I've had my new 2007 Outlander XLS 4WD for about 24 hours. I test drove an LS model before deciding on the purchase, and took the XLS I bought on a 15 mile test drive just before signing the paperwork.
But on the way home from the dealer, when driving over some back roads with some imperfections, I drove over some repaired concrete road areas and when driving over the raised areas of repair, there seemed to be almost no shock absorption at all! It was very, VERY jarring, and very unexpected. Somehow, my 15 mile test drive early just didn't go over any imperfections of this type, and I never noticed an issue in the LS model I test drove the previous week.
I have recently owned a Toyota Highlander and Toyota Matrix and have test driven a Lexus RX350. I know those are "cushy feel" suspensions. But I also have test driven the Acura RDX, Maxda CX-7, and the Outlander and know those have a "sport suspension", are "more taut" and "more firm", and therefore going over imperfections will be clearly more noticed and more jarring.
But this was just TOO severe -- it was clearly far beyond anything I experienced in the Acura RDX test drive and Mazda CX-7 test drives which went over some imperfect roads.
And yes -- the tire pressure was checked and is 30 psi for all four tires.
Has anyone found the new Outlander to have a bit too harsh of a suspension? Is there anything that can be done to soften it slightly?
Bud H