The hood and front fenders are now made from steel, not last year’s aluminum, and the area above the grille is now smooth.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
First off, this is not the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the Mitsubishi Outlander. This is a significantly “refreshed” edition of the compact SUV powered solely by gasoline. If you’re looking for an updated PHEV Outlander, the best-selling PHEV in Canada, you’ll likely have to wait another year or so. That’s not official – the company is keeping mum on its future product – but it’s a good bet.
The Outlander is by far the best-selling vehicle in the Mitsubishi fleet, so the company must be careful not to mess up any redesign. Its main appeal is that it has three rows of seating for up to seven people and the closest competitors to make a similar claim are the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Sorento, both larger vehicles. The trade-off is that the Outlander really isn’t big enough to accommodate three rows of seats – the only way seven people can sit comfortably is if at least five of them are still waiting to reach puberty, and even then, flexibility is key.
The pair of console cup-holders are each set at a three-degree tip away from the other so that Big Gulp-sized drinks can sit in them without touching lids.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Other automakers have dabbled in providing a third row for their compact SUVs, but they invariably gave up and now offer the option only in larger vehicles that their customers prefer for the realistic legroom. However, Mitsubishi doesn’t have a larger vehicle for this popular choice so it has to be the Outlander. One or the other row has comfortable leg room, but not both at the same time.
There’s good cargo space in the back when the third row is folded flat (and it does fold conveniently flat) and if you really need to carry a sixth or seventh small person sometime, slide the second row forward as much as it will go and leave the kids to squabble it out.
There’s just 308 litres of cargo space behind the third row seats, but 866 litres when that rear row is folded flat and 1,882 litres when both back rows are down.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
This newest Outlander is an updated version of the fourth generation that’s been sold since its 2022 model year. The two model years look similar on the outside, though if you see one with the hood raised, you can tell it’s the 2025 because that steel hood ends in front above the grille, while the 2024 hood includes the grille. Think of a jaw with overbite. Think of Mater in Cars. There are subtle differences between the lights and bumpers but few people will notice and even fewer will care.
The main updates are inside the cabin, which is touted as more refined and sophisticated. It’s certainly an improvement, with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and standard 12.3-inch central touchscreen as standard and quilted leather in the more expensive editions. It’s a quiet ride and, if you’re looking for to amp it up with your favourite music or podcast, the Yamaha sound system is wonderful. It’s no Mercedes or Audi, but it’s still a nice place to be – unless you’re scrunched into the third row.
Tech specs
2025 Mitsubishi Outlander
- Base price / as tested: $35,598 / $47,398, plus $1,800 for freight and predelivery inspection, plus fees and taxes
- Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
- Horsepower / torque (lb-ft): 181 / 181
- Transmission / drive: Continuously variable transmission / All-wheel drive
- Fuel consumption (litres per 100 kilometres): 9.8 City, 7.9 Highway, 8.9 Combined
- Alternatives: Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander
The second-row of seats can move up to make more room in the third row.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Looks
You can’t tell by looking at it but the hood and front fenders are now made from steel, not last year’s aluminum, contributing to the Outlander’s quieter ride. It apparently also allows tighter gaps and a more precise fit. The area above the grille is now smooth and the rear lights are smoked but these aren’t usually priorities when ferrying the kids to school or commuting through the rain on the Don Valley Parkway or any other clogged highway.
There’s new paint this year and the four-layered Moonstone Grey Metallic of my tester looked fantastic. The option costs an extra $900.
Interior
This is the main area of improvement for the 2025, with new materials, colours and stitching. There are six trim levels across the line with fabric seats in the base models, but every Outlander gets the large, high-resolution centre touchscreen. There are just enough buttons to keep old codgers happy, with most everything else controlled through the screen.
The Yamaha sound system deserves a shout out. The Outlander is the first vehicle sold in North America to be fitted at the factory as standard with a Yamaha system – base and mid-trim models get eight speakers and the GT trims get 12 speakers and 1,650 watts of power. Yamaha engineers helped design the vehicle and its materials to benefit the audio and the music in my GT tester sounded wonderful. It wasn’t quite the glorious Bang & Olufsen experience I’ve enjoyed in six-figure Audis, but it wasn’t the Audis’ $6,000 option.
The cabin is well thought-out for providing more space. An example is the larger centre console cubby, though it’s now about the same size as in other compact SUVs. Another is the pair of console cup holders, each set at a three-degree tip away from the other so Big Gulp-sized drinks can sit side-by-side in them without the lids touching. While the feature might satisfy the very thirsty, it bothered my meticulous mind that my single cup of coffee didn’t sit up straight.
Every Outlander gets the 12.3-inch, high-resolution centre touchscreen.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Performance
The power and acceleration are okay, but just okay. Most owners will be totally content, but this is no canyon carver, nor is it supposed to be. There’s a Sport mode that changes the simulated shift points when the continuously variable transmission appears to shift through its eight simulated gears, but I didn’t notice much difference in the drive.
The new Outlander is heavier than before by up to 45 kilograms, much of which is because of the use of steel and additional, effective sound-deadening materials. It’s impressive that its fuel consumption is no thirstier than the 2024 model, despite the extra weight.
The performance is better judged by the Outlander’s all-wheel-drive capability, which can be adjusted through six drive modes to better handle gravel, snow and mud, if needed. On these types of surfaces, the drive will be affected more by the choice of tires than the SUV’s “super all-wheel control,” which is quite capable of handling such variations.
Technology
Plenty of driver’s assistance features come standard including blind-spot warning, lane departure warning and rear cross-traffic alert. If you want active assistance instead of just warnings that beep at you and adaptive cruise control, they’re available if you upgrade to a more costly trim. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard for all models.
There’s new paint this year and the four-layered Moonstone Grey Metallic of my tester looked fantastic. It also cost an extra $900 as an option.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Cargo
There are just 308 litres of cargo space behind the third-row seats, but a more realistic 866 litres behind the second row when that rear row is folded flat. Fold down both rows of seats and there’s 1,882 litres of available luggage space, which is about right for a vehicle of this size. The second row can be folded flat in a 40-20-40 split, while the third row is a 50-50 split. The rear-most row is quite short in the back, so it has tall headrests but they’re removable and can be stowed in a cubby under the cargo area floor.
The verdict
You’re not going to mistake the Mitsubishi Outlander for a premium Lexus or Mercedes, but you’ll pay a lot less for it and it will still give you a pleasant and practical driving experience. Just don’t listen to older passengers complaining if you try to fill all the seats.
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