Every real sport-utility should have a tailgate. Otherwise all you have is a crossover, a shopping basket with really big wheels, and probably about as much fun to drive.
It’s all a matter of footwear, really.
If you’ve got a four-wheel-drive sport-ute, chances are you’re headed for some place where the traction is a lot different than the big parking lot in front of the Meijer’s. It might be that dirt, mud, sand or snow will be involved. And in the same way that your four-wheel-drive sport-ute has all-terrain tires to minimize the slipping and sliding when the traction is bad, so too you’ll be changing your own footwear. You know, aqua socks, bicycle shoes, hiking boots, motocross boots, running shoes or ski boots.
And basically it’s a better deal to sit on a tailgate and change gear than squat on the doorsill. It’s pretty much as simple as that.
There are plenty of other reasons to have a tailgate, of course, and they involve things like loading up the cargo area or having a semi-level workspace to re-jet your dirt bike’s carburetor when you’re on a fire road in the middle of the big trees near Twain Harte (which I’ve done). But I think it mostly comes down to footwear.
The Mitsubishi Outlander GT has a kind of clever, half-height tailgate, so you don't even notice it's there until you deploy it all the way. Maybe this tailgate is just a kind of evolutionary leftover that reminds you where sport-utilities came from, but it tells me that the Outlander GT aspires to be more than just a snappy shopping cart.
Michael Jordan, Executive Editor, Edmunds.com @ 16,802 miles
jeepsrt says:
11:20 AM, 05/13/11
I use to sit on the tailgate of my Parent's Range Rover in the summer talking to friends in the garage for hours, wish more SUV's had these.
teamtux says:
11:22 AM, 05/13/11
I would like to see some video on that tailgate action!
adamb1 says:
11:35 AM, 05/13/11
Better to have a tail gate than not. However, it is missing round depressions to set your beverage in/hold screws and nails/toss your car keys in.
cutestangchick says:
11:36 AM, 05/13/11
How high off the ground is it? Are we talking 2011 F-150, or 1993 Civic hatchback?
tmanz says:
12:01 PM, 05/13/11
Honda got that right on the Element 8 years ago.
Although I guess in reality the old wagons had it right too.
Grab a sandwich out of a cooler and without the tailgate you can either sit on the ground or back on the front seats.
fushigi says:
12:09 PM, 05/13/11
@teamtux - http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2010/11/2010-mitsubishi-outlander-gt-using-the-tailgate.html The slot where the lever is in the vid also serves as a handle for closing it.
@cutestangchick - 24" is the height of the lower tailgate when opened. The upper opens to 71" off the ground. As I'm of average male height I can stand under it without hunching.
Also, you can close the upper tailgate with the lower part open. It doesn't lock but will stay in place. That gives you a slot that's useful for long flat items or a place to stand when putting things on the roof should you be so inclined.
The lower tailgate has a 440 pound weight limit.
bodyblue says:
12:22 PM, 05/13/11
My 70 Buick Estate and my 77 LTD wagons had great tailgates....either open like a door or flip down...something simple that really has not been improved upon. MY 95 Escort wagon had a hatch which was not as useful.
audisport says:
12:33 PM, 05/13/11
Real utes should have more than 150hp.
bc1960 says:
01:42 PM, 05/13/11
@audisport, the GT is not the Sport.
So, does this mean the Jeep Wrangler isn't a "real ute," since it has a side-hinged lower door and top-hinged (or seamed, for soft roofs) window, which I think is the worst solution to the problem of rear cargo access?
audisport says:
02:15 PM, 05/13/11
@bc1960 says- Calling me out on mere "details" like the fact that I'm referring to the wrong vehicle! How dare you!
ed124c says:
02:20 PM, 05/13/11
I see women every day loading groceries into their Chevy Traverses, or any number of SUV/CUVs. With the tailgate fully down on the Outlander, as in the photo, even I would have a hard time loading. Those wire supports don't help any, either. So, the only way to do it is to lift the bags over the tailgate when it is either half way or all the way closed. And that doesn't sound like fun.
There may be good uses for this Outlander's tailgate, but not for most people who buy this type of vehicle.
bradyholt says:
04:01 PM, 05/13/11
ed124c,
Because the tailgate comes out of the bumper, liftover with the tailgate up is still comparable to other SUVs. The downside is the cost of rear-end damage, but it's great for versatility.
1198sp says:
01:48 AM, 05/14/11
"The lower tailgate has a 440 pound weight limit"
So it is designed to seat 4 Japanese, or 1.3 Americans.
bodyblue says:
06:31 AM, 05/14/11
"So it is designed to seat 4 Japanese, or 1.3 Americans."
Or 2/3 of a Sumo wrestler.
v8vader says:
03:04 PM, 05/14/11
if only it had more engine.
fushigi says:
07:40 PM, 05/14/11
@v8vader - 230 HP not enough for you? I took mine uphill on an on-ramp with 5 people + luggage on board and it didn't shift out of 3rd until I was doing 85MPH. It hauls butt just fine.
The Outlander Sport, however, could use a few more ponies.