The crop of 2020 sub-compact crossovers is a big one, with most of the volume manufacturers having an entry in this very popular category. These little units make a lot of sense for many people, especially the younger crowd on a budget.
Mitsubishi, while not one of the higher-volume companies, is in there pitching with the RVR, and has been since it was introduced in 2011. As a matter of fact, the 2020 model is built on the same platform as the 2011 one, making this model ten years old. That sort of age is unusual in this day of rapid technological advancements, but the RVR has undergone a number of upgrades to keep it a viable contender in the field. In fact, it has a number of features that make it stand out from all the others.
The upgrade that jumps out at you is the refreshed design, front and rear. The new chrome grille, LED headlamps and bumper up front change the look from the previous ‘homely’ to something a lot more emphatic and assertive.
While you can spend as little as $22,998 for the base ES model with front-wheel drive, manual transmission and 2.0-litre engine, the RVR we drove was the top-of-the-line $33,998 GT, with tons of features including a bigger engine and All-Wheel Control.
In this day and age of 1.5-litre turbo fours in pretty much all smaller crossover SUVs, the RVR goes its own way with the venerable and familiar 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated four. Being one of the largest four-cylinder engines in the industry means that it is ‘understressed’ in normal usage, with lots of usable torque, albeit only available at much higher RPMs (peak torque of 167 lb-ft is at 4,100 rpm) than the aforementioned new-generation turbos. So you have to keep your foot in it to find that torque, which then leads to some noise and coarseness. But it’s nothing too objectionable.
Nor is the obligatory CVT automatic transmission, which helps keep the engine near its power band, at the cost of some droning. There are also paddle shifters for the driver to make his/her own choices of RPM range. Again, no big deal, but what is big is the All-Wheel Control system, one of the better AWD set-ups on any small crossover, not least because it has a “Lock” function that locks up the front and rear axles just like some of the vaunted 4x4s, for much more capability when the going gets rough off-road. There is no low range in this AWD system, so you are not going to be climbing mountains with the RVR, even if it has the available skid plates installed, but you will be more likely to make it up that snowy or muddy country lane to the cabin.
Out on the open road, the RVR is a confident handler, especially with the GT’s big 225/55-18 tires. With the rear multi-link suspension, the ride is comfortable for a small vehicle, and surface irregularities don’t unduly upset its composure.
Inside, the GT is quite luxurious on the face of it, with leather-trimmed seats, steering wheel and shift knob, and some gloss black and silver trim. You can have any colour you like, as long as it is black. Said seats, which are six-way powered, are one of the best aspects of the RVR GT, or any small crossover, for that matter, with great support in all areas for the taller driver, who so often gets fatigued in such smaller vehicles because of poor seat design. The lumbar support is not adjustable, oddly, but the seat has enough of it that this driver wasn’t wanting more of it.
The RVR has excellent ergonomics, too, with a proper up-down lever to control the windshield wipers, and large knobs to operate the HVAC system, which is automatic climate control. There is a multi-information display along with a medium-size touch screen, heated steering wheel, satellite radio tuner, and panoramic fixed-glass (non-opening) sunroof too – a bunch of luxury touches if that is your thing. You can save $4,200 if you can do without the sunroof and leather, but then you’d also have to forgo the Lane Departure Warning and Forward Collision Mitigation safety systems available only on the GT, to say nothing of the 710-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system. So, those are decisions you’d have to make.
While the room inside for four people is excellent up front and adequate in the back seat, the cargo room (rear seats up or folded) is towards the smaller side in this sub-compact class, which again is evidence of the age of the basic RVR platform. Having said that, the space there is useful and easily accessed, and there is a cargo cover to hide valuables. The subwoofer speaker box takes up nearly 2 cubic feet, so the GT has that much less cargo space than lesser models.
A big feature of this and any other Mitsubishi for several years now is a warranty that leads the industry for length. The basic warranty on the entire car is 5 years / 100,000 km, while the powertrain is covered for 10 years / 160,000 km. Some might see this level of coverage as being a bit of a marketing ploy, but if the vehicle wasn’t strong and reliable enough to start with, the manufacturer would soon find itself unable to keep up with the warranty claims. Mitsubishis are considered one of the more robust vehicles, so in that sense, the RVR makes a good case.
In regular urban driving, nothing aggressive, we saw an average of about 12.0L / 100 km, while the official manufacturer rating is 10.3, and 8.3 on the highway. So, that is a fairly big difference, and we are not sure what would account for it, so you can make of that as you will.
To wrap up, then, there is no avoiding the fact that the RVR is the oldest vehicle in the sub-compact crossover space, and in ten years, a lot has changed. But, given that, the RVR remains a competitive entry in the class with all the modern comfort, convenience and safety items available depending on model, and more than competitive with factors such as contemporary styling, excellent front seat comfort, the best all-wheel drive system in the class, and the longest warranty. It will be outperformed in a straight line by any of its rivals, but it holds its own in regular driving conditions. And, it is a good value, either in base model trim, or as fully loaded GT.
Specifications:
- Base MSRP: $22,998
- Price as tested: $33,998
- Type of vehicle: Subcompact 4-door AWD crossover
- Engine: 2.4L DOHC 4-cyl.
- Power: 168 hp @ 6,000 rpm
- Torque: 167 lb-ft @ 4,100 rpm
- Transmission: 6-speed CVT automatic
- Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS
- Curb weight: 1,495 kg / 3,296 lb
- Fuel Consumption (L/100 km) observed, urban: 12.0
