2020 Mitsubishi Outlander

The Outlander has its share of flaws. It suffers from low fuel economy and the third-row capability also disappoints some. The 2020 Outlander is Mitsubishi’s tool for achieving this target and has hence given the 2020 version a whole set of feature upgrades and a facelift

The Outlander comes in 6  trims and available both in two-wheel  drive as well as all-wheel-drive, although the GT 3.0 is only offered in an all-wheel-drive configuration.  Barring the top of the Line GT, all other trims  are powered by  a 2.4L Inline 4 cylinder Motor that generates 166hp and 162lbs-ft of torque. The GT trim gets a 3.0L V6 Motor which generates a massive 224hp and 215lbs-ft of torque. 

We Recommend

Go with the Outlander SEL that costs only $2000 more than the base and adds features like heated, leather upholstered seat, a power-adjustable driver's seat. You also get an upgraded infotainment system with smartphone integration.

The engine that outlander particularly offer is to offer smooth rides and maximum reliability. The Outlander might be the most costly in the whole section but not the most powerful one. A The 2.4-litre engine that churns out 166 horsepower and 162-pound-feet of torque powers the ES, SE, and SEL while the GT comes standard with a 3.0-litre V6 engine that produces 224 horsepower and 215-pound-feet of torque. The base engine comes mated to continuously variable transmission that operates like automatic. The V6 meanwhile comes married to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The pronounced rubber band effect from the CVT worsens the case for this engine and dampens the overall driving experience.  The Outlander might be the most costly in the whole section but not the most powerful one.

For people wanting a more enthusiastic performer to have the option of going for the 3.0L V6 that belts out 224Hp at 6250rpm and 215lbs-ft at 3750rpm. This engine is mated to a 6 Speed electronic Transmission and is only available in the Top of the Line GT Trim.

Acceleration

The base engine feels okay while city driving but you will be disappointed when you take the Outlander on the highway as the acceleration is weak. As I mentioned above none of the SUVs in this section is designed from a performance point of view and so the power delivery is linear as well as mild.

Rivals like the Mazda CX-5, Ford Escape and Kia Sorento offer a far better performance despite similar body structures and size. The Outlander will take you from point A to B but both the engine feels slow when compared to rivals like Honda CRV.

In terms of Emission though, the Naturally Aspirated Unit of the Mitsubishi ranks pretty high when it comes to the least emission figures emitted by a compact SUV.

Ride and Handling

In terms of specs, the 2020 Outlander is equipped with electric power steering, tilt-telescopic steering wheel and cruise control along with the 5-speed manual which ensures a smooth city ride and more comfortable long trips. Now the 5-speed manual might be a hassle in the cities but once you hit the highway it won’t be a bugger anymore. The cabin offers good noise insulation from the Outside and the dull engine noise seeps in through only when it’s revving past 5000rpm.In terms of handling, the Outlanders meet most expectations and do its best, to ensure confidence-inspiring handling on highways or city roads.

As for the handling the car feels much smaller while driving, has a good grip and is pretty sharp around the corners well, you might feel a bit of a body roll but it won’t affect much. The Outlanders meet most expectations and do its best, to ensure confidence-inspiring handling on highways or city roads. The Tires offer good grip while cornering at decent speeds while they tend to offer little less grip Off-Road.

Braking

The brakes might feel small, but for a 3252lbs. crossover with 166hp engine, it has plenty of braking power. The brakes might feel small, but for a 3252lbs. crossover with 166hp engine, it has plenty of braking power. Moving up to the competition, every one of the competitors features almost the same size of brakes which moves the competition to the body weight.

The Outlander being the heaviest stays at the last while the Mazda CX-3 offers intense braking and less stopping distance.

In terms of Brake Feel though, they tend to be spongy at times but they aren’t overly sensitive. In terms of stopping distances as well, the Mitsubishi stops from a 60MPH to 0MPH in 121ft, which is at par with the other SUVs in the segment.

The 2020  Mitsubishi Outlander with the base engine and front-wheel drive gets an EPA rating of 25 mpg city, 30 mpg highway and 27 mpg combined, while the all-wheel-drive models are rated at 24/29/26 mpg.

The GT trim with the V6 engine and all-wheel drive brings the EPA figure down as it checks in with 20/27/23 mpg. This, coupled with the massive 16.6Gallon Fuel Tank gives a Combined Average Range of around 415 Miles, which is one of the best in Class.

The Powerful 3.0L V6 motor, however, compromises the Fuel Efficiency in favour of a better performance. The V6 delivers 22MPG on an average and gives an overall range of 350Miles, which is still a respectable number.

Well, the outlander comes quite loaded when it comes to the infotainment system and has a lot of comfortable features at its price point but what really turns off is the build quality. The low quality plastic on dash, outdated looking interior design and the low-quality seating material sure turn off a bit. The Outlander sits seven and is the only SUV in its class to offer three rows of seating. The third row, however, is only good enough to accommodate small children. Both the front two rows offer comfortable seating with sufficient amount of head and legroom.

As for the features, the Outlander comes equipped with the multifunctional steering wheel, 6-way manual driver seat and 4-way manual passenger seat along with split-folding rear seats with a centre armrest. You get driver side controls, plenty of storage, and several analogue buttons with some fake ones, as for the centre console it doesn’t have much.

In terms of the Comfort, the Seats do a decent job of providing comfort to all the passengers in the cabin. We could, however, have loved a better cushioning of the seats and a higher Seating layout. Passengers seating at the front and 2md row, won’t complain much about the area on offer as it at par with the rest of the competition.

