Look familiar? If the Mitsubishi Outlander's front end design doesn't float your boat and you live across the pond, you can always try out one of its two French clones produced thanks to an alliance between Mitsubishi and PSA Peugeot Citroën. The SUVs are known as the Citroën C Crosser and Peugeot 4007, and are pretty much identical to the Outlander save for engines, considerably different front end designs and minor rear styling details. The interiors are identical except for the steering wheel, where Citroën's chevrons and Peugeot's lion thingy replace Mitsu's three diamonds. Both French Utes (or Frutes) are powered by a 2.2-liter diesel engine that produces 156 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. They're both four-wheel-drive and are only available with a six-speed automatic.
For comparison pictures between the three Outlander triplets, click below.
Our Long-Term Mitsubishi Outlander
The Citroën C Crosser. I think this one actually looks pretty good. I'm a big fan of Citroën's corporate nose, but I'm not sure how well it goes with the rest of Mitsu's edgy body design.
The Peugeot 4007. Boy is this thing ugly, it looks like it's about to eat you. (For the record, it's pronounced Poo-zjoh Quatre Mille Sept, although Americans are welcome to say Poo-Get 40 Oh 7)
Here's the C Crosser's caboose. The 4007 looks even closer to the Outlander.
Here's the final flavor, a concept truck based on the Outlander. Yep, that's two wheels out back and it even has what looks like the Outlander's craptacular third row seat plopped into the truck bed. Simply awesome. More information on the Citroën Cruise Crosser.
James Riswick, Associate Editor @ 11,683 miles
smalone says:
10:16 AM, 09/12/07
Geez, wish we could get that diesel here . . . .
SubyTrojan says:
12:20 PM, 09/12/07
I like the look of the front of the Peugeot 4007 except for the chrome surrounding part of the emblem. I think chrome all the way around the emblem or none at all would look better. It also looks like it has a huge grin on its face and/or is ready to eat something.
roar02ram says:
04:43 PM, 09/12/07
Either one has more personality than the Mitsu.
firstwagon says:
07:39 PM, 09/12/07
A Peugot that doesn't fall apart???? The French won't know what to think!
estreka says:
10:01 PM, 09/12/07
I always pronounced it "pew-jeaux" ("J" as in Jacques).
Renault - "reh-naw"
bimmerjay says:
11:01 PM, 09/12/07
My Peugeot Experience, by bimmerjay
A few months ago I was in Europe and rented a 2007 Peugeot 807 minivan for a several day road trip, chock full of people and luggage. An 807 kind of looks like a mix between a Toyota Sienna (front) and a last generation Nissan Quest (back). It was loaded - central display with DVD nav, power doors, park assist, rain sensor wipers, and had a 6-speed manual (yay) hooked to a 4-cylinder turbodiesel (not-so-yay).
We loaded up and discovered the van wouldn't start. Great, not even out of the parking garage yet. I began to question my ability to start a diesel, since the dings and gongs were rather angry. After the third try or so, everything goes dark. Hertz jump-starts it and it runs, but the idle is rough. I point at and demand one of the other 807's nearby, and they oblige.
Things work out better, as the new van starts, so I guide 'er out of the garage and we are underway. Mind you, this new 807 only had about 5,000 km on the clock. After maybe 40 km, the pax SRS warning starts dinging. It does so at its choosing for the rest of the trip. We discover it is a fault with the sensor pad on the seat, so we learn how one must sit to avoid the incessant gongs. Problem solved, most of the time.
The next day the cruise control suddenly stops holding a speed on the motorway (says it's activated but lets the van-pod decel). Then the ABS and stability lights illuminate, so I pull over, check fluids, poke around under the hood, reboot, and all seems good again.
The next day I'm driving down a steep, narrow and curvy mountain pass in the rain, when the SRS warning illuminates. Uh oh, it's not the ass sensor this time. No sooner do I think this when the ABS, stability, and brake warning lights blink on. Great, no place to pull over in the WORST place possible to have no safety nets. I nurse it to a safe spot, do my checks again and reboot. All is well in Peugeot-land.
Last day in the 'geot and we're cruising along on another glassy-smooth motorway, when the ABS and stability lights come on again...but wait, now the christmas tree has a low tire pressure companion this time! I stop, check the tires, realize it's just a Peugeot, reset the system and we're on our way. There was one last cruise malfunction before handing it back in, and recommending a "thorough" service!
bimmerjay says:
11:08 PM, 09/12/07
That is the abridged version, by the way. And no, swearing at it in French didn't help.
vvk says:
06:03 AM, 09/13/07
I don't know, my rented 106 was absolutely perfect. It did not have any of the electronics you mentioned, though. What it did have was exceptionally fluid handling, quiet and flexible gasoline engine, smooth ride, outstanding room and comfortable seats. Loved it, could not get enough of it...
I did have some choice words for it when I could not find the horn one night when some lunatic started backing into me. Found it a couple of lights down the road -- button on the turn signal stalk (?!!!)
jriz says:
08:30 AM, 09/13/07
estreka -- That phonetic spelling of Peugeot works for me, however, it is "ren oh".
As for the Peugeot 807, it should be said that that's a rather old vehicle, dating back to the 2002 model year. Also, rental cars are always ripe for trouble. Having said that, Brit magazine CAR isn't very keen on it giving it 2 out of 5 stars.
anythngbutgm says:
10:25 AM, 09/14/07
Not to get of topic, but is the Peugeot designed engine in the Mini Cooper one to stay away from?
actualsize says:
10:52 AM, 09/14/07
In the contest of "who-will-make-their-headlights-reach-back-to-the-a-pillars-first?", the French seem to be clear favorites.
My dad owned a 505 a couple of decades ago. He told me that Peugeot was french for "blown head gasket."
jriz says:
12:42 PM, 09/14/07
anythngbutgm -- The one in our LT Cooper S is pretty feakin' sweet.
ateixeira says:
01:21 PM, 09/19/07
I prefer the Chevrons on the face of the C Crosser as well.