THE FACELIFTED Mitsubishi Outlander has been given a host of exterior and interior refreshes.

This year’s Outlander features Mitsubishi’s new ‘Dynamic Shield’ front-end design, which is a significant part of the company’s future branding.

This fresh look incorporates a new two-bar grille design with a large gloss-black grille insert below that’s flanked by curved chrome trim strips that run into the foglight surrounds.

Re-styled bumpers and slightly different tail treatment also form part of the vehicle’s new and rather distinctive appearance.

The interior of the 2016 Outlander has also received a makeover, and those upgrades have made a positive difference.

There’s a redesigned leather steering wheel, new infotainment interface and, generally speaking, the interior now feels plusher than before.

The infotainment menus have been simplified and are now much more user-friendly, while the time it takes to boot-up has also been reduced.

You also get sat-nav and a rear parking camera as standard on the GX4 version, tested here.

The gloss black trim on the dashboard adds to the pleasant appearance. The seats are electric and trimmed in leather, and are comfortable and adjustable enough to suit drivers of most builds.

The high-up seating position is an asset, offering a great view of the road for a long distance ahead. On some of Yorkshire’s narrower roads, the ability to see over the hedges and dry stone walls allows you to spot oncoming vehicles well in advance and can prevent tedious reversing manoeuvres.

The back seats slide and recline, and the Outlander is also good for boot space. It has the biggest luggage area of the three when it’s in five-seat mode, although you might struggle to get into it.

Behind the wheel, the turbocharged Outlander 2.2 DI-D is fun to drive.

For a larger vehicle, it feels pretty quick, picking up swiftly from low revs and pulling strongly through the rev range.

The smooth and clean acceleration is aided by what I found to be a slick six-speed manual gearbox. An automatic option is also available for those who don’t enjoy a manual box.

The diesel unit produces a fair amount of noise, but isn’t too bad on the ear, while vibration and wind noise when travelling at motorway speeds is also fairly minimal.

In terms of handling, the steering feels accurate, responsive and trustworthy.

However, you do feel a bit of body lean in the tighter corners, which reduces the driver’s confidence when you’re looking to get a move on.

When braking heavily, the car feels stable and the brakes feel reassuringly strong.

The ride quality is decent, with the vehicle capable of absorbing smaller imperfections in the road. Indeed, Mitsubishi has improved the suspension to ensure this aspect of the experience has been enhanced.

As well as the 150PS 2.2-litre diesel engine, buyers also have the choice of a clever PHEV plug-in hybrid petrol/electric variant, previously tested in these pages.

The PHEV Plug-in hybrid version offers a 2.0-litre petrol engine which is assisted by a 70KW generator and a couple of 80bhp electric motors.

One is at the front, and one at the rear, giving all wheel drive and a combined power output in the region of 220bhp.

Whichever guise you choose, it’s a vehicle that is well worth consideration for anyone who is seeking great practicality combined with a wide range of equipment and comfort.

All in all, the Outlander is a reliable, well-equipped seven-seater that’s keenly priced, and more sharply and distinctively styled than its predecessor.