2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Road Test and Review

2022 Mitsubishi Outlander ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

The term “all new” is a bit overused by carmakers looking to create interest in their product offerings, but in the case of the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander, it’s an accurate assessment. Developed in conjunction with Mitsubishi’s corporate partner Nissan, the 2022 Outlander shares nothing with its 2021 predecessor but the name. And it makes pretty much every other offering in Mitsubishi’s U.S. lineup look at least 10 years old.

The Outlander’s new look, while sporting a recognizable Mitsubishi face, has a more upright theme — with a taller front end, a flatter Land Rover-like hood and roof, a wider stance, and shorter overhangs — that’s more SUV than crossover. Filling those big fender wells are 20-inch wheels, standard on all but the base model. The Outlander’s robotic-looking front visage glares with high-mounted, dagger-like LED running lamps, bolstered by low-mounted LED headlamps and fog lamps. Call it cyborg meets Montero, the latter a reference to Mitsubishi’s rally-proven, tough-nuts SUV of years past. All 2022 Outlander models also come with standard third-row seating. Including the $1,195 destination charge, this compact SUV lineup includes the base ES ($26,990), midlevel SE ($30,040), well-equipped SEL ($33,140), and loaded SEL Touring ($35,660). All-wheel drive, which Mitsubishi calls Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC), is an $1,800 upcharge with all trims. 

Under the Hood

Co-developed with corporate partner Nissan, the Outlander shares its naturally aspirated, direct-injected 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with the Nissan Rogue and Altima. The Outlander’s 2.5-liter develops its segment-appropriate 181 horsepower and 181-lb-ft of torque on regular unleaded fuel. The engine is paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission which automatically selects the best gear ratio for varying driving situations. Steering wheel paddles enable the driver to manually select fixed ratios when desired, such as when traversing hilly or curvy terrain.

Equipped with front-wheel drive, the Outlander is EPA-rated at 24 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 27 mpg combined. All-wheel-drive models drop slightly to 24 mpg city/30 mpg highway/26 mpg combined. In 96 miles of mixed city and highway driving, I saw an indicated 28.9 mpg on the Outlander’s dash-mounted trip computer. That’s very competitive for a crossover suv with the Outlander’s passenger and cargo-carrying ability. The Outlander can accelerate from rest to 60 mph in about 8.5 seconds, more than adequate for the daily commute, but high-speed freeway merging and passing takes some planning. Mitsubishi rates the Outlander for light towing up to 2,000 lbs. No hybrid or plug-in hybrid variants are currently available.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Inviting Cabin

Matching the new Outlander’s eye-catching exterior curb appeal is its inviting and surprisingly luxurious cabin. Shown here in range-topping SEL Touring trim, the Outlander’s interior surprises and delights with striking two-tone color schemes. The cabin offers an abundance of soft-touch or padded-vinyl surfaces on the doors and instrument panel. Even the console has padding along its outer edges to make things more comfortable when resting knees there on long trips or when bracing for curves in the road.

The driver and front passenger ride in comfortable and well-bolstered seats. A stubby, shift-by-wire gear selector takes up less space and opens up the console for more storage. The Outlander’s steering wheel, leather-wrapped with the SE and SEL, has a satisfyingly thick rim. A digital, 12.3-inch driver-configurable cluster replaces the 7-inch driver display in the SEL and Touring. Standard fare includes dual-zone automatic climate control, pushbutton start, and a tilt/telescope steering column. The base ES has cloth seats and door inserts, with the SE upgrading those to faux leather. The SE also gains a power driver seat, heated front seats, keyless entry, and the SEL adds quilted leather seat coverings, a power front passenger seat, driver seat memory, and quilted faux-leather door inserts. The SEL Touring brings soft, semi-aniline seat coverings and door inserts, a heated steering wheel, and a panoramic sunroof.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Infotainment System

The new Outlander makes staying connected and entertained on the road easy. Included with the base ES is an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto cellphone mirroring capability. Mitsubishi says wireless Android Auto will also be available soon. Standing proud atop the center of the dash, the upgrade 9-inch infotainment touchscreen with embedded navigation shown here is included with SE and higher trims.

