2022 Mitsubishi Outlander

All-new 4th-generation 2022 Outlander uses a single 2.5L MIVEC 4-cylinder across the gas lineup — no V6 or turbo option this generation.

Single gas powertrain across the 2022 lineup (ES through Black Edition).

Instrumented test on the volume SEL AWD trim; consistent with the modest 181 hp output against curb weight near 3,700 lbs.

Reviewers consistently describe the naturally aspirated 2.5L as strained and gutless under real-world load, with power delivery that falls behind class leaders once the CVT is asked to hold revs for passing.

Conventional CVT with the familiar drone under hard acceleration; reviewers note it holds revs and lacks the responsiveness of stepped-gear rivals, consistent with the shared Nissan/Renault-Alliance CVT used in the mechanically related Rogue.

Single gas engine, so one towing figure across trims; no V6/GT tow package exists on this all-new generation (that higher figure belongs to the discontinued prior-gen V6 GT, not the 2022 car).

Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) is available on every trim above the base ES and is the Outlander's signature system: an electronically controlled AWD coupling with six selectable drive modes (Normal, Eco, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow, Mud). It stops short of a low-range transfer case or locking differentials, so it lands in the sophisticated-but-not-off-road-hardware tier.

Pavement-oriented crossover: 8.3-8.4 in ground clearance, Gravel/Mud drive modes via S-AWC, but no low-range gearing, locking differential, skid plates, or dedicated off-road trim.

Two distinct powertrains: the gas 2.5L scored here and a plug-in hybrid (Outlander PHEV) sold alongside it, giving buyers an electrified option without a third engine choice diluting the range.

S-AWC AWD is the volume configuration (standard on all but the base ES); the FWD-only ES posts 1 MPG better combined.

AWD volume-trim city figure.

AWD volume-trim highway figure.

Modest tank size (14.5 gal) caps total range below many compact-SUV rivals despite competitive MPG.

AWD volume-trim figure; FWD ES is slightly cheaper to run at $2,500/yr.

Runs on regular unleaded (87 octane) across the gas lineup; no premium recommendation for this generation's 2.5L engine.

NHTSA's 5-star overall rating for the redesigned 2022 Outlander (new 4th-generation platform, tested under NHTSA's MY2022 program) reflects a 4-star frontal result offsetting a 5-star side result.

All six crashworthiness tests (small overlap front driver/passenger, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, head restraints) scored Good, and front crash prevention scored Superior for both vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian-day tests, earning Top Safety Pick+ — the redesigned 2022 model's headline safety result. The award applies only to units built after June 2021, when Mitsubishi corrected headlight aim; earlier-build 2022s carried Poor-rated headlights and no award, a mid-year running change rather than a trim split.

On the SE volume trim, Mitsubishi's MI-PILOT Assist bundles adaptive cruise with stop-and-go, lane-keep assist, lane-centering and traffic-sign recognition as standard equipment, alongside standard forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning with lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. Even the base ES trim carries FCM, BSW, RCTA and rear automatic emergency braking standard; only ACC/LKA step up starting at SE.

IIHS front crash prevention testing rated the 2022 Outlander Superior for vehicle-to-vehicle (avoided collision at both 12 and 25 mph) and Superior for pedestrian daytime detection (avoided crossing-adult scenarios, reduced speed 23 mph in one crossing-child scenario); a separate nighttime pedestrian rating was not published for this test cycle.

Blind Spot Warning with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are standard from the base ES trim up, with a bright, hard-to-miss mirror-mounted indicator noted by reviewers; coverage is alert-based rather than combined with active braking intervention on the mainstream trims.

Reviewers describe MI-PILOT's lane centering as smooth and confident, tracking road lines well through moderate curves with minimal ping-ponging, ranked ahead of some segment rivals' systems.

MI-PILOT Assist's adaptive cruise includes full stop-and-go with up to a 30-second auto-stop hold, and reviewers note progressive, natural braking response to cut-ins rather than the abrupt reactions seen in some rival systems.

MI-PILOT Assist is a hands-on lane-centering and adaptive-cruise system with no supervised hands-free highway mode offered on any 2022 Outlander trim.

IIHS rated the standard LED reflector headlights Good across all trims following Mitsubishi's mid-cycle aiming correction (effective on units built after June 2021), with automatic high-beam available; earlier-build 2022 units carried the original Poor-rated aim and could have it corrected free at a dealer.

Reviewers describe generally good sightlines to the front corners and over the shoulder, with small glass at the rear tailgate pillars aiding rear-quarter visibility, though the squared-off hood makes judging the front end in tight maneuvers harder; a multiview 360-degree camera is available but not standard on the volume SE trim.

