There’s a hint of resurgence in the market for commercial 4x4s; perhaps it’s another reflection of a much talked about recovery in the economy. It looks as if there’s fresh life emerging. With that comes the commercial or business version of the Mitsubishi Outlander. This restyled 4x4 comes at a cost-effective price, but would you be better off going for the passenger model?

I’ve had the commercial van version of the Outlander on the road. There is a €4,000 price difference between the commercial Outlander and the two-wheel-drive passenger option, or as much as €7,000 when you compare the van with the 4x4 passenger model, all of which makes you think about the value of the passenger version. Granted, if you’re VAT registered then you can bring the commercial version down to €24,387, but that’s not an option for most farming families. So, would you be better off paying that bit more for extra seats?

There’s also the issue of needing 4x4 ability or not. For many farming applications, where herding and trailer-towing are the daily chores, 4x4 ability may not be that critical. Based on that, the two-wheel-drive passenger version deserves consideration.

Both versions use the same engine and gearbox, with the differences relating to the seating and driver visibility. I would pay the €4,000 more for those extra seats, especially if claiming back the VAT is not an option.

The same 2.2-litre diesel engine is used across the Outlander range. The unit pumps out an impressive 150bhp – 10bhp more than the previous model. The new version also has greater engine torque, giving better acceleration and improved fuel economy. The official Mitsubishi figure is 18km/litre (5.4l/100km or 53.2mpg) for the Outlander, but that’s difficult to achieve, as I found during my 600km test drive. My estimates are that the Outlander was doing a little over half that level of economy in practice and that was driving mostly with the Eco button engaged. Other similar sized 4x4 SUVs claim almost equal economy figures but, like the Outlander, they rarely convert into real driving figures. The 60-litre fuel tank required more filling than I would have expected and that left me disappointed with the Outlander’s running costs.

This 4x4 comes with a start/stop system and this was effective and smooth but contributed little to the overall economy figures. The emission figures gives a low CO2 rating – just 140g/km. This gives it a B2 rating for a road tax figure of €280. For commercial users, that jumps to €333 and there is the additional cost of an annual NCT test. So you need to weigh up the cost figures carefully.

That’s probably why I came to the conclusion that the Outlander’s abilities were best appreciated in the passenger version. The buying cost may be higher, but it will be more useful and it can be more cost-effective to own and run.

The Outlander commercial is solid and gives a strong feeling. There is a relatively high level of engine torque which allows it to cruise on the road at 100km/hr at just 1,500 engine rpm. That makes for pleasant driving with noise levels that are tolerable.

The commercial version is well equipped for work. There is a solid mesh bulkhead dividing the load section from the front passenger seats. The load area is 1.63m long and 900mm at the narrowest point between the wheel arches. There’s a spare wheel tucked under the floor from the outside. Maybe not very accessible, but at least it’s there.

The towing rating at two tonnes is equal to most of the competition. Very few beat this level with a braked trailer, apart from the Ford Kuga and Volkswagen Tiguan. Ford is offering a Ford Kuga Utility version with all of the advantages of a four-seat Kuga and a price that’s pushing the Outlander a bit too far.

Nissan will likely offer something similar in the new X-Trail and both are more modern and stylish looking that the Outlander. Like Mitsubishi, Ford is now offering a five-year warranty.

I would opt for the passenger version of the Outlander over the commercial option; it has more family space, more internal comfort and better road visibility. The price differences between the commercial version at €29,950 and the two-wheel-drive passenger version at €33,950 (£26,599 in NI) needs consideration. As do some of the competitors.

Mitsubishi Outlander C

Engine 2.2-litre

Engine power 150bhp

0-100km/hr 10 seconds

Economy 18km/litre

Fuel tank capacity 60 litres

CO2 emissions 140g/km

Road tax band C (€333)

Main service 20,000 km

Towing rating 2,000kg

Warranty Five years

Entry price €29,950

NI price N/A