2025 Mitsubishi Outlander GT Premium : Small Changes that Matter

2025 will be a transitional year for the Mitsubishi Outlander, which is receiving aesthetic and technological updates, but will have to wait until next year to benefit from a new hybrid powertrain.

Summary of the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander GT Premium

• New wheels, new taillights, a Yamaha audio system, and a new infotainment system are the main changes for 2025.
• The GT Premium trim level is at the top of the range, with a Canadian starting price of $47,498.
• The 2.5L four-cylinder engine generates 181 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque.
• The average fuel consumption reported by RN Canada is 8.8 L/100 km, while I achieved 8.9 L/100 km.

Strengths

• Smooth and quiet powertrain
• Upscale interior design
• A good value in the segment

Weaknesses

• Underpowered engine
• Lethargic CVT transmission
• Third row of seats is almost unusable

Mitsubishi’s Pillar

At Mitsubishi, the Outlander is more than important; it’s vital. In fact, this SUV alone accounted for 60% of the brand’s sales in Canada in 2024. This year, that proportion is expected to increase further due to the discontinuation of the Mirage.

Although the vast majority of its sales are attributable to the plug-in hybrid version, the regular gasoline-powered Outlander is also doing quite well, attracting about 1,600 more buyers than the RVR, Mitsubishi’s second most popular model nationwide.

For 2025, this gasoline version is receiving minor updates, which will be applied to the PHEV in 2026.

Doing Just Enough

If you hadn’t been told that the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander had undergone cosmetic changes, you might not have noticed them, so subtle they are. In fact, the vehicle’s bodywork has not been modified, and the manufacturer has simply replaced the wheels, made the taillamp lenses transparent, and offered new paint colours.

Surprisingly, this is enough to make the Outlander more elegant than in the past, and our GT Premium version, the most expensive in the range, looks great.

The massive, very square front end is still not to everyone’s taste, but the muscular profile and sloping rear window give the 2025 Outlander a slightly more dynamic and assertive style than average. Another slight change is the hood opening, which no longer includes part of the grille, which remains otherwise unchanged.

The new alloy wheels are also more elegant and distinctive than the ones they replace, while the contrasting black roof is a nice touch, artificially reducing the vehicle’s height and giving it a slightly sportier look.

Although the current-generation Outlander shares some mechanical components, as well as its wheelbase, with the Nissan Rogue, Mitsubishi’s designers have given it a completely different look, notably by making it longer and wider.

A Luxurious Interior

One of the strengths of the Mitsubishi Outlander since its complete redesign in 2022 is the presentation of its interior, which appears more luxurious than many of its rivals. This is even more true in 2025 thanks to a new pattern for the stitching on the seats and door panels, starting with the SEL trim level.

The GT Premium goes one step further with beautiful semi-aniline leather upholstery in a new brick brown colour. At this price point, most of its rivals settle for leatherette.

The seats themselves are also pleasing to the eye, largely because of their pronounced bolsters that provide good support while driving. In fact, the heated and ventilated front bucket seats are quite comfortable, although the previously offered massage feature is nowhere to be found.

The dashboard features a new center screen shared with the Nissan Rogue, which houses an infotainment system that is more modern but unfortunately less intuitive than before.

At least the digital instrument display is highly configurable and packed with information, much of which is also projected onto the windshield in the GT and GT Premium models.

Another new feature is the 12-speaker Yamaha audio system, which delivers good sound quality, comparable to competing high-end systems. Unusually, all 2025 Outlander models come with a premium audio system, as an 8-speaker version, also developed by Yamaha, is standard.

Other unexpected touches for a vehicle in the Outlander’s class are second-row sunshades and a three-zone automatic climate control system.

Lots of Space, But Not for Everyone…

Access to the cabin and space for occupants are impeccable, at least for the first two rows.

Indeed, the Outlander can technically accommodate seven passengers, but in practice, this is almost impossible because the third row is so small. At only 5’7″, my head is pressed firmly against the ceiling and my legs have nowhere to go, unless I move the center seat forward to such an extent that the front seats also have to be moved, making the experience uncomfortable for all occupants.

So, it’s best to think of Mitsubishi’s largest SUV as a spacious vehicle for five passengers, which can occasionally carry two more children.

The cargo compartment is roomy, but not overly so, as its 866 L of space behind the second row is among the smallest in its class. Similarly, the maximum capacity of 1,822 liters is not particularly remarkable, falling about 150 liters short of the Toyota RAV4 and Kia Sportage, and nearly 350 liters short of the Honda CR-V. With all seats in place, only 308 liters are usable in the 2025 Outlander.

Still, the shape of the Mitsubishi’s cargo area makes loading easy and it doesn’t really feel like you’re missing out on space.

A mixed experience

On the road, the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander GT Premium shines in a few ways, but it also has some notable weaknesses.