IIHS rated LATCH ease of use Good, with two rear seating positions carrying complete lower-anchor hardware and all three rear positions equipped with top-tether anchors, making multi-seat installs workable in the second row.

The all-new 4th-generation 2022 Outlander made a third-row bench standard across the whole lineup — unusual in the compact SUV class, where a third row is either absent or a rare option.

Front headroom figure for the volume SE trim without the panoramic sunroof option, which trims roughly half an inch on SEL trims.

Front legroom lands at the tight end of the compact-SUV band — a consequence of the 2-3-2 layout pulling the front seats slightly forward to preserve rear packaging.

Second-row headroom for the standard 7-seat configuration; the Outlander seats 7, well above the 4-seat applicability floor.

Second-row legroom is a genuine strength — the redesigned CMF-C/D platform (shared with the Nissan Rogue) opened up rear packaging versus the prior generation.

Third row is standard on every trim but is functionally token seating: 18.7 in of legroom and no LATCH/tether anchors back there restrict it to small children on short trips, with cargo space nearly eliminated when in use.

Cargo volume with the standard third row folded flat lands at the low end of the compact-SUV band — the price of packaging seven seats into a compact footprint.

Maximum cargo with every rear seat folded flat is mid-pack for the segment, roughly in line with rivals despite the third-row packaging penalty on the seats-up figure.

Console, door pockets and a covered center bin are competitive for the segment, with second-row USB-C/USB-A ports and seatback pockets, but no standout storage innovation like a giga-console or under-floor bin was noted in any review consulted.

Front seats are well-padded and praised for long-haul comfort with toasty heated-seat performance on SE and up, but the rear bench is repeatedly described as flatter and firmer than the front.

Reviewers are split: some found the redesigned platform composed even on dirt-road detours, while others flagged stiffness and body float in corners — net assessment is that ride/refinement still trails the class-leading Nissan Rogue it's mechanically related to.

Wind and road noise are well controlled and a clear improvement over the outgoing generation, but engine noise is noticeable under acceleration since the CVT lets the 2.5L drone at higher revs.

Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel arrive on the SE trim and up, with heated rear seats and three-zone automatic climate control added on SEL — solid mid-trim-and-up equipment, but the base ES goes without.

Entry ES FWD trim MSRP including destination for the redesigned (4th-gen) 2022 model year.

SE/SE Launch Edition is the volume trim most commonly quoted in pricing and cost-to-own analyses for the redesigned 2022 Outlander.

Mid-pack for the compact SUV class; Mitsubishi's mainstream 4-cylinder and CVT keep routine service costs from spiking.

Below the compact-SUV norm; Mitsubishi resale lags Toyota/Honda rivals even for a freshly redesigned generation, though incentive-heavy transaction prices cushion the dollar loss somewhat.

Standard bumper-to-bumper term for the segment (most rivals offer 3yr/36k, so this is above average but not class-leading).

Industry-leading powertrain term, well above the 5-10 year segment band's midpoint and matched by few mainstream rivals (Hyundai/Kia being the main peers).

No complimentary scheduled maintenance for 2022 (Mitsubishi didn't add that perk until the 2024 model year), but the 5-year/unlimited-mileage roadside assistance package — including trip-interruption lodging/food/transportation coverage up to $175/day — is more generous than a typical 3yr/36k basic roadside plan.

$29,995 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (48.9% retained, or about $14,668) leaves about $15,327 in depreciation. Add the projected $8,009 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $23,336 in total.

The 2022 Outlander is the first model year of an all-new, Nissan-Rogue-derived platform with a carried-over 2.5L/CVT powertrain family, so there is no track record for the new structure, electronics or chassis. J.D. Power lists a 72/100 'Average' predicted score for 2022 but explicitly flags that a full redesign inherits the prior generation's rating and is 'unproven in their first year' and could run worse than its predecessor — that caveat, plus an active first-year recall record, argues for scoring below the headline number.

Mitsubishi's standing swings sharply year to year rather than sitting consistently mid-pack: it does not appear among the top mass-market finishers in J.D. Power's 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (Korean brands led), but climbed to 4th among mass-market brands at 167 PP100 in the 2023 study. Consumer Reports carries too few Mitsubishi models sold in volume to publish a reliable brand rank, leaving J.D. Power as the only real data stream and that stream volatile.

For a debut model year, the 2022 Outlander accumulated real recall activity rather than a clean slate: a fuel-pump wiring recall (~17,000 units, stall risk), a rearview-camera display recall (56,080 vehicles, July 2022), and a front/second-row seat belt automatic-locking-retractor defect. The camera fault was not a one-off — NHTSA reopened it with an expanded campaign in 2025 after the original fix proved incomplete — and a TIN for loose center-console leatherette trim points to a fitment issue beyond a single bulletin.

