The SUV - Mitsubishi Outlander

When Rob and Trudy Payne bought their Mitsubishi Outlander, Trudy was expecting an easy ownership experience – but it hasn’t quite turned out like that. “Although the Outlander is my car, we traded in Rob’s Mitsubishi Evo VIII, along with the Alfa Romeo 147 that I ran previously,” she explained.

“To get the best deal, we decided to stick with a sporty Mitsubishi featuring seven seats. The Outlander fits the bill – although the third row is for children only.

“What’s disappointing is that bits you wouldn’t expect have fallen off. The outer door handles were the first to go, with the headlamp trims following soon after.

“At one point, after collecting the car from the dealer, for several days I was driving around with the door handles taped up, while the glue set. The interior trim has also proved fragile, with bits constantly falling off – although mechanically we have no complaints about reliability.”

Husband Rob was sceptical about Mitsubishi’s dealer customer relations. “Showroom staff only looked after us until we’d bought the car,” he said. “Aftersales service left a lot to be desired – dealing with them can be a battle.

“For example, we ordered a costly DVD system with the Outlander, but the dealer fitted a much cheaper set-up instead. And bear in mind this was the seventh vehicle we’d bought from that franchise. One option we are pleased with, though, is the leather trim – keeping the interior clean is a lot easier than if we had cloth.

“The fuel economy is also impressive considering this is such a big car – 42mpg is achievable on a motorway run. The elevated driving position is great for visibility, and insurance costs are surprisingly low.

“Our Outlander looks good and offers excellent value for money. But despite Mitsubishi’s reputation for reliability and build quality, the ownership experience isn’t as painless as we’d hoped it would be.”

RIVAL: Ford S-Max

Launched in 2006, the blue oval seven-seater serves up a blend of flexibility, space, comfort and build quality that’s difficult to touch.

Add in its car-like driving dynamics and surprising affordability – with prices from £9,000 for an 06-plate 2.0 LX – and it looks a good alternative to the Mitsubishi Outlander. We’d go for a 2.0 TDCi diesel over the petrol model, however, and this would cost at least £10,000.