Steering and handling is above averagefor a vehicle this size, a benefit of its car-like structure.
The six-speed automatic works well and usually left it in Drive. However, a button on the side of the shift knob can be pressed with your thumb for manual shifting when driving in changing terrain or in traffic. We enjoyed using the manual feature and liked the tight gear changes.
The all-wheel-drive system sends 60 percent of the power to the front wheels and 40 percent to the rear on dry pavement, and adjusts that ratio when the sensors detect slipping. That 60-40 split is more balanced than most; some systems are heavily balanced to the front, some as much as 95-5. The Outlook's system is better balanced than those.
It's not uncommon to detect a difference in the ride, between a front-wheel- drive and all-wheel-drive version of the same vehicle, and it's usually the front-wheel- drive that's smoother. In this case, we think the front suspension of the AWD model felt tighter and less jouncy, firmer and more comfortable at the same time. That contributed to the good handling. Next Page