2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Review: Affordable Utility
The verdict: A refreshed face, more standard equipment, a retuned suspension and a trick Yamaha sound system means the updated 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander isn’t resting on its laurels as the brand’s bestseller.
Versus the competition: The Outlander has long made a name for itself as one of the lowest-priced three-row SUVs on the market, and while prices rise for 2025, it remains a compelling and composed choice for folks looking for utility on the (relative) cheap.
Priorities, priorities — the main name of the game with the refreshed-for-2025 Mitsubishi Outlander. The new Yamaha sound system, revised styling and tweaked interior duds add some glitz, but there are a few things to consider before you give the finance department the all-clear.
Related: Hype What You Got: 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander to Start at $31,140
Right out of the gate, I (mostly) dig the current Outlander. The Japanese automaker sold more than 45,000 of ‘em in 2024, representing a 6.5% increase over 2023 and taking the largest slice of Mitsu’s 109,843 U.S. sales pie for the year. (It was also the Outlander’s best sales year ever here.) I won’t make any predictions, but I reckon the wrapper-fresh updates for 2025 will help buoy another strong year. It’s impressive when you consider that, aside from the white-hot playing field faced in the compact SUV class, Mitsu takes on the double challenge of baked-in competition from technical and business partner Nissan. As it was when this generation debuted for the 2022 model year, the Outlander shares its platform with the also-popular Nissan Rogue.
What’s New for the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander?
Remember those “priorities” I mentioned? I expect a significant portion of buyers nabbed prior model years due to the Outlander’s status as a basement-priced three-row SUV. Things that likely didn’t influence that purchase: engine type, suspension tuning and audio tech. Yet two of these things are key changes for 2025, with the brand’s new audio partnership with Yamaha serving as one of the primary promotions in the refreshed SUV’s rollout. A significantly reworked chassis is the biggest mechanical update, incorporating a cleaner blend of handling and ride comfort over the previous model.
How Much Power Does the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Have?
The Outlander’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and continuously variable automatic transmission remain, as does the powertrain’s square 181 horsepower and 181 pounds-feet of torque. That means the same semi-wheezy acceleration and pullin’ power continues, as I discovered on the open roads of Southern California. A full-throttle pull returns what feels like a 0-60 mph time somewhere on the high side of eight seconds — more than adequate for safe highway merging and careful, measured passing maneuvers, but not quite enough for the vehicle’s core people-moving purpose.
A three-row SUV’s primary directive is to haul friends, family and other folk that might enter your orbit. Fully loaded, 181 hp is going to feel downright lethargic and situationally sketchy, especially if you add a heap of luggage into the mix. It’s so very easy to say what should be done from the cozy comfort of my keyboard, but I do wonder if uplevel trims would benefit from a bit of turbo help from Nissan’s powertrain reserves.
For now, the ol’ naturally aspirated four-cylinder is what we got. Other than that dowdy power, it’s reasonably quiet and as well suited to the CVT as it was before. I rate the fresh Outlander’s ride quality and body composure above average; this is no doubt a dividend of the suspension rework, but I don’t recall the prior-gen SUV possessing that poor of a ride.
How Does the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Drive?
During the product presentation, Mitsubishi made a surprising bit of noise about its rich sporting and motorsports history, alluding to how it used this know-how to ensure the new SUV out-handles, out-glides and out-steers its predecessor. Confident in this dynamic transformation, the drive route wound over some serious canyon routes that had us auto-writer fools pushing the three-row SUV far, far beyond the limit of what 99.999% of owners will do.
Grip, body lean, turn-in and steering feel is on par if not slightly beyond what’s expected of the class. Braking was absolutely acceptable, but I noticed the pedal feel and application was a bit mushy, though I’m not sure if that was due to prior testing abuse or is a characteristic of the breed. It’s fine either way and simply something I adjusted to.
When you’re done needlessly beating the snot out of your 2025 Outlander, you’ll notice there’s a new face to behold. Take note of the revised front grille and “Outlander “ badging, as well as the updated taillights and new wheels that all fall under a design suite with impressive and imposing names like HexaGuard Horizon and Dynamic Shield. Big names, minor changes.
What Are the Interior Updates for the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander?
Inside is what Mitsubishi’s proudest of. A reworked center console with a larger wireless charge pad and repositioned cupholders will be the biggest change over 2024, though the large Yamaha-branded speakers peppered through the cabin stick out most. This collab system is standard across the range, with lower trims packing an eight-speaker setup that expands to 12 speakers on higher trims.
It’s a partnership that makes sense considering Yamaha’s impressive history with audio in a wide range of applications, from the separate Yamaha Motors’ work on exhaust and engine tuning with the Lexus LFA to Yamaha Corp.’s expansive musical instrument portfolio including pianos, guitars, woodwinds and a division of pro-grade recording equipment, to list just a fraction. Its system here is technically impressive, with the attending engineer explaining the use of the door as a sound box and the company’s proprietary diaphragm material sourced from its commercial speaker systems. It was genuinely fascinating stuff, and features like volume and sound-quality compensation for the air-conditioning system and rain seem like great additions, but I am not an audiophile. All I can report is that my Bluetooth-streamed Spotify playlists sounded crispy, as did satellite radio.
I’m far more equipped to appreciate fine interior appointments like newly available semi-aniline leather upholstery and ventilated front seats. Those unacquainted with the current Outlander will be shocked to see just how far removed it is in both quality and equipment from the brand’s budget-obsessed Mirage hatchback and the smaller Outlander Sport SUV.
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Should I Buy the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander?
Speaking of equipment, there’s a heap of standard features. A new 12.3-inch infotainment system with navigation is now on all 2025 Outlanders, as is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone automatic climate control and blind spot warning.
On my loaded test car, it was a reasonably cush place to wick away the excruciating Hollywood congestion. It’s not, however, enough to justify an upgrade from the prior Outlander, especially since the powertrain remains untouched. All of these changes are also limited to the gas-only model, with the same upgrades expected for the plug-in hybrid for 2026.
More equipment means mo’ money: The 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander’s $31,140 base price (including destination fee) is a $1,065 boost over 2024, which seems like a minor amount to pay for a comprehensive update. It’s also likely not enough to stymie the Outlander’s sales momentum, so expect more records to fall in the coming months.
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