Overview
Like a steamy cup of coffee, three-row SUVS such as the Mitsubishi Outlander are how most Americans start their mornings. While its 181-hp four-cylinder and CVT won’t get your heart beating as fast as a double shot of espresso, the seven-passenger Outlander does deliver a comfy interior with a smooth ride. It shares its platform with the two-row Nissan Rogue and offers a plug-in hybrid powertrain with 248 horsepower and all-wheel drive. Adults won’t find much legroom in the third row, but first- and second-row passengers have available luxuries such as quilted leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a giant speedometer that mimics the wheel from The Price is Right. The Outlander isn’t as robust as segment-leading competitors, such as the Honda CR-V or Mazda CX-50, but it does offer plenty of cargo space and an interior as rich as oat milk.
What’s New for 2024?
Mitsubishi doesn’t throw any remarkable updates or changes at the Outlander for 2024. Rumors about a possible 286-hp Ralliart performance version of the Outlander PHEV could make for quite the spicy option, although we wouldn’t expect such an edition to be available until 2024.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The Outlander’s starting price puts it at the more expensive side of the compact crossover segment. Despite a variety of desirable features, the top SEL trim has questionable value since it costs about as much as a top-of-the-line Mazda CX-5, which has won our 10Best award multiple times. So, we’d recommend the mid-level SEL model. It comes with intricate 20-inch wheels, a 9.0-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, a hands-free power liftgate, wireless charging, and driver assists such as adaptive cruise and lane-keeping assist. We’d also select the Tech package that adds a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a Bose audio system, and a panoramic sunroof.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Outlander’s standard engine is a 2.5-liter inline-four-cylinder engine that makes 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. It pairs exclusively with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Front-wheel drive is the standard configuration, but all-wheel drive is optional. Although the Outlander’s acceleration times are competitive with other compact crossovers (excluding speedsters such as the turbocharged CX-5 and Kia Sportage), it feels less responsive and lazier at highway speeds, which is exacerbated by its gearless CVT. Otherwise, the Outlander drives with agility and composure. Its steering is nicely weighted, its body motions are controlled, and its ride is taut. We did notice a lack of isolation that allowed a lot of road noise to enter the cabin on all but the smoothest roads, and our test vehicle’s large 20-inch wheels with limited sidewall cushioning didn’t help the situation. The Outlander we drove also had a soft-feeling brake pedal, but the stoppers hauled the SUV down from 70 mph in a class-competitive 172 feet. The plug-in hybrid model is more powerful and we estimate it will deliver slightly brisker acceleration. The 2.4-liter four-cylinder is assisted by a pair of electric motors for a combined 248 horsepower and in our first test drive, we noted that the Outlander PHEV felt perkier, especially in urban driving.
Towing and Payload Capacity
Bigger SUVs or pickups are better suited for towing, but the Mitsubishi does have the ability to tow as much as 2000 pounds, should you need it.
Range, Charging, and Battery Life
With a 20.0-kWh battery pack onboard, the Outlander PHEV is good for a claimed 38 miles of electric-only driving range per charge. That puts it slightly ahead of other PHEV versions of the Hyundai Tucson and the Ford Escape, but behind the Toyota RAV4 Prime, which beats the Outlander slightly with a 42-mile driving range. Unfortunately, the Outlander PHEV suffers from a fairly slow onboard charging system, which means charging at home will take roughly 6.5 hours if the battery is entirely dead. Luckily, a DC fast-charging system is optional, but it uses an outdated CHAdeMO charging port that may not be easy to find at fast charging stations in your area.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The all-wheel-drive Outlander earns an EPA-rated 24 mpg city and 30 highway. Front-wheel drive Outlanders see a marginal improvement of 24 city and 31 mpg on the highway. During our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route—part of our extensive testing regimen—the all-wheel-drive Mitsubishi’s real-world result of 26 mpg fell short of its EPA estimate. The Outlander PHEV is rated for 25 mpg city and 27 mpg highway when running on gasoline, but by the government’s yardstick, it’s good for 64 MPGe combined when accounting for its electric driving range. For more information about the Outlander’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The new Outlander has significantly nicer cabin materials compared with its predecessor, which was marred by subpar plastics and chintzy trim pieces. Not only are the interior accents and surfaces of higher quality, but the design finally qualifies as modern. Likewise, there’s an assortment of contemporary content that includes an available 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a head-up display. While passengers in the first two rows enjoy more hip room and legroom than in the last-gen Outlander, its third row has very limited legroom for adults. The only other compact crossover with seating for seven is the Volkswagen Tiguan, but, unlike the Outlander, its extra set of seats is limited to front-drive models. Cargo space also increases on the new Outlander, with 1 cubic foot added to the total volume behind the second and third rows.
Infotainment and Connectivity
On the infotainment front, the new Outlander offers either an 8.0- or 9.0-inch touchscreen, depending on the trim. Both units have standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but only the latter allows users to connect their iPhones wirelessly. Along with charging ports at the bottom of the center stack, the system features hard buttons and physical knobs for volume and tuning. Additional available infotainment features include a 10-speaker Bose audio system, wireless device charging, and access to the subscription-based Mitsubishi Connect app that provides remote services.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Available with driver-assistance technology that includes adaptive cruise control and a semi-autonomous drive mode, the 2023 Outlander boasts a compelling set of tech. For more information about the compact crossover’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- Available forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
- Available blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
- Available lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Mitsubishi provides one of the better limited and powertrain warranties versus other compact crossovers and SUVs. Although the company doesn’t offer complimentary maintenance, its primary protection plans are just as long as those from Kia and Hyundai.
- Limited warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 100,000 miles
- No complimentary scheduled maintenance
Specifications
Specifications
2022 Mitsubishi Outlander S-AWC
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE AS TESTED
$38,590 (base price: $28,790)
ENGINE TYPE
DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement
152 in3, 2488 cm3
Power
181 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque
181 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
TRANSMISSION
continuously variable automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 13.8-in vented disc/13.0-in vented disc
Tires: Bridgestone Ecopia H/L 422 Plus, P255/45R-20 101W M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 106.5 in
Length: 185.4 in
Width: 73.3 in
Height: 68.8 in
Passenger volume: 120 ft3
Cargo volume: 12 ft3
Curb weight: 3864 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 8.2 sec
100 mph: 23.9 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 8.6 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 4.7 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 6.0 sec
1/4 mile: 16.3 sec @ 86 mph
Top speed (C/D est): 120 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 171 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.85 g
Standing-start accel times omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
75-mph highway driving: 26 mpg
Highway range: 370 miles
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 26/24/30 mpg
