YOU get plenty for your money with brands like Mitsubishi as they try to compete with bigger-selling marques by adding value.

The new version of the Outlander – the Japanese firm’s first new car in the UK since the ASX in 2010 – is a prime example.

Even the entry level GX2 comes with automatic lighting, cruise control, air con, city crash protection and hill start assist for starters.

Move up the scale and the top-of-the-range GX5 gives you adaptive cruise control – which will slow you down and speed you up depending on what the car in front is doing – a forward collision mitigation system and a powered tailgate.

Power across the range comes from a solitary 2.2 litre diesel engine, although a plug-in hybrid is coming this year.

Emissions of a respectable 138g/km for a car of this size (153g/km for the auto) put it in the same tax bracket as a VW Polo 1.4 petrol, while a 0-62mph time of 10.2 seconds make it faster than a 1.6 VW Golf TDI.

Couple that with seven seats and, with only the front two in use, 1,022 litres of load space, and you’ve got a decent all-round package.

The diesel engine performs well, with decent acceleration, but, on a near-600-mile round trip from Dorset to Yorkshire, it failed to match Mitsubishi’s claims of 52mpg for this model on the combined cycle.

Even with every possible ‘eco’ option engaged, I only got roughly 40 over the drive. Not too bad for a car like this, but when the manufacturer is claiming top-notch economy as a major selling point it’s a bit of a disappointment.

Although it’s four wheel drive, the eco mode puts power just to the front wheels, only engaging the rears when grip issues demand it.

But where the Outlander was a big winner was with that big load space, with it swallowing everything needed for a week away with plenty of room to spare.

Driver and passenger comfort is good, with, on the GX4, dual-zone air con, sat nav and all the other bells and buttons you’d expect.

The Outlander did everything we asked of it with aplomb, but didn’t stir the senses in any big way.

The GX4 comes in at £29,999, while the range starts at £23,699 for the GX2 up to £33,999 for the GX5.

At those prices it’s going directly up against the Land Rover Freelander, which could mean something of a struggle for sales.

There’s nothing wrong with the Outlander – far from it – but whether it offers enough to tempt buyers is another matter.