The front seats afford ample legroom and headroom, with more prominent side bolsters than you'd expect in a small crossover. They won't pinch you in, but they offer decent lateral support should you decide to take back roads home. The second-row seats offer good thigh support and adult-size legroom, but anyone taller than 6 feet may find headroom tight in moonroof-equipped models. Without the moonroof, backseat passengers gain nearly an inch of space.

The optional third row accommodates two passengers, but Mitsubishi says it's for people 5-foot-3 and shorter. The seat collapses completely into the floor, but it's a laborious process. Without the seat, there's a shallow storage well behind the second row.

Some may greatly appreciate Mitsubishi's swing-down tailgate — check out the pictures to see it — as it yields a low cargo load height that's easy on the back. Others may find it less useful, but at worst it doesn't hamper anything. The second-row seats fold and tumble forward like the CR-V's; it's an old-school, heavy process I wouldn't entrust to children. Simpler fold-down seats would be better. At least these automatically lock in the tumbled position, while Honda's tumbling second row requires B-pillar tethers to secure.

With the third row stowed there's an impressive 36.2 cubic feet of cargo space. Considering the outward size required for such capacity, the crossover's 34.8-foot turning circle is outstanding.
Versatility Compared
Mitsubishi Outlander Honda CR-V Ford Escape* Toyota RAV4 Nissan Rogue
Base price $20,380 $21,245 $20,435 $21,500 $20,220
Length (in.) 182.7 177.9 174.7 181.9 182.9
Turning circle (ft.) 34.8 37.8 36.7 34.8 - 36.8 37.4
Seating capacity 5 or 7 5 5 5 or 7 5
Cargo behind 2nd row (cu. ft.) 36.2 35.7 29.2 36.4** 28.9
Cargo behind 1st row (cu. ft.) 72.6 72.9 66.3 73.0 57.9
*Excludes Escape Hybrid.
**Two-row model; 37.2 cubic feet in three-row models with third row folded.
Source: Automaker data for 2009 models.