 UPDATED JULY 2017:Edmunds asked me to update my review again. Our Outlander continues to be endearing to us. Friends and family often dismiss it (or start wondering about our credit status) but then actually ride in it and are blown away by how solid and well-built it is. They often appreciate the lack of "gimmicks" that are present in other popular compact SUVs. The third row seat blows minds, too. No, it's not a minivan, but yes, we can take your kids home if we have to! Ha ha!I do my own oil changes (with lots of documentation for warranty reasons) and it is a breeze. I don't even have to put the car on ramps. Everything is easy to get to and replacement OEM-spec air and oil filters are readily available (some people make comments about Mitsubishi parts being rare or something).It's a great family car.UPDATED JANUARY 2016:We are still loving our Outlander and it continues to do everything we ask it to do. It's had it's first scheduled maintenance (free from Mitsubishi) with no issues to speak of. Everything works properly, no electronic hiccups, no drivetrain surprises. Now that the CVT has gotten "broken in", it has become much smoother and less noisy. The engine continues to deliver adequate power, though you can hear the valves ticking at idle (like a diesel). That seems to be common now with all the fancy valve timing cam switching voodoo, so its not something I worry about.We have several new Ford Escapes at work and how magazines can recommend them over the Outlander is beyond me; The Outlander is simply BETTER in every way. The Escape has less USABLE interior room, tacky interior design, a laughably small backup camera display, and is so cheaply built that the hood vibrates frantically at idle. The previous generation Escape was a much better vehicle, in my opinion, but I digress.Get yourself an Outlander and stop caring what those car magazines say.ORIGINAL REVIEW:We have had our Outlander for a couple months and about 3000 miles now. We are a family of three with a very active 2 year old and are always going on trips with friends and family.We previously had a 2011 Ford Fusion as our primary family car but found it incompatible with the constant demands to have more than "just us" in the car. We bought the Outlander because we wanted the ability to seat 7 (4 adults and 3 children most commonly) in a pinch but still have a smaller, frugal vehicle for our everyday urban driving. It also surprisingly takes up much less space in our small garage than the Fusion did, which I think is something that isn't touched on enough: Most modern cars and trucks are too long, too wide, too fat. The Outlander is lean and compact, yet still has loads of room on the inside.Automotive "journalists" seem to universally dislike the Outlander (and Mitsubishi in general) but from actually test driving and now living with our Outlander, I know I was right to take their reviews with a grain of salt.Yes, the CVT is slow, but in normal traffic you aren't blasting away from every stop light anyway. If you ever have the need for speed, there is a "sport mode" that I've found to more than adequate when I need to pass someone quickly or "get the heck out of the way". The venerable (but excellent) four cylinder has plenty of power to move this thing, even while on a recent trip to the mountains of East Tennessee, with seven people, and all of our stuff. Not once did I wish I had bought the V6.Build quality is excellent. Every part of this vehicle is durable and honest. The interior is mature and tasteful. I guess some folks call that "bland", but folks like me don't want their interior to look like the cockpit of a jet fighter. The seats are great, the second rows adjusts easily, the third row has PLENTY of room for children and even most people. (Honestly, are all your car reviewers basketball players or something?)The suspension is a little soft and the low mass of the vehicle makes crosswinds very noticeable, but you quickly adjust and stop caring. The ride comfort is more than worth it.We got the mid level SE, which I would say is the "sweet spot". Lots of bells and whistles, but no guzzler V6, no sunroof you'll never use, no navigation that is rendered redundant by any given smartphone these days, no leather that you'll just have to keep oiled or it'll crack, etc etc.The air conditioning is brilliant. I have been repeatedly told that it is too cold, by third row passengers, in the July heat of Memphis! I am not exaggerating! The only real problem to speak of is a tire that needed to be rebalanced (at no cost from the dealership).I should mention that we shopped the Outlander against the Toyota Highlander (new and used), Kia Sorento, Mazda5, and Volvo XC90 (used). In the end, we actually fell in love with the Outlander.It's not perfect, but it's honest. It does what it's supposed to do and it does it well and it does it for an unbeatable price. I can't recommend it enough.