Let’s start under the hood, where Mitsubishi is using the good old 2.5L four-cylinder engine from Nissan for the last time this year.

While the basic design of this engine dates back to the turn of the millennium, it’s not as outdated as you might think.

For starters, it’s remarkably smooth, and its pairing with a CVT transmission gives the Outlander very fluid acceleration. Its noise level is also well controlled, except at full throttle. In addition, its fuel consumption is reasonable in everyday use, averaging 8.9 L/100 km at the end of my test week.

Where the Outlander’s powertrain leaves to be desired is in terms of performance. With only 181 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, we can’t expect miracles, and we miss the turbocharged options offered by the competition.

While acceleration times are passable, the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander’s engine always seems to struggle, revving above 4,000 rpm just to maintain speed on inclines, even when the driver is alone in the vehicle. One wonders what it’s like when the Outlander is loaded to capacity…

The CVT transmission, also borrowed from Nissan, does nothing to help matters, as it clearly prioritizes efficiency over performance. Its sluggish acceleration and slow response when it comes to passing on the highway are reminders that, like the engine, it’s a generation or two behind its competitors.

Handling is satisfactory for a model in this category, and Mitsubishi’s sophisticated torque vectoring all-wheel drive makes the 2025 Outlander a little more fun to push through corners than I expected.

On the other hand, the steering lacks precision in the center, requiring several small corrections to stay on course, and the suspension sometimes hits bumps hard, which detracts somewhat from the overall comfort.

Another annoying detail is the long pedal travel. While this is just a matter of getting used to in the case of the accelerator, it doesn’t inspire much confidence when braking, especially since this pedal is rather soft.

The gas-powered 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander can tow up to 907 kg (2,000 lb), which is 227 kg (500 lb) more than the plug-in hybrid version.

New Mitsubishi Outlander Hybrid Powertrain, Extended PHEV Range, and More For 2026

What to Watch For

At present, Transport Canada lists eight recalls for the 2022 to 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander, seven of which apply only to the first model year. The two most significant recalls for occupant safety concern approximately 850 vehicles whose seat belt pretensioners may have been defective. The first was issued in July 2021 and the second in May 2022, so this issue does not affect 2025 models.

The current generation of the Mitsubishi Outlander has proven to be generally reliable in use, with few recurring problems reported by owners. As Nissan’s CVT transmissions have had serious mechanical problems in the past, it would be prudent to perform maintenance diligently.

As with all its other models, Mitsubishi warrants the mechanical elements of the 2025 Outlander for 10 years or 160,000 kilometers, which covers the ownership period of most first owners.

In addition, the Mitsubishi Outlander depreciates slightly more than the segment average over three years.

Pricing for the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander

At the top of the Canadian range, the GT Premium version has an MSRP of $47,498, which is nearly $12,000 more than the base model. Given its comprehensive equipment and refined presentation, the Outlander GT Premium represents good value in its segment in the Canadian market.

The rest of the range consists of the ES ($35,598), SE ($38,298), LE ($41,298), SEL ($43,998) and GT ($46,498). All come with all-wheel drive, and no options other than paint colors are available.

In the United States, the Outlander range is significantly different, starting with the ES ($29,995) and then moving up to the ES S-AWC ($31,795), SE ($33,395), SE S-AWC ($35,195), SEL ($38,295), Trail Edition S-AWC ($39,295), SEL S-AWC ($40,095) and Platinum S-AWC ($44,445). Models without S-AWC are front wheel drive, and a premium package is available on the SEL S-AWC. Priced at $43,145, the Outlander equipped with this package is equivalent to the Canadian GT Premium.

The GT Premium version appeals with its luxurious interior, but starting with the SE, LE, and SEL models, the Outlander is well equipped compared to its competitors. These are thus the best choices in the Canadian lineup.

Conclusion

The 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander GT Premium is a good vehicle in its own right, but it struggles to stand out from its competitors. It is less comfortable than the Hyundai Tucson, less dynamic than the Honda CR-V, and less efficient than the Toyota RAV4. Nevertheless, it remains an attractive option thanks to its favourable equipment/price ratio and its appealing presentation, both inside and out.

Model	Mitsubishi Outlander GT Premium	Nissan Rogue Platinum	Toyota RAV4 Limited
MSRP (Canada)	$47,498	$48,373	$48,309
Power	181 hp	201 hp	203 hp
Torque	181 lb-ft	225 lb-ft	184 lb-ft
Transmission	CVT	CVT	8-speed Auto.
Combined fuel consumption (NR Can)	8,8 L/100 km	7,6 L/100 km	8,5 L/100 km
Towing capacity	907 kg (2,000 lb)	680 kg (1,500 lb)	680 kg (1,500 lb)
Max. cargo space	1,822 L	2,064 L	1,977 L
Cargo space (behind 2nd row)	866 L	1,028 L	1,059 L
Touch screen size	12,3 in	12,3 in	10,5 in