Height of taste?

Launched this week in the USA - where it's been christened the Outland-er - the newcomer is playing follow-up to the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester. Set to make its debut at the British Motor Show in October, it will go on sale here in April.

Sitting on a specially stretched Lancer platform, the Outlander stands head and shoulders above its rivals... Suspension has been jacked high into the air, and relies on struts up front and a multi-link set-up in the back. The controversial styling, meanwhile, is hardly the height of taste thanks to a beak-like nose and undistinguished rear.
The Outlander's optional four-wheel-drive system is the same as the Evolution's, with a conventional differential that locks automatically in slippery conditions. Our drive showed the system works well. But on the road there's little sense of acceleration, even when the 140bhp 2.4-litre engine is revved to its 6,200rpm maximum.

The only transmission available in the U.S. is a four-speed automatic, which doesn't inspire quick driving, even with a manual-shift gate. We drove the Outlander on entertaining backroads in Virginia, which featured some unusually bumpy surfaces. Yet the car proved impressively stable and offered a comfortable ride. Inside, there's no shortage of space and three adults can sit in the rear seat - but the feeling this is more mini-estate than true SUV is hard to dispel.

Nevertheless, the Outlander's tight handling and smooth ride will stand it in good stead when it goes on sale here. You can be sure we'll be first to deliver our verdict on the UK-spec model as soon as it hits showrooms.