The all-new 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is an important vehicle for the Japanese automaker. For its new compact SUV, Mitsubishi has gone to Nissan for some help via the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, as the SUV shares the same platform as the Rogue. Despite the helping hand from Nissan, the new 2022 Outlander is clearly a modern Mitsubishi, with distinctive styling and the brand’s iconic Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) system. With all of the changes that Mitsubishi has made, it’s surprising to see pricing only go up by $900 for the 2022 Outlander.
Pricing for the ES trim starts at $26,990 including destination. That’s an increase of $900 from last year, which isn’t a huge amount considering that the 2022 model is all-new. As far as content goes, the ES comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, an 8-inch touchscreen, 18-inch alloy wheels, forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring, as well as front and rear automatic emergency braking as standard.
The SE sees a massive increase over the previous model, as the 2022 Outlander SE carries a starting price tag of $30,040. That’s an increase of $3,114 from before. Over last year, the 2022 Outlander SE comes with front parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, a nine-inch touchscreen, wireless device charging, a multi-view camera system, heated front seats, and 20-inch alloy wheels. So, the new SE comes with a lot more features and it will probably be the best-selling trim in the lineup, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a hefty upgrade from before.
The range-topping SEL trim also sees a massive increase in pricing, as it’s $4,450 more than before, carrying a price tag of $33,140. Three-zone automatic climate control, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, heated rear seats, a four-way power-adjustable passenger seat, and memory settings for the driver’s seat. While the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is nifty, we’re not sure if the other features justify the price increase from last year.
Compared to other compact SUVs, the 2022 Outlander is one of the more expensive options on the market. The Honda CR-V ($26,525), Nissan Rogue ($26,900), Kia Sportage ($25,265), and Mazda CX-5 ($26,545) are all more affordable, while the Toyota RAV4 ($27,325) is one of the few options that costs more money. It’s a sharp contrast to the previous model, which was one of the more affordable compact SUVs.
It’s hard to say whether the 2022 Outlander is worth the extra money compared to last year or even when compared to the competition without driving the vehicle, but it certainly looks promising. And, the 2022 Outlander has a trick up its sleeve that no other compact SUV can match – a standard third row of seats. Compact SUVs aren’t the most spacious options on the market, so stuffing a third row of seats in the back, at least like the ones found in the Volkswagen Tiguan, end up being tight and best left for children. Still, a third row of seats is something a lot of consumers are looking for.
Design-wise, Mitsubishi has put a lot of effort into making the Outlander stand out. The compact SUV wears a bold design that doesn’t look like anything else on the market. In a class of SUVs that play it safe, the 2022 Outlander stands out, which is what some consumers are looking to do. On the inside, the SUV has made a massive move upstream with a much more stylish design and what looks like high-quality materials. In terms of design, the 2022 Outlander is leagues ahead of the old model.
Mitsubishi has also updated the Outlander’s powertrain, which now consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). While Mitsubishi hasn’t provided any official power figures, we expect the new engine to make more than the outgoing model's 2.4-liter four-cylinder that was rated at 166 horsepower. The SUV does have initial fuel economy estimates of up to 24 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway with front-wheel drive, which is roughly the same (25 mpg city and 30 mpg highway) as the 2020 model.
With a stylish design, a standard third row of seats, and high-tech features, the 2022 Outlander is far more competitive than ever before. It’s no longer the value-first choice, but a unique option that has something no other compact SUV does. Hats off to Mitsubishi, because it’s taken a dud and turned it into a stud. The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander will arrive at dealerships later this April.
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