The 2.5L MIVEC naturally aspirated four is a long-running Mitsubishi engine family with no red flags, but it drives through a CVT with a well-documented pattern of shudder, hesitation and slipping complaints across this platform, and a Consumer Reports owner survey found nearly 20% of Outlander owners reporting transmission problems within five years. Proven engine, chronically criticized CVT — a wash rather than a clear positive.

The 2022 redesign is widely credited with the biggest interior quality jump in the nameplate's history — reviewers repeatedly describe the cabin as 'luxury-adjacent' for a mainstream compact SUV, with quilted leather upholstery on upper trims that would be credible in a premium badge. This is the Outlander's clearest quality strength.

Professional first-impressions were positive — Consumer Reports called fit and finish 'quite good throughout the cabin' — but a real pattern of owner-reported rattles (hatch, dashboard, trim pieces that persisted after dealer service attempts) and a factory TIN for loose center-console leatherette trim indicate assembly inconsistency typical of a first-year platform rather than a clean launch.

Mitsubishi ran roughly 330 US dealer partners in 2022 — a fraction of Toyota or Honda's network and enough to leave real coverage gaps in some metros — but the brand's customer-service satisfaction has historically been respectable rather than poor, which keeps this out of the bottom band.

RepairPal puts the Outlander's average annual repair cost essentially at the compact-SUV norm with a reliability rating that lands mid-pack among segment peers, and the 2.5L/CVT drivetrain has been in Mitsubishi's lineup long enough that parts logistics are established, if the aftermarket is thinner than for a RAV4 or CR-V.

The volume SE trim carries Mitsubishi's 9-inch Smartphone-link Display Audio touchscreen with embedded navigation; the base ES makes do with an 8-inch unit.

The Smartphone-link Display Audio interface is simple and legible with retained physical volume/tuning knobs, but reviewers describe it as unremarkable and behind class leaders like the RAV4's or CR-V's newer systems in polish and speed.

Wireless Apple CarPlay is standard from the SE trim up, but Android Auto remains wired-only across the entire 2022 lineup, so the vehicle only partially clears the wireless bar.

Embedded navigation is available on SE and up, but Mitsubishi's native voice assistant is basic and most owners lean on CarPlay/Android Auto voice and maps instead, per reviewer commentary on the system.

An optional 10-speaker Bose premium audio system is available, a genuine step up over the segment's typical base-brand speakers, while the standard system is adequate for the class.

A 12.3-inch configurable digital cluster is available via the SE Tech Package and standard on higher trims/packages, but it is not standard on the volume SE trim itself — a paid-option upgrade rather than a broad standard fit.

Mitsubishi offers no meaningful over-the-air update capability on this generation — the infotainment system's map/software updates rely on dealer visits or manual media, not wireless OTA push.

The Mitsubishi Connect app covers the core remote basics — PIN-gated remote start/stop, lock/unlock, vehicle finder and SOS emergency calling — competent but without a digital-key feature or the polish of class-leading apps.

Both rows get a mix of USB-A and USB-C ports, and wireless phone charging is available from the SE trim up — a solid, if not class-leading, charging/power setup.

Proximity keyless entry, push-button start and remote start are available from the SE trim up, but the base ES trim relies on a conventional key, so full keyless convenience is not standard across the whole range.

A 4-camera, 360-degree Multi-View Camera system with front parking sensors is available from the SE trim, giving good parking assistance for the segment even though a true surround-view isn't standard on the base trim.

A head-up display is offered only as part of the SEL Touring package — the top package on the top gas trim — so it reaches very few volume-trim buyers.

The redesigned 2nd row is wide enough to fit three child seats across, with exposed, easy-to-find lower LATCH anchors (tether anchors are behind a marked upholstery slit) — a genuine family strength, even though the token third row has no LATCH/tether hardware at all.

Forward/rear automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning with lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention alert and a rear-seat reminder are all standard on every 2022 trim including the base ES, and the car earned IIHS Top Safety Pick+ — strong safety credentials at the affordable end of the lineup, tempered only by a 4-star (not 5-star) NHTSA overall rating.

Five-passenger road-trip comfort is solid — good 2nd-row space, rear air vents and USB ports on upper trims — but the token third row and firmer rear cushions cap it below the segment's best all-row tourers.

Light, quick steering and a composed low-speed ride make it relaxed around town, though the CVT's engine drone under acceleration and softer handling at speed are minor daily annoyances reviewers noted.

