Mitsubishi Australia launched its current-generation Outlander in 2021, but it surely has solely simply blessed its hottest mannequin – and the nation’s third-best promoting mid-size SUV – with a neighborhood chassis tune.
On the launch of the upgraded Outlander, the Japanese auto model mentioned the delay in endeavor its most complete product growth program because it ceased automotive manufacturing in Australia in March 2008 was as a consequence of latest international occasions and loads of buyer and media suggestions.
Amongst a bunch of different gear and element updates, the headline act of the 2025 Outlander is a suspension and steering package deal developed in Australia, particularly on roads south of Adelaide, the place earlier Mitsubishi fashions together with the Magna and 380 have been additionally partly developed.
As you possibly can learn in our evaluate, the result’s a automotive that steers extra exactly and rolls over much less in bends, but is extra compliant over bumps and extra secure in a straight line, whereas additionally being extra refined inside due to lowered noise and vibration ranges.
Mitsubishi Australia product supervisor Tony Dorrington mentioned the worldwide pandemic delayed native growth of the Outlander, but additionally allowed extra time for proprietor and press suggestions of the pre-update mannequin.
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“If we predict again to COVID instances, a variety of the Outlander’s growth was executed throughout COVID. That actually prevented that collaborative effort. Japanese [engineers] couldn’t journey right here, we couldn’t journey to Japan,” he mentioned. “What actually prompted it was the suggestions that we received from [media] and from our prospects.”
The Outlander’s native chassis tune entails recalibrated electrical energy steering and revised suspension together with smaller-diameter entrance anti-roll bars to go well with the retuned steering, plus new entrance and rear shock absorbers, and totally different entrance and rear spring charges, together with elevated cabin insulation and revised physique supplies and reinforcements to create a quieter and extra comfy cabin expertise.
Mr Dorrington mentioned Mitsubishi Australia’s work in creating the Outlander’s new steering and suspension setup had been well-received by its Japanese guardian firm, prompting its rollout in lots of different international markets.
“After we turned a core marketplace for [Mitsubishi Motors], they got here right here and did a variety of street surveys. Out of that, they acknowledged that creating a neighborhood tune for Outlander can be actually helpful for our prospects,” he mentioned.
“As I’m positive , Australia might be the hardest proving floor on this planet. In the long run, [Mitsubishi] acknowledged that what we had executed regionally can be relevant for the remainder of the world.
“They took automobiles to the US and Europe and received them to judge them, they usually agreed.”
Mitsubishi’s native CEO Shaun Westcott mentioned Australia’s roads are an ideal testing floor for brand new fashions, and a stretch of Inman Valley Highway from Yankalilla to Victor Harbor had additionally been used to check earlier Mitsubishi fashions just like the South Australian-made 380 within the early 2000s.
“In equity, and I don’t wish to be disparaging about Australian roads, however they’re – and I don’t wish to say they’re under world requirements – they’re truly under world requirements,” he mentioned.
“The automobiles have been sometimes developed for European, American markets, however as soon as we had the automotive in-market, developed throughout COVID so restricted choices to check it in Australia, we recognized by [initial feedback] the place folks picked up on a number of the harshness that was coming by the suspension and issues like that.”
Mr Westcott mentioned the suggestions from media and prospects was relayed to the model’s headquarters, which confirmed curiosity in why Australia’s situations have been distinctive, prompting a easy suggestion from the native division to “come and see”.
“That actually began a big growth program to the purpose now that Japan has truly replicated an Australian street, they got here and scanned a bit of [Inman Valley Road], and rebuilt it at our Tokachi testing floor in Japan,” he added.
When requested about whether or not Australia would play a task within the growth of future Mitsubishi fashions, product technique and product relations normal supervisor Bruce Hampel mentioned the teachings realized from Outlander can be carried ahead.
“What they’ve discovered… and the proof level of that’s that they supposed to do that as an Australian-only tune for Outlander but it surely ended up turning into the worldwide tune,” he mentioned.
“We’ve discovered that in different firms as nicely that when you get it proper in Australia, it truly works fairly nicely globally.
“In order they’ve now learnt that they usually’re embracing it increasingly, getting a deeper understanding of the Australian market situations and the shopper preferences, we’re increasing that into all of the product traces going ahead.”
The following Mitsubishi mannequin to characteristic an Australian-developed chassis tune would be the Outlander PHEV, which is because of launch regionally in September.
MORE: 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander to carry Australian chassis tune
