When the Mitsubishi Outlander launched, it was the best vehicle the company had made in years. But that was 4 years ago, and it was time for a change. We take a look at the new-for-2025 Outlander to see if Mitsubishi’s small changes add up to another winner.
It’s hard to understate the importance of the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander for the automaker in the U.S. The gas and PHEV models make up more than half of the brand’s sales, and with the death of the tiny and cheap Mirage this year, that number could become two-thirds in 2025.
When a model is that important, you need to keep it fresh. Old cars feel old. With some exceptions like the legendary Toyota 4Runner, that means fewer sales and more discounts. This Outlander, which launched in 2021, wasn’t quite old, but it was getting close.
To freshen it up, Mitsubishi updated the gas Outlander for 2025 (the PHEV model didn’t get the same changes). But the changes are subtle, and small. The kind of differences that you’ll need to park new and old side-by-side to be sure which one you’re looking at. The question is, then, are they enough to attract new buyers? We spent a week in the latest Outlander to find out.
In short: Mitsubishi’s bestseller got some small changes for 2025 to help keep it competitive. They work, and they make this a better SUV. But in an ultra-packed segment, the company should have done a little bit more to help it pull ahead and not just stay afloat.
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Low price -
Amazing audio -
Love the new cupholders -
Excellent fit and finish -
Comfortable ride
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Lackluster engine -
Unimpressive fuel economy -
Rubbery CVT -
Driver assists fight you -
Low-resolution graphics
2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Review
2025 Styling
The Outlander is the rare vehicle that brought its concept car looks to the dealer showroom. The oddly named Engelberg Tourer of 2019 was our preview of the blocky crossover. For 2025, Mitsubishi filled in the upper mesh grille and attached it to the hood instead of the bumper, and called it a day.
Mitsubishi smoked the rear lights, an effect you probably won’t notice. It also changed both 18- and 20-inch wheel designs, and both are much more appealing than before. This is also, Mitsu says, the only model in its class to offer 20s on all trim grades.
The real changes are items you’ll never notice. The hood, for example, is now made from steel instead of aluminum. Is it heavier? Yes. It also reduces noise transmission into the cabin, and Mitsubishi says it lets them build the nose to tighter tolerances. So it should look better. It also doesn’t suffer from the unsettling hood flutter of far too many modern SUVs.
2025 Outlander Gets New Suspension for More Fun
From one invisible change to another, the 2025 Outlander has a fully revised suspension with retuned steering. The goal is “enhanced confidence,” but the changes make the Outlander more fun.
Throw the Outlander into a bend, and you can feel the suspension take a set. The Super-All Wheel Control AWD system includes an electronic center differential to divert power front and rear and active yaw control that helps improve turn-in feel and stability. Mash the gas mid-corner, and the Outlander pulls out of the bend with a smile.
The closest comparison is the Mazda CX-5, but unlike that SUV this one is comfortable. It’s on the firmer side, but it’s never jarring. It might not be a rock crawler, but it’s not supposed to be.
And the steering isn’t so heavy that it fights you like the Mazda’s. At least, that is, unless you have the highway driving assistant on. That mode fights you on the highway. It’s great at keeping you centered in-lane, but is otherwise frustrating.
Upgraded Materials & Amazing Stereo Inside
Mitsubishi said its customers wanted better materials, revised controls, and “updated convenience” — whatever that means. So it paid the most attention to the new cabin, and you will see some important changes here.
Yamaha audio on all grades is a big difference. No more Bose, thank you very much. Yamaha’s first in-car audio system has up to 12 speakers and 1,650W of power. It has extensive signal processing tuning and even more options than you can imagine.
Forget sound-sensitive volume; this has rain and HVAC auto adjustments. Crank up the fan, and the radio gets louder. It also adjusts the equalizer to adapt to those noises.
It sounds exceptional and is probably far and away the best in the class. I certainly can’t recall anything with a better system for less than Benz Burmester money.
Made Better Thanks to a Quieter Cabin
You can hear the new system better than you could the old one, or even hear nothing at all. The new hood and more insulation and sound deadening in 18 areas make it 6 dB quieter. It’s noticeable, and even with the ultra-chunky Yokohama winter tires on my tester humming away, the new Outlander is quiet.
