2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byKurt NiebuhrSenior Vehicle Test Editor

　　Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of zzdcar' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.

　　

What's new

Refreshed styling including new headlightsImproved ride quality and quieter cabinNew rear-seat climate control ventsPart of the third Outlander generation introduced for 2014

　　The 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander is one of the least expensive SUVs you can buy with a third-row seat. It also comes with an appealing set of features and offers an optional V6 engine. So far, so good, right? But if you research this Mitsubishi more closely you'll realize that it comes up a bit short.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander ES 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$139/mo  for Outlander ES

　　Outlander ES

　　ES 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl CVT) (Most Popular) - $24,695 MSRPES 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl CVT) - $26,195 MSRPSE 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl CVT) - $25,695 MSRPSE 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl CVT) - $27,695 MSRPLE 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl CVT) - $26,895 MSRPLE 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl CVT) - $28,895 MSRPSEL 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl CVT) - $27,095 MSRPSEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl CVT) - $29,095 MSRPGT 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6A) - $33,195 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　For one, the Outlander isn't particularly rewarding to drive. The base four-cylinder engine is underpowered and noisy. You can get that V6, but fuel economy is poor, and it's only available on the most expensive trim level. And as for that third-row seat, well, it's small, even for children.

　　If you need a three-row crossover on a budget, the Outlander might be worth a look. But in one of the most hotly contested segments, just about every manufacturer is making a competitive crossover, and most of them are more refined. We recommend shopping around before settling on the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander.

　　Notably, we picked the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander as one of zzdcar' Best 3-Row SUVs for 2020.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

6.6 / 10

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Mitsubishi Outlander SEL w/Touring package (2.4L inline-4 | CVT automatic | AWD).

　　

Scorecard

Overall	6.6 / 10
Driving	6.5
Comfort	6.5
Interior	6.5
Utility	7.0
Technology	7.0

　　

Driving

6.5

　　There's not much to like here. The standard four-cylinder engine is underpowered, and handling is unremarkable. Even the brakes require a deft foot to bring the vehicle to a complete stop, which makes for a clunky braking experience.

　　

Acceleration

5.5

　　Acceleration is lethargic, even with the gas pedal pinned to the floor. Overtaking another car on the freeway requires a lot of planning. In zzdcar testing, the Outlander managed a 0-60 mph time of 9.6 seconds, making it one of the slowest crossover SUVs in its class.

　　

Braking

6.5

　　The brake pedal is light and spongy but with decent bite at the top of the stroke, so you don't have to press it far before the brakes start clamping. On the other hand, force buildup is low, making it necessary to push further than expected to come to a complete stop. Maximum braking performance is decent, however. In our test, the Outlander needed 126 feet to stop from 60 mph, which is typical for a three-row small crossover.

　　

Drivability

7.0

　　Throttle response is intuitive in typical driving situations. But when you ask for extra oomph, the Outlander's CVT automatic introduces annoying simulated gear shifts that fall well below the 6,500 rpm redline at full throttle.

　　

Comfort

6.5

　　Except in specific situations, the Outlander offers a smooth ride over most roads. The first- and second-row seats are fairly uncomfortable, partially owing to the lack of available adjustments. Most SUVs in the class are good at isolating outside noise and engine vibration but not the Outlander.

　　

Seat comfort

5.5

　　Seat comfort can be hit-or-miss. Disappointingly, the Outlander does not offer lumbar adjustment. The second-row seats have oddly shaped headrests that can make your body feel bowed.

　　

Ride comfort

7.5

　　The Outlander has the most comfortable ride of any car in Mitsubishi's lineup. Even on rough roads, the Outlander feels pretty composed. The only exception is when hitting midcorner bumps; they send a big shock through the cabin, and it feels like you lose traction.

　　

Noise & vibration

5.5

　　At idle, the engine sends vibrations into the cabin, which you can feel through the seats. Engine noise is quiet while cruising, but it's groany and noisy while accelerating. Tire noise is mostly muted, except when you drive over bumps.

　　

Climate control

7.0

　　The standard dual-zone climate system works well and does not require any adjustments once set. The rear air vents (located behind the center console) keep a good supply of air pumping to the second and third rows. Neither the heated steering wheel nor heated front seats get truly hot.

　　

Interior

6.5

　　Getting into the Outlander can be tricky for adults — especially the driver — but once you're seated, the cabin feels roomy enough. The driving position is uncomfortably high, and the seat bottom doesn't angle up much. Visibility is fantastic all around, however.

　　

Ease of use

5.5

　　The touchscreen system has large square tiles on the homepage that are easy to press, but every other menu has wide rectangles that are sometimes hard to hit accurately. The driver information display has a strange one-button control scheme that isn't very intuitive. Other controls are within the driver's reach, though some of the driving aids are grouped nonintuitively throughout the cabin.

　　

Getting in/getting out

6.5

　　The high seat and low-mounted wheel make it a little difficult to get into the driver's seat without having to squirm around the steering column. The lowered roof height above the second row (a result of the sunroof's mechanical bits) requires ducking a bit as you come into the car. The opening provided by sliding the second-row seat forward is wide enough for kids to access the third row easily.

　　

Driving position

5.0

　　Even when the seat is dropped as far as it will go, the driver sits up quite high. The seat's lack of adjustments and the forward-tilted headrests make it difficult to find an ideal position. The wheel has a good range of motion, but its low positioning means that even when it's tilted all the way up, it feels as if you're driving a school bus.

　　

Roominess

7.0

　　Headroom in the first and second rows is sufficient, but tall occupants will find the Outlander more confining than rivals. Tall rear-seat passengers will have to scoot the seat all the way back to avoid brushing the headliner. There's good legroom in the front and second rows, but the third row is very tight. On longer trips, it's for kids only.

