The Look

The 2010 Outlander gets a significantly revised front end that features new headlights and a different grille.

Previous versions of the Outlander had a sleek front end with a grille that wasn't overly large, but the new model draws heavily on the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution high-performance sedan, which features a large, trapezoidal grille. To see what the Outlander looked like before the introduction of the big grille, check out a side-by-side comparison of the 2009 and 2010 models.

The new grille gives the crossover a much bolder appearance — too bold for my taste. It makes the nose of the Outlander look like a giant Dustbuster, and it isn't nearly as well-integrated as the similarly styled one on Mitsubishi's new Outlander Sport. Despite the similar name, that car is a completely different, smaller crossover.