In addition to voice and steering wheel controls, both displays have a pair of easy-to-use (and find when you’re busy with traffic) analog twist knobs beneath the touchscreen for tuning and volume adjustments as well as a row of shortcut buttons for frequently selected tasks. The base ES has a pair of USB ports up front, one each Type A and Type C for charging and data, and SE and higher trims add two more for second-row passengers. Standard audio fare is a basic six-speaker AM/FM stereo, with SE and higher trims adding HD radio and a three-month subscription to SiriusXM satellite radio. The SEL Touring upgrades to a rich-sounding, 10-speaker Bose premium audio system. A standard wireless phone charger for Qi-enabled devices is located in the center console of SE and higher trims.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Comfortable Seating

The driver and front passenger ride in comfortable and well-bolstered seats. The Outlander’s second can easily accommodate two full-grown adults and squeeze in a third when necessary with ample headroom and legroom. Split 40/20/40 to accommodate differing passenger and cargo space needs, the second-row seats slide fore and aft to aid access to the third row and give third-row occupants a bit more precious legroom which is otherwise in very short supply. In addition to open bins in the rear doors, storage for second-row occupants includes two deep map pockets on the rear of each front seatback. Dark-tint privacy glass for rear doors and cargo area is standard for all models. The SEL adds heated outboard seating positions and climate controls for second-row passengers, while the SEL Touring brings pull-up rear-door window shades.

Unusual among compact SUVs is the Outlander’s standard third-row seating. Think of the Outlander not as a seven-passenger vehicle but one with 5+2 seating. The third row is really just for children small enough to fit in the wayback but old enough not to require a child safety seat, as there are no LATCH anchors or tethers back there.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Cargo Considerations

With the occasional-use third-row seatbacks up, there is a subcompact-sedan-like 11.7 cubic feet of luggage space available, room for two or three airport roller bags at best. More likely, Outlander owners will fold the rearmost seats down, opening up a compact crossover SUV-appropriate 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space while keeping room for up to five passengers.

Folding the second-row seats yields a maximum 78.7 cubic feet, room for a mountain bike or long items such as a big-screen television. Inasmuch as there is no spare tire due to the underfloor space the folded third-row seat takes up, there is some concealed space for small valuables such as a purse or tablet underfloor alongside the tire repair kit. There are also two deep wells straddling the cargo floor for securing gallon jugs of milk or juice. The SE and higher trims come standard with a hands-free power liftgate with adjustable opening height.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Drive Modes

As with many of the latest crossover SUVs, the 2022 Outlander has selectable drive modes, accessed via a knob on the center console. The settings customize things like throttle response, transmission ratio selection, steering effort, and, in the case of all-wheel-drive variants, front/rear torque distribution.

Drivers of front-drive models can choose between Normal, fuel-saving Eco, Snow, Gravel, and Tarmac settings, the latter being Mitsubishi’s name for a Sport setting that keeps engine revs higher for more immediate engine response. Outlander models equipped with Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) also get a Mud setting for maximizing traction in the mucky stuff, plus a hill-descent control system that allows the SUV to descend steep grades at low speeds, using the anti-lock brake system to rapidly pulse the brakes to maintain control.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Outlander Dynamics

While not possessing sport-sedan handling qualities such as those found in crossover SUVs like the Mazda CX-5 or Acura MDX, the 2022 Outlander offers secure and stable dynamics fitting of the class. Vertical body motions are well managed, providing an agreeable balance of ride comfort and dynamic control.

There is very little body lean, even in sharp corners. Grip, especially with the wide-section 255/65R20 all-season tires fitted to all but the base ES model, is surprisingly good. And despite the somewhat narrow sidewalls of the 20-inchers, impact harshness over bumps and ruts is not an issue. The Outlander gets larger brakes than the 200-pound-lighter Nissan Rogue it’s based on, which contribute to confidence-inspiring stopping ability from freeway speeds without fade.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Safety and Driver Assistance

There are a total of 10 airbags, including one between the front seats. Standard fare with all Outlander models is an impressive roster of driver-assistance features, including front and rear automatic emergency braking with forward pedestrian detection, a driver attention monitor, a rear seat alert, a backup camera, automatic high beams, a lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring with lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic monitoring with brake assist.

SE and higher trims add adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane-departure prevention, lane-keeping assist, traffic-sign recognition, front parking sensors, and a 360-degree surround-view camera that gives an overhead view of the Outlander and its immediate surroundings. MiPilot Assist, also included with the SE and higher trims, combines adaptive cruise control with full stop and go and lane centering is standard on upper trims. The system also uses navigation system map data and traffic sign recognition and is capable of adjusting the set speed to the new limit automatically. A 10.8-inch color head-up display that gives key road speed, traffic sign, navigation, and other information on the lower part of the windshield in front of the driver is included with the SEL Touring.

Photo by Ron Sessions

No Longer an Outlier

Leveraging its partnership with Nissan, Mitsubishi now has a very competitive offering in the compact crossover SUV segment. The 2022 Outlander has a fresh look all its own and distinctive curb appeal that will turn some heads bolstered by a stylish and modern cabin that wouldn’t look out of place in a luxury brand’s offering.

The Outlander’s up-to-date infotainment tech and impressive roster of safety and driver-assistive features are among the best in the segment. Adding some peace of mind, the Outlander’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty tops those of all competing compact crossover suvs but the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage.

Photo by Ron Sessions