　　

Visibility

8.5

　　A low hoodline and beltline, along with narrow pillars and wide windows, make it easy to see forward and to the side. The large three-quarters window reduces blind spots. The rear window could be taller, but it's not bad.

　　

Quality

5.5

　　The quality of materials up front is pretty standard for the class, though the design isn't particularly attractive. Lots of little things contribute to an overall feeling of cheapness. The second-row seat bottoms fold up to allow for a flat second row but are held in place by flimsy little arms. You have to line up the arms exactly to return the seat bottom to its original place. You can feel the engine vibrate in the front seats, and they rock back in their frames if you lean back.

　　

Utility

7.0

　　As with other compact three-row crossovers, cargo space behind the third row is meager. The seats fold flat for usable space, but that space is still a few cubic feet smaller than average. Though the Outlander is designed with families in mind, there aren't many places to put toys, bags or anything else.

　　

Small-item storage

6.5

　　There's not much storage up front. Mitsubishi gives you just two central cupholders and a small bin under the armrest. There are large front door pockets, with room for an upright water bottle and a few small knickknacks. The second-row door pockets are decently sized, with room for two water bottles standing up. Overall, it's not a ton of storage spots for growing families, but at least everyone will be hydrated.

　　

Cargo space

7.0

　　The load floor behind the rear seats is narrow, and not all of its 30.4 cubic feet is usable. But the rear seats fold completely flat to open up a decent amount of space. There's no real liftover, making for an easy-to-use space aside from the intrusions behind the back seat.

　　

Child safety seat accommodation

7.5

　　The car-seat anchor points are stuck down between the cushions and placed at an unusually steep angle, making them harder to access. However, the high rear seat means less bending over to situate kids, and there's plenty of space for even larger seats.

　　

Technology

7.0

　　We like the optional Rockford Fosgate sound system, and every model but the base ES comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Its two USB ports aren't sufficient for seven people, though. Many driver aids are available but only at the top trim levels. It's surprisingly hard to hear incoming phone calls at highway speeds.

　　

Audio & navigation

8.0

　　The Rockford Fosgate system is quite good, with little distortion even with the volume maxed out. With a little fine-tuning (the system offers unique profiles depending on music type), the subwoofer delivers a good punch. You won't hear much reverb unless you stress the system. Onboard nav is not offered, which means you'll want Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to mirror your smartphone's navigation apps.

　　

Smartphone integration

7.0

　　Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all models except the base-level ES. There's a single USB data port below the center console, hidden beneath a clumsily designed flap. In back a charge-only USB port is located below the second-row air vents. A seven-passenger vehicle needs more.

　　

Driver aids

6.5

　　The Outlander has most of the advanced safety features that others in the class offer, but the majority are only available on the top two trims as part of option packages. We like that the lane departure warning system isn't overly sensitive, but the adaptive cruise control system doesn't look far enough ahead at highway speeds. Approaching stopped traffic requires driver intervention.

　　

Voice control

6.0

　　The Outlander has enough natural speech detection that the system could understand us even when we didn't follow the prompts. Unfortunately, there are a lot of steps and confirmations for even simple tasks like making a phone call. You can switch radio bands via voice, but you can't select a station. Phone calls are muffled even at max volume, and the audio sounds like it comes from one side of the car through one speaker. It's quite hard to hear calls at highway speeds.

　　

Which Outlander does zzdcar recommend?

　　While you might be drawn to the Outlander because of its low introductory price, consider getting the top-of-the-line GT if you can. It's the only way you can get the V6 engine, which is preferable over the four-cylinder engine. You also get all-wheel drive, leather seats, LED headlights and a Rockford Fosgate audio system. The optional Touring package would be a good addition for its adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation and lane departure warning systems.

　　

2019 Mitsubishi Outlander models

　　The 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander is a seven-passenger crossover SUV that comes in five  different trim levels: ES, SE, LE, SEL and GT.

　　The base engine in the Outlander is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (166 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque) paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is optional.

　　Standard features for the ES include 18-inch alloy wheels, LED running lights and taillights, heated mirrors, rear privacy glass, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, second-row air vents, a 60/40-split folding second-row seat that slides and reclines, a 50/50-split third-row seat, a rearview camera, voice controls, Bluetooth connectivity, and a six-speaker sound system with a 7-inch touchscreen display and a USB port.

　　Stepping up to the SE gets you foglights, keyless ignition and entry, power-adjustable front passenger seats, heated front seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, a second-row USB port, and an upgraded audio system with satellite radio. The SE also has an optional Convenience package that includes a sunroof, power-folding side mirrors, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

　　The Outlander's LE is equipped similarly to the SE but has the contents of the Convenience package as standard and gains black-painted wheels plus a few other blackout trim pieces.

　　The SEL starts with the SE's content and the Convenience package plus automatic headlights, automatic wipers, a power liftgate, leather upholstery, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

　　The SEL also has some optional equipment that you can't get on lower trim levels. The Premium package adds LED headlights and foglights, a sunroof, a heated steering wheel, a 360-degree parking camera system, and a nine-speaker Rockford Fosgate audio system. The SEL Touring package includes the Premium package contents plus automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, a forward collision warning system with automatic braking, and a lane departure warning system.

　　The GT comes standard with all of the above options except the advanced safety technologies, all of which are included in the optional GT Touring package. Exclusive standard features on the GT include a 3.0-liter V6 (224 hp, 215 lb-ft) paired with a conventional six-speed automatic, all-wheel drive, chrome exterior beltline accents and steering-wheel shift paddles.

　　

2019 Outlander Highlights

Trim: ESSELESELGTES

　　

Base MSRP	$24,695
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	27 MPG
Cost to Drive	$139/month
Seating	7 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	10.3 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles