STYLE: 3.0
COMFORT: 3.0
FEATURES: 3.0
STORAGE: 4.0
DRIVE: 3.0
ENVIRO/ECO: 4.0
VALUE: 3.0
(MSRP as tested $28,498)
OVERALL RATING: 3.0
Interesting write up. There is always a balance between fuel savings and power. With selection of front wheel drive or 4×4 it gives fuel or safety at the turn of a dial. Also surprised a driver discomfort as this vehicle does have quite a few options for adjustments. Finally the warranty sets it apart from the pack and covers even the optional 4×4 component.