Mitsubishi used to be a truly great car brand. The Eclipse was the car that quite literally started the import tuner trend in North America, and the Evo to this day remains one of the most highly regarded performance cars of all time, not just in the realm of JDM cars, but in general.
Over the past couple of years, however, Mitsubishi has fallen from grace. Their range of models was dialed back to mediocre crossovers and possibly the worst subcompact car currently on sale, and they were riddled with problems. However, this iconic JDM brand isn't going down without a fight, as they're ready to tackle the midsize SUV segment with the all-new Outlander.
10 A Bold New Look
The first and most obvious thing that everyone will notice about the new Outlander is the all-new exterior styling. To put it bluntly, it's very bold and very different from any of the other models currently available in Mitsubishi's lineup.
The front fascia is Mitsubishi's signature Dynamic Shield front end, which incorporates an upside-down headlight design and curved polished strips that wrap around the headlights and house the foglights on their own. The side profile is also very different, and the rear also adopts much slimmer headlights and (unfortunately and very obviously) fake exhaust outlets.
9 Gone Rogue?
Mitsubishi's fate was uncertain in the 2010s, until Nissan took a controlling stake in the company back in 2016. This granted Mitsubishi access to the Renault and Nissan parts bin, though they didn't rummage around it for a while. The 2022 Outlander is a different story, however.
Underneath the skin, the Outlander is based on the new Nissan Rogue, which turned out to be a pretty good SUV. They both ride on the same platform, use the same 181 hp 2.5-liter N/A 4-cylinder engine, and rather unfortunately, both of them have their wheels driven by Nissan's infernal CVT transmission.
8 A Third Row Is Standard
The Mitsubishi Outlander is going into battle with the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and its cousin, the Nissan Rogue. Over the years, models in this segment have gained third-row seats as an option, and it's clear that Mitsubishi is following customer demands with the new Outlander.
Third-row seating now comes as standard in the new Outlander. While the size of this SUV means that they're only good for smaller children and short rides, it's nice to know that they're there, and they can be used. After all, not all SUVs pull off the third row very well. Keep in mind, though; if you are going to put people in those seats, try not to opt for that white leather upholstery.
7 Super All-Wheel Control
One of the defining characteristics of every Mitsubishi SUV is their off-roading capability. Even the smallest Mitsubishi SUVs over the years could tackle the rough stuff with some degree of grace, and it was a breeze for the larger ones.
The new Outlander is also somewhat prepped for going off the beaten track. Mitsubishi's rather bizarrely named Super-All Wheel Control AWD system is available on the Outlander, where the fifth generation of the system makes its debut. There's a skid plate on the bottom of the front bumper to help with clearing some obstacles, and the system also allows the driver to enable 2WD modes to improve fuel economy. Hill Descent Control is also standard.
6 On The Inside
Inside the 2022 Outlander is where the Nissan connection is most noticeable. Pretty much everything has been lifted from the 2021 Rogue, although some snazzier trim packages are available, like the previously shown white leather and this rather trendy black and orange combination.
The Outlander is the first Mitsubishi to get a fully digital driver's display, even though they can sometimes be quite weird, instead of a traditional analog gauge cluster, which gives the driver all of the information that they could need at a small glance. A full heads-up display right above the gauge cluster is also offered. Meanwhile, the new infotainment system is also pinched from Nissan, and includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, as well as tri-zone climate control and a panoramic sunroof.
5 About That CVT, Then...
The new Outlander is a massive improvement in just about every conceivable way, but there's one thing that could potentially hold it back; the gearbox. As the Outlander is based on the new Nissan Rogue, it uses Nissan's CVT transmission.
Aside from the fact that CVT transmissions are noisy and annoying to use, Nissan's, in particular, is famous for being extremely unreliable and prone to failure. It's unclear why Nissan continues to use it, and it's especially bizarre considering the new Pathfinder has switched to a conventional 9-speed automatic. We can only hope the longevity has been improved.
4 The All-Important Safety Tech
Obviously, vehicles in this segment should prioritize one thing and one thing only; safety. An SUV that can carry seven passengers inside, plus all their stuff, must be safe to be in the event of an accident. Mitsubishi has taken safety very seriously on this front.
Auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert are only part of the standard safety kit included on the new Outlander. Driver attention warning is also available, along with lane keep assist and forward collision warning. Adaptive cruise control and the new MI-Pilot facility give this new SUV semi-autonomous capabilities.
3 Why It's Important
It's a good thing that Mitsubishi decided to announce their renaissance by introducing the new Outlander first. The market that it's entering is crucial to any automaker's long-term survival, especially in North America, and the Outlander looks set to provide an interesting alternative to the rest of the pack.
Possibly one of the biggest reasons why the Outlander could be so compelling is the pricing. Most of Mitsubishi's models are very affordable, including the Mirage, which still holds the crown as the cheapest brand-new car on sale in the US. When the Outlander arrives, it has the potential of being cheaper than the two-row Nissan Rogue. Speaking of which...
2 Pricing & Launch
There isn't a precise launch window on the Outlander just yet, but it will launch sometime in 2021 as a 2022 model year vehicle. Mitsubishi is also quiet about pricing, but a rough estimate puts the Outlander somewhere in the neighborhood of $25,000 for the base model.
Considering the type of vehicle that it is and how much safety tech it offers, that's pretty decent value. The higher trim levels feature some pretty cool stuff, and it's probably safe to assume that those will move somewhere in the neighborhood of $40,000. By comparison, the Toyota RAV4 starts at around $26,000, the Nissan Rogue at $25,600, and the Honda CR-V at $25,300.
1 What's Next?
So, what's next for Mitsubishi? The new Outlander is definitely a sign of things to come, and considering how astronomical the improvement is over their current and outdated family of crossovers and SUVs, we hope that Mitsubishi has some surprises in store.
While the Outlander will be sold in North America, it won't be available in Europe due to the brand's withdrawal from that market, although a return to Europe with the help of Renault is possible. Meanwhile, in North America, the previous generation Outlander PHEV will be sold alongside the new model for a while.