Interior Features

The 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander comes with a good set of Standard Interior Features. It may not be the most utilitarian of the lot but it does pack some really usable features like Big Door Pockets, Center Console Cup Holders and more.

• Dual Zone Climate Control System
• Power Adjust Front Seats
• Heated Front Seats
• Rear Seat Infotainment System
• Leather Upholstery
• Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
• Keyless Ignition
• Available 3 Rows of Seating

Infotainment

The Outlander has a pretty loaded infotainment system for the higher tiers of course. The base model features a 7.0” touch panel display, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, 10 watts Stereo Output with AM/FM stereo and set of 6-speaker. For an added feature, it gets speed-sensitive volume control and that sums up its infotainment features. Mitsubishi has updated the Infotainment System of the New Outlander and added Apple Car Play and Android Auto in its existing Infotainment System as an option.

The Following are some of the features that can be found in the Infotainment System of the Outlander

• Android Auto and Apple Car Play Compatibility
• 7” Touchscreen Infotainment System with Navigation
• SiriusXM Radio with 3 Months Subscription
• Bluetooth, Front, and Rear USB Ports
• Rockford Fosgate Music System
• Bluetooth Telephony and Connectivity to Multiple devices

Cargo Capacity

Being an SUV makes it easier to access the cargo area but rear seats being manually adjustable, sure going to be a bit of workout. The standard cargo volume offered by the Outlander is good but the Jeep Renegade and the Honda HR-V offers quite commendable cargo volume.

From a common perspective, the Outlander offers around 34.2 cubic feet of Space. This is among the highest in the segment and can take a lot of stuff with it. The Kia Sorento manages to beat the Outlander by a very small margin in terms of the Cargo space but that isn’t a substantial loss.

The 2020 Mitsubishi outlander doesn’t get any significant or notable change over last year, it has the famous dynamic shield design in the front and almost the same side or rear profile. It does look more sleek and modern and has a very sturdy build to it. You do get LED daytime running lights, Xenon light, sunroof but only at the higher variants as you have to settle down with a simple-looking outlander for the base model.

 Mitsubishi has added a lot of chrome into the Front Fascia of the SUV that includes the front grill and some extent of the bumper. 18” Alloy Wheels now come as standard. The Mitsubishi Outlander ranks as one of the “Not So Small” compact crossovers in the segment.

One of the standout points of the 2020 Outlander, is its superb 8.5 inches of Ground Clearance. Mitsubishi has ensured that the Outlander doesn’t suffer any hiccups while traversing the road less taken by providing good ground clearance. This allows the Outlander, to wade through Rocky Terrains easily and glide through big speed humps without much concern of scraping the underbelly of the compact crossover.

Exterior Features

The Exteriors of the Mitsubishi Outlander has a good set of features that matches the competition and better them in some areas. Some of the Exterior Features have been listed below.

• Rear View Camera
• LED Daytime Running Lamps and Rear Tail Lights
• Heated and Powered Outside Mirrors
• 18” Alloy Wheels
• Fog lamps
• Power Glass Sunroof
• Auto On/Off LED Headlamps
• Shark Fin Antenna

Features like Rear Window Intermittent Wiper/Washer with Defroster and Roof Carrier come in Standard across all trims while Silver Roof Rails can be opted for only in the SEL and above trims.

The 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander comes stacked, with Safety equipment and features that are offered in other rivals as well. We do however feel that the Standard Safety Equipment on offer could have been higher as the rivals offer those as standard.

Some Safety features include

• ABS with ESC and Driveline Traction Control
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Tire Pressure Warning System
• Multi-View Camera System
• Side Curtain, Front, and Thorax Airbags
• Blind Spot Warning and Lane Change Assist
• LED Auto Headlamps
• Forward Collision Mitigation
• Adaptive Cruise Control

Mitsubishi Outlander vs Honda CR-V

There is no denying the fact that the Honda CR-V is one of the Best SUVs in the segment. It flaunts an easy to understand infotainment system and best in class storage space. The CR V additionally has a rich lodge that offers two lines of seating and has enough space to oblige grown-ups. The Outlander, however, offers the Luxury of allowing 7 people to sit inside it with relative ease and comfort. What also sets the Mitsubishi ahead of the Head in terms of the Standard equipment on offer, which is higher than CR-V.

Mitsubishi Outlander vs Mazda CX-5

The Mazda CX-5 is one of the most Sportiest SUVs in the segment. The Mazda offers one of the Best 2^nd Row Seating arrangement in the class as well. When it comes to the off-road ability, both the SUV’s are nearly matched and have potent 4WD systems. The Outlander, however, trumps the CX-5 in terms of the creature comforts on offer as a Standard fitment, good gas mileage and an ability to tour with 7 people on board.

Mitsubishi Outlander vs Chevrolet Equinox

The Chevrolet Equinox is the American Answer to what is essentially a market dominated by European, Korean and Japanese SUVs. The Equinox offers good fuel efficiency and way more space in the Interior for both the 1^st Row and 2^nd Row of passengers. The Outlander, however, can Seat 7 People in it and has a better equipment list in terms of creature comfort and safety as standard than the Chevy.

The Mitsubishi Outlander is an affordable crossover made to handle daily commute, highway cursing as well as off-roading. Featuring the Japanese DNA the Outlander is quite reliable, sturdy, and easy to ride and offers a good amount of comfort not to mention a handsome fuel economy and low cost of ownership.

The Infotainment System and the base 2.4L Engine are among the weakest points of the Outlander as other competitors offer a more powerful engine, with a lot more power and torque on tap. But with a good Gas MPG Figure, Decent Cargo Space, Stylish Exteriors and a Standard 7 Seater configuration, The Outlander certainly is one of the most practical SUVs in the Segment.