27 mpg combined (24 city/31 highway) is average-to-below-average for a gas compact SUV — rivals like the RAV4 and CR-V post combined figures several mpg higher — so per-mile commuting cost is unremarkable rather than a strength.

A 36.1-ft turning circle and the available 4-camera 360-degree Multi-View system make it easy to place in tight parking and urban settings for a compact SUV.

A 2,000-lb max tow rating and no work-oriented cargo/bed features make the gas Outlander a light-duty crossover, not a work vehicle — it isn't marketed or equipped for real towing/hauling jobs.

This is an all-new generation on an unproven platform for this nameplate (shared underpinnings with the Nissan Rogue), with no fleet or hard-use track record yet and no rugged-duty trim, so a durability claim for work contexts can't be made with confidence either way.

No onboard power outlet, no bed, and no upfit ecosystem — cargo area is standard carpeted SUV trunk space with basic tie-down points, offering essentially nothing for jobsite use.

Comfortable, well-padded front seats and a roughly 450-mile highway range (14.5-gal tank at 31 mpg hwy) support long trips, with adaptive cruise control available from SE up, though wind/engine noise and firmer rear seats knock it below the segment's best tourers.

Available Super All-Wheel Control with selectable Gravel/Mud/Snow drive modes and 8.3-8.4 in of ground clearance give it genuine light-duty adventure capability — gravel roads and mild trails are within its wheelhouse, well short of serious off-roading.

79.7 cu ft of max cargo with the 2nd and 3rd rows folded flat is competitive for bulky gear, and roof rails are standard, though there's no factory hitch prewire noted for accessory racks/carriers.

Reviewers describe the redesigned chassis as secure and nimble at low speed, but note body roll and floaty, unsettled behavior in faster corners — competent but not composed enough to lead the class.

Steering is quick and light at parking-lot speeds but reviewers found it turns vague and lifeless at highway speed and on winding roads, lacking real feedback.

No instrumented braking-distance test or specific reviewer commentary on pedal feel was found for this model year; scored at a segment-typical mid-pack level consistent with the car's otherwise unremarkable, non-sporting dynamic tuning.

The 2.5L/CVT pairing is calibrated smoothly at part-throttle for everyday driving, but reviewers flag strained, effortful behavior when the CVT holds revs for passing or merging.

Familiar CVT drone shows up under hard acceleration as the transmission holds engine speed, audible and somewhat coarse rather than offensive.

A tight turning circle for the compact-SUV class, consistent across the 2022 trim lineup.

The redesigned cabin gives a clear improvement in seating position, visibility and control layout over the prior generation, with an 8-way power driver's seat from SE up; nothing exceptional but solidly competitive.

Reviewers consistently describe the Outlander as a practical, appliance-like family crossover rather than an engaging drive — the modest powertrain and numb steering leave little for an enthusiast to enjoy.

The redesigned 2022 Outlander's base ES ($26,995) carries a larger touchscreen, standard forward collision mitigation, blind-spot monitoring, rear parking sensors and adaptive tech Mitsubishi previously reserved for upper trims, competitive with but not class-leading versus CR-V/RAV4 base specs.

Fair-to-good value: an all-new platform, standard AEB, and (on most trims) an optional third row undercut Toyota/Honda pricing at comparable trim levels, offset by a torque-limited engine reviewers flagged as underwhelming for the money.

Five trims (ES, SE Launch Edition, SE, Black Edition, SEL) each offered in FWD or S-AWC AWD span roughly $27k-$35k, a reasonable spread but with no turbo/performance or hybrid variant of the mainline gas Outlander itself (PHEV is a separate powertrain line).

40,942 units sold in 2022 — the nameplate's best year ever and up 55.9% YoY with five consecutive quarters of record retail sales — a strong riser, but still well below compact-SUV segment leaders like RAV4 and CR-V, so it lands as a steady/rising mid-pack seller rather than a segment leader.

Mitsubishi remains a budget-oriented, low-prestige brand in the US with a much smaller dealer footprint and no aspirational halo versus mainstream rivals, despite the redesigned Outlander improving perception.

Mitsubishi leaned on incentives to move the redesigned Outlander — low-APR financing offers and loyalty rebates were commonly available, consistent with the brand's value positioning, without the desperation pricing of a slow seller.

2022 is the launch year of the all-new 4th generation (new platform, new engine, larger footprint per the registry's own generation record) — as fresh as a model year gets.

Earned IIHS Top Safety Pick+ (Good ratings across all crashworthiness tests, Superior crash-avoidance) and generally favorable redesign reviews ('the best vehicle Mitsubishi has sold in years'), but reviewers consistently flagged the powertrain as a weak point and it was not a comparison-test winner against RAV4/CR-V/CX-5.