The strongest case for the Outlander is its track record. Front, side and rear crash-test scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have been exemplary, helping make the Outlander an IIHS Top Safety Pick. (Full safety details can be viewed on this page.) Reliability scores from Consumer Reports have been better than average. That doesn't give Mitsubishi a competitive advantage in this class, though. The Escape, CR-V, RAV4 and Rogue are all IIHS Top Safety Picks, and reliability scores for all four are generally as good, if not better, than the Outlander's.

Prices start at $20,380 for an unadorned front-wheel-drive Outlander ES. Standard features include the usual power accessories, A/C, remote entry and cruise control. An auxiliary input jack for MP3 players is optional. Fully loaded, the Outlander has heated leather seats, a power driver's seat, a moonroof, Rockford Fosgate audio and a navigation system with a backup camera. All-wheel drive runs $1,400, and a loaded XLS tops out around $31,000. Worth noting is Mitsubishi's warranty — 10 years/100,000 miles for the powertrain, five years/60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper — which is among the segment's best.