Access to the third-row seat is surprisingly easy for a sport utility of this size. The second-row seat folds flat and then rocks forward against the back of the front seat, opening an expansive path to the rearmost seat; there's even a small courtesy light on the second-row seat bottom that illuminates the floor when the seat bottom is released. Once back there, though, the third-row seats are not comfortable for adults. The seat bottom and seat back are mere inches in thickness, and the seat sits so close to the floor that adult occupants' knees come to about shoulder height. The Outlander's third-row seat comes up short against the RAV4 by a couple of inches in every direction. And the RAV4 seat is really a seat, with cushions instead of pads.
Collapsing the third-row seat into the cargo floor is relatively easy, requiring little more than pulling a couple straps and pushing where noted. Not so retrieving it. Even with the short tailgate, getting to a couple of the requisite straps and then leveraging the seat up out of the floor and locking it into place makes for some awkward stretches and strains. Still, for kids or short jaunts, the Outlander fulfills its purpose as a seven-passenger vehicle.
In cargo room, the Outlander bests all the competition save the CR-V and RAV4, and it loses to those two only slightly. Outlander's short tailgate incorporates a feature we've noticed only on high-end SUVs, a flap that folds down when the gate is open to bridge the gap over the gate's hinges. Thus, not only is there a short tailgate that eases loading and unloading cargo, but also it's a lot easier sliding awkward and heavy boxes into and out of the back. This adds to the Outlander's practicality when moving stuff around.
Cubby storage is respectable. A bi-level glove box fills the top and bottom of the right side of the dash. All four doors have bottle holders, the front ones sharing space with maps and the like. The front console has four cup holders, the second-row fold-down center another two. Even the third-row seat has cubbies on the side. Atop the storage compartment in the center console is a padded cover that adjusts fore and aft a couple inches.
Sight lines from the driver's seat are good most ways around. The front corners are in view, easing parking and maneuvers in close quarters. The robust D-pillars restrict the over-the-shoulder view, however. The dropped-down screen obscures the rearward view when the kids are using the rear-seat entertainment system, but this is common with most of these systems.
The fabric upholstery that comes standard feels durable, the optional leather in the XLS is pliant. The fit and finish in the cabin impressed us. Easy-to-use knobs and buttons manage temperature and other functions. Buttons stacked along the sides of the LCD monitor provide basic access to the navigation system. A major plus with the navigation system is that it and the sound system have separate on/off buttons. Many such systems in other vehicles do not. The tachometer and speedometer are appreciably large with clear markings, but are so deeply recessed that reading them with a glance is difficult unless you're precisely aligned with their surrounding tunnels.
The stereo that comes standard delivers better-than-average sounds. The speed-compensated volume and equalization help mask the low-level road noise and wind rustle from around the outside mirrors. The up-level, Rockford-Fosgate stereo, with 650 watts and eight speakers and a 10-inch subwoofer, converts the Outlander into a rolling boom box, but with more clarity in the treble notes than is common in such systems. Next Page