• Auto123 gets in a first drive of the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander.
West Hollywood, CA - To say that the Outlander SUV is Mitsubishi's bread and butter is an understatement; the compact SUV is the brand's raison d'être. In 2024, its two versions (gasoline-only and hybrid) accounted for 23,295 of the automaker’s 38,921 sales total, or almost 60 percent.
If it didn't exist, the company would have to invent it right away. That's how important it is.
Not surprisingly, the company pampers it cleverly to keep it as attractive as possible to its customers and the consumers it hopes to win over. The Outlander is Mitsubishi's best product, period.
For 2025, the fourth year of the current generation, we're giving it a little upgrade to cast a wider net. Let's take a look at the main changes.
2025 Mitsubishi Outlander: What's new?
A few things stand out. First, Mitsubishi tweaked the front and rear design, but only slightly. Second, the interior has undergone a number of changes in terms of colour and material selection, ergonomics and comfort, as well as equipment.
Above all, with this model Mitsubishi is now offering a major collaboration with Yamaha, the manufacturer of musical instruments and audio equipment.
A few adjustments to the chassis and steering are also on the menu.
Design of the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander: 8/10
With its instantly recognizable identity, the design of the Outlander retains its distinctive lines that testify to its originality. The front of the vehicle has a strong identity, and the changes made for the 2025 add a welcome touch of softness.
The Outlander's rear end is particularly well executed, with an elegance that is seductive at first glance. We can imagine that in the future the designers will be able to create an even greater harmony between front and rear, for an overall design that will appeal to an even wider audience.
The changes? New front and rear bumpers, revised skid plates, redesigned lights with a smoked finish, and new designs for the 18-inch and 20-inch wheels. LED lighting throughout, including turn signals and back-up lights.
A new exterior color, Moonstone Gray Metallic, is introduced.
The good news for Mitsubishi is that its product has many more qualities than flaws. And for this redesign, we've focused on the interior qualities - the ones that really matter.
Interior
On board, several subtle changes have been made. Interestingly, Mitsubishi has listened to owners' grievances in order to fine-tune its model.
To meet expectations, the cup holders have been redesigned and relocated, and are now larger. They’re even each angled in opposite directions (93 and 87 degrees) so that the lids of two containers don’t touch. The touch-sensitive charging pad has been redesigned, as has the centre console, the storage space of which has been enlarged from 2.9 to 4.2 litres.
Materials have been improved in some versions, while soundproofing has been enhanced. The third row is still available.
New colours have been added, including Brick Brown for the top-of-the-range variants. The mid-range version can be fitted with a two-tone interior emphasizing pale grey.
All in all, this is a top-class environment, one of the richest in the compact SUV segment.
Technology in the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander: 8.5/10
The big change is the collaboration with Yamaha for the audio system. This is a first for a North American model from the brand. And this goes beyond a simple agreement where one brand supplies its equipment to a model. Teams from the two companies worked together in harmony to deliver something truly convincing.
Essentially, Yamaha has created two systems: one with eight speakers (Premium), the other with twelve (Ultimate), complete with subwoofer. The focus was on high quality, to reproduce an ambience that puts you in the presence of the musicians. Different types of speakers have different missions. Bonus listening modes include Lively, Signature, Powerful and Relaxing, for the ambience you want, depending on the style you're listening to. You can even create five distinct listening environments for: driver, passenger, front, rear and entire cabin.
The system's sound adjusts to vehicle speed, which is nothing new. What is new, however, is that it also adapts to the noise of the rain or the ventilation system, increasing certain frequencies so that you don't miss out on anything you're listening to.
Numerous soundproofing additions have been made to enhance the experience, as have modifications to the door structure to reduce vibrations.
The result? Our test took place over a period of two hours, too little to have a precise idea of the system's qualities, too little to offer you an honest report. The few selections we listened to sounded very good and very accurate, but we'll have a better idea of all this when we test the Outlander over a full week.
Otherwise, the multimedia system screen is now 12.3 inches across the range, and the company has made improvements to its Mitsubishi Connect service, which offers more functions. For example, the interior temperature can now be set to any degree you like, rather than just 25 degrees, as was previously the case.
Once again, the company is doing its utmost to offer its customers more, always at an attractive price/performance ratio.
Powertrain of the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander: 7.5/10
Nothing changes under the hood, as the Outlander inherits a 2.5L 4-cylinder offering 181 hp and as many lb-ft of torque. This engine, the result of a partnership with Nissan, is both proven and reliable. It is mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
The model's strength remains its S-AWC (Super-All Wheel Control) all-wheel drive. In fact, it's the second reason given by buyers to justify their purchase.
Driving the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander: 8/10
Behind the wheel, comfort is the focus with this vehicle. The company has made a few changes to the steering, which is a little more precise and firm in the middle to provide a more reassuring ride.
Sportiness is not a focus, however. The Outlander is heavy and clumsy. What's more, the changes made for 2025 have added between 30 and 45 kg to the SUV's already less-than-optimal power-to-weight ratio. On flat roads, it's still okay, but when climbing slopes or overtaking, quite frankly, it's laborious. And the CVT's whine does nothing to improve the experience.
Fuel consumption
Mitsubishi claims that, despite the changes and added weight, the Outlander's average fuel consumption will remain the same for 2025, at 8.9L/100 km.
The final word
The 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander has been refined and is more complete than ever. It's not perfect, but it's a safe buy for consumers. All-wheel drive plays a big part in this, as does the warranty, the number one reason cited by one in two consumers as the main reason behind their decision.
Unsurprisingly, no mention was made of the PHEV version, but Mitsubishi's strategy has always been to follow up any changes to that version with the next model year. We can therefore expect announcements during the year for the 2026 version.
2025 Mitsubishi Outlander prices in Canada
- - Outlander ES S-AWC $35,598
- - Outlander SE S-AWC $38,298
- - Outlander LE S-AWC $41,298
- - Outlander SEL S-AWC $43,998
- - Outlander GT S-AWC $46,498
- - Outlander GT-Premium S-AWC $47,498
Competitors of the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander
- - Chevrolet Equinox
- - Ford Escape / Bronco Sport
- - Honda CR-V
- - Hyundai Tucson
- - Mazda CX-5 / CX-50
- - Nissan Rogue
- - Toyota RAV4
- - Volkswagen Tiguan
