2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Review: The People Have Spoken

• Pricing starts at $31,998 in Canada, $25,745 in the US.

• The current 2022 Outlander PHEV is a carryover but a new one is coming.

• The new 2022 Outlander is about delivering an impression.

This isn’t entirely relevant but hear me out: I’ve always been a station wagon person. Personally, even though I understand their worth, I’ll get a minivan before I own another SUV. Only a small handful have ever spoken to me with enough relevance to be added to my driveway and one of them was the Mitsubishi Outlander.

10 out of 12 like the styling

I will avoid once more unraveling my thoughts on Mitsubishi’s last decade because it is mostly passion-filled nonsense. Given my existing pre-disposition and condition, I decided to use a different approach to evaluate Mitsubishi’s current design direction and its effects on the new 2022 Outlander. And wouldn’t you know it, I’ve got no idea what people want anymore, at least as far as looks are concerned.

When I shot my video of the new Outlander, I’d so far surveyed eight neighbors but by the end of the week, I’d increased my sampling to 12 people. A full 10 out of 12, or 83.33%, liked the new SUV’s front design. They called it muscular, unique and one went so far as say premium. There, the people have spoken. I will add here that I do like the Outlander’s side profile, strong character lines, and think the ¾ angle shows off the SUV’s best features, namely the sharp taillights, sculpted rear haunches, and bumper.

Premium cabin

The cabin is far easier to appreciate as it doesn’t attempt to make up for various shortcomings. In fact, the dashboard’s layout, attention to detail, and craftsmanship could believably be lifted from a pricier vehicle. The tested $42,178 Outlander GT Premium has numerous standout elements such as semi‑aniline two‑tone leather, the 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, the head’s up display, and tasteful fit and finish.

Most surfaces are premium in appearance and to the touch, which absolutely helps the Outlander rack up points with potential consumers. The other is the amount of space onboard. The third row remains, as always, as a plan B in most cases. When up, the available boot space is 331 litres, meaning that it’s fairly limited. When stowed, once the massive comically headrests are removed, the boot grows to a commendable 949 litres.

The rear bench slides fore and aft to maximize rear occupant legroom. Up front, driver and passenger are treated to plenty of space. Storage spots are limited in the center console which is essentially the cabin’s only deficiency.

Refinement takes centre stage

In a way, Mitsubishi has improved everything it could with the new 2022 Outlander. The most important enhancements done to the new SUV have to do with overall refinement. The cabin is far quieter even at highway speeds while the chassis handles most road surfaces with relative ease. Despite the new level of sophistication, the Outlander is still tuned for a slightly more dynamic driving experience which is by design.

The ameliorated ride quality is enhanced by responsive steering, decent braking power, and feel, but this is where the praise comes to an end. In a way, all is fine with the 2.5-litre 4-cylinder, its 181 horsepower and equal torque, and the standard continuously variable transmission. The latter channels the power to the standard and effective Super All‑Wheel Control (S‑AWC) AWD system.

In town, the transmission does its thing focusing mostly on efficiency and aforementioned refinement. Unfortunately, the issues with the powertrain arise once more speed is required. Despite its best intentions, the engine-transmission combo needs lots of time and plenty of room to reach said required speed. And this is when I’m alone in the Outlander. With an extra 250 lbs of people and gear, the situation gets graver. I would avoid testing out the SUV’s 2,000 lbs towing capacity… The upside however is overall fuel efficiency which will hover around the 9L/100 km mark.

The right trim and the competition

The most value-packed and interesting trim is the LE. The advantages to the $37,738 version of the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander are the included heated steering wheel, 9-inch display, power liftgate, and more such as the 20-inch wheels. Essentially, the LE is nearly identical to the tested $42,178 GT Premium.

As far as the competition, the Outlander faces off in the most hard-fought segment on the continent. The likes of the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Rogue (its fraternal twin), Mazda CX-5, Chevrolet Equinox, and Volkswagen Tiguan, to name a few, mean that the Outlander will rarely be at the top of a shopping list.

In a nutshell, the new 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is the best Outlander ever but there are no undeniable features or points in its favour. That is unless you are part of the 83.33% that think it’s a looker.

2022 Mitsubishi Outlander

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