New materials and new colors for the cabin improve the experience. The center console, though, is the best part. It moves the cupholders from a side-by-side layout against the armrest to an over-under setup closer to the dash. It gives much better access. It also stops loose lids and aggressive coring from soaking your slacks with hot coffee.
The revised armrest has 45% more storage space, and the wireless phone charger is easier to use.
2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Is Not All Sunshine & Roses
I’ve been gushing over the Outlander so far, but it’s not all roses. I’ll start with the infotainment system, where Mitsubishi has added a new standard 12.3-inch screen. It’s bigger, but it still has the same dated graphics and clunky TomTom navigation. At least navigation comes standard. There are buttons for all of the HVAC controls, too — another plus.
Weak Engine Needs More Grunt
The engine is a now familiar 2.5L four-cylinder. It makes 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, and it comes with a standard CVT. This isn’t a quiet engine, it’s not a particularly refined-sounding engine and, thanks to the CVT, it feels sluggish.
This engine makes it an easy choice to upgrade to the PHEV, which, frustratingly, doesn’t get any of the gas model’s updates. Mitsubishi needs to make this engine more exciting, or at least quieter, because it lets down the package. It also didn’t seem to be particularly fuel-efficient.
Even the Nissan Rogue, which is the model from which Mitsubishi got this engine, doesn’t use it anymore. Instead, that one gets a very tech-forward 1.5L I3 with more power and a lot more torque.
Loads of Space and a Rare-in-Class Third Row
Because the Outlander is larger than most of its segment stablemates, it has more space inside. There is more than a foot of depth for luggage, even when all three rows are in use. That third row isn’t large, but just having it is a big deal in this segment.
Fold it flat, and you’ve got loads of room. A 40:20:40 split-folding second row goes completely flat for maximum space. It also slides fore and aft (with the two main splits sliding separately) so you can optimize for passenger and cargo space.
But actually moving the rear seats around is a bit of a pain. The reclining backrests don’t remember their positions, so you need to adjust that every time someone gets in the third row. You’ll need to pull the headrests to fold the third-row seats, too.
If you’re more about set it and forget it, that’s probably fine. If you’re always playing rear-seat Jenga, it could get frustrating. At least Outlander has handles to fold the second-row seats in the way back.
Fuel Economy Needs Improvement
The feds rate the Outlander at 24 mpg city, 31 highway. In my own mostly rural driving, I saw 24 indicated. Some of that is no doubt the winter tires, but the official rating isn’t exactly exceptional.
The CR-V, Sorento, Rogue, and RAV4 all get a highway rating of 36 mpg or higher, and that’s a big difference. Their city ratings are closer to the Mitsubishi’s but are still all better. It wouldn’t be so bad if this wasn’t also a bit of a slug.
Aggressive Pricing Undercuts Rivals
Pricing has always been a strong suit for Mitsubishi, and the 2025 Outlander doesn’t change that. The base model starts at $29,645, and for that price, you get a big screen, big wheels, blind-spot assist, and rear parking sensors. You even get dual-zone climate control.
Fully loaded up, an SEL model with the Premium Package is $42,441. That gets you heated and vented seats, a heated wheel, three-zone climate, the better stereo, and a bunch of other stuff.
Every new Outlander gets Mitsubishi’s extra-long 10-year 100k-mile powertrain warranty (5/60 bumper to bumper), which is handy if you’re stretching to afford a family hauler these days.
The base price puts the Outlander slightly below competitors like the RAV4 and CR-V. Competitors that are smaller and don’t have a third row. The three-row Tiguan is a hair less money, but it’s not as nice inside or as fun to drive as the Mitsubishi. It’s also smaller.
2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Review: Conclusion
If you want your SUV to have the latest styling, this might not be your choice. But if you want big space, tons of features, and a long warranty, the Outlander delivers. But don’t confuse the low price with cheapness, because (especially in higher trims) this cabin is a very nice place to be.
Combine that cabin with a fun chassis, a feature hard to find in an affordable vehicle these days, and the Outlander will no doubt continue to be a success for the brand. If only it would update that engine and the infotainment system.
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