2011 Mitsubishi Outlander (7th Place)

Unlike the previous three SUVs on this list, I wouldn’t call you an idiot for buying a Mitsubishi Outlander and that may surprise some people. Sure, Mitsubishi makes the iconic EVO supercar but it hasn’t been well known as of late for making good family vehicles.

Sure, the Outlander isn’t perfect as the utterly useless third row of seats proves without question. Yes, they are as poorly engineered as has been reported in the press. But the rest of the interior is roomy, the leather used in my test V6 GT model was pleasingly upscale and everything is well assembled.
Sure, the plastics are hard in some places but they aren’t as scratch prone as some of the stuff Toyota uses. Thank my dog Daisy Mae for that little tidbit of information. And with a whopping 72.6 cubic feet of cargo room available with all of the seats folded flat, the Mitsubishi Outlander is a seriously capable hauler.

What sets the Outlander apart from the pack is the fact that its steering rack feels sportier than even the unit in the winner of this test. MY V6 GT S-AWC model also exhibited very little body roll around corners and felt very secure in rainy weather. It is by no mean as fun to drive as the Lancer Ralliart I tested earlier this year but for an SUV it is a revelation.