When Mitsubishi redesigned the Outlander in 2007, it took an average small SUV and made it much better.

Our 2008 test vehicle is a base ES model with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available. Our Outlander also has the optional $800 convenience package that includes alloy wheels, privacy glass, roof rails and more interior features.

Inside, the two-tone fabric seats are comfortable but some plastic surfaces feel cheap. Rotary climate controls are simple and easy to use at a glance. The Mitsubishi sound system is excellent.

There's plenty of storage space up front and back seat legroom is quite good for a small SUV.

When it's time to load up the back, the Outlander has one nice feature. The hatch is split so that one part goes up and one part goes down to make luggage loading a breeze.

The base model has a 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine with 168 horsepower, but a V6 is available on the deluxe trim models.

The ES model's continuously variable transmission, or CVT, helps performance and fuel economy, which averaged about 25 miles per gallon in a week-long test.

The CVT leads to more engine noise, but the Outlander handles well. Independent suspension at all four wheels and four-wheel disc brakes help out on the road.

Mitsubishi helps out in the sticker department. As equipped, our test vehicle cost is $21,460, an excellent value.

The Outlander should be a real contender in the highly competitive small SUV market.

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