2022 Mitsubishi Outlander LS 2WD review

This new, 2022 generation of the Mitsubishi Outlander, launched locally in late 2021, aims to take a big step up over a predecessor that found success through its perceived value against more expensive and larger seven-seaters but offered a less-than-polished driving experience.

So, has Mitsubishi managed to right many of the old model's wrongs while continuing to trade on the same merits that made the previous Outlander a success?

A good place to find out is one of the most affordable variants, the one-up-from-cheapest LS.

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Pricing and features

The Mitsubishi Outlander range opens at $34,490 for the base ES 2WD five-seat, with the ES 2WD seven-seat asking an extra $1000.

The LS 2WD variant we are testing today opens at $37,990 (saves $3500 compared to LS AWD), and comes standard with the extra two seats stashed under the boot floor.

That money buys you a fabric interior, 7.0-inch driver display in the instrument cluster, 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, second-row air vents, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, and reversing camera.

There's also 18-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, cargo blind, leather wheel and shifter, silver front and rear bumper garnish, auto-dimming rearview mirror, heard and folding door mirror, auto headlights with auto high beam, roof rails, LED fog lamps, and automatic wipers.

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Absent on the feature list is a powered tailgate, previously standard on the LS variant, which was de-specified by Mitsubishi for the latest 22.5 model year update in reaction to the ongoing semiconductor shortage.

Powering all of the combustion, non-hybrid, Outlanders is an aspirated 2.5-litre inline-four cylinder producing 135kW and 245Nm, matched to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The 2022 Outlander wears a Five Star ANCAP rating, with safety, both passive and active, coming from eight airbags, high- and low-speed forward autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning, reverse AEB, reverse cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane-keep assistance and speed sign recognition.

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Comfort and space

Despite its three-row seating status, Mitsubishi describes the Outlander as a ‘5+2’-seater, instead of an outright seven-seater. That’s because, while there is an abundance of space and comfort afforded to the front two rows, the third row seats are more of a temporary solution to a fleeting problem, rather than a usable everyday utility.

Up front, however, the 2022 Outlander LS’ cabin gets injected with a big dose of modernity with a 9.0-inch floating screen mounted atop a nicely sculpted dashboard, with dual-zone climate control and a wireless phone charger all easily within the driver’s arm’s reach.

Initial impressions are of an airy feel and materials quality that is markedly better than expected, a big step up over the old generation car.

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This spec is finished in black, with cloth trim, and isn’t the most visually dazzling of specifications available within the Outlander range, but looks and feels great for its price point.

The seats themselves are comfy and supportive and, along with the steering column, offer great levels of adjustment for drivers of all builds. You can have the traditional high-riding SUV position or, conversely, you can also mount yourself in a surprisingly low, almost sporty, seating position.

The infotainment screen is clear, easy to navigate and decently responsive but the user interface looks rather dated. Phone mirroring, however, presents and utilises the screen wonderfully.

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Milled rotary controls and dials feature on the infotainment screen, HVAC controls and Drive Mode selector, and feel very nice in the hands. They can, however, reflect sunlight quite harshly in certain conditions. The new sliding gear selector is quirky, and a bit of a novelty, but functions fine and doesn’t take anything away from the experience.

The second row continues continues with the spacious feel. The seats themselves look a bit thin and basic, but the actual materials and touchpoints back here are decent. Seats fold 40:20:40 for versatile through-loading, and there are rear air vents, with cup and bottle holders located in each door.

Further back is where things get complicated. Two jump seats fold out from the boot floor, offering flexible seating in a jam, say, when you need to ferry a few extra children to Saturday morning sports.

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They’re hard to access, given the second row of seating don't fold forward, and providing useable legroom for even an older primary school child would see the need to move the second row of seating forward - negating most of the legroom there.

They’d likely be workable for short trips when you need a few extra seats in a jam, but it will come at the expense of comfort for both second- and third-rows. The extra seating mitigates negligible boot space, however, eating into just seven litres of cargo space.

With the folding third row of seats, boot space still measures a respectable 478-litres, which blows out to 1461-litres with the back seats folded.

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On the road

On-paper at least, an aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder matched to a CVT driving the front wheels of a mid-size SUV isn’t the most inspirational recipe when it comes to on-road dynamics. But the execution of all parts coming together sees the Outlander impress with unexpected levels of polish and poise.

In actuality, much of the drivetrain is carried over from the preceding generation, though the engine has grown in displacement from 2.0-litres in the old front-drivers, and 2.4-litres in the AWD variants, to uniform 2.5-litres of swept capacity across the range.

From the 2.4-litre to the 2.5-litre engine, power increases from 124kW to 132kW, and 220Nm to 245Nm.

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The throttle is nice and responsive by default. If anything, it’s perhaps a touch too touchy by comparison to many other lackadaisical family chariots of this segment.

There’s good breadth within the Drive Modes, too, comprising Eco, Normal, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow and Mud - adjusting throttle response, steering weight and stability control to suit.

Normal is a no-fuss catchall, though if you find the default throttle a little too spiky, Eco mode provides tremendously relaxed and smooth sailing. Tarmac is a sports mode by another name, making the throttle super responsive and also re-calibrating the CVT to let revs build and hold more freely.

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Despite modest power outputs, the improved CVT calibration makes the most of the engine, always keeping it happily in the zone it works best. Never once did I feel the need to take over gear changes for myself. Overall, it’s a very intuitive unit that is well-judged in its gear changes. Real strides in refinement have been made here to the powertrain.

In fact, despite a significant increase in kerb weight of 200kg with this new generation of Outlander, tipping the scales at 1645kg, the smooth briskness of its acceleration, combined with its lightly weighted steering, gives the impression of shucking off its weight nicely.

In other scenarios, its mass does come to the fore. At low speeds, for instance, it can ‘fall into’ potholes and compressions with a bit of a thunk. Cornering with momentum also produces noticeable, but not egregious, body roll.

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I also found myself having to input more brake when approaching a stop, as a few instances saw the car slowing at a lesser rate than expected.

This, however, likely has more to do with the doughy brake pedal calibration, given the Outlander boasts some decently-sized 350mm brake rotors up front.

Despite its sizeable footprint, the Outlander offers nice levels of urban agility and feels decently nimble around town. It’s quite frugal too, registering 8.5L/100km - not a far shout off Mitsubishi’s 7.7L/100km claim for this variant. From the driver’s seat, there’s a lot to like here.

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Ownership

All new Mitsubishis come with a standard new car warranty of 5-years/100,000kms (whichever comes first).

Buyers may be eligible for Mitsubishi’s Diamond Advantage extended warranty, Australia’s only new car warranty covering 10-years/200,000km – the caveat being that all scheduled servicing must take place at a Mitsubishi’s authorised dealer network.

Service intervals are pegged at every 12-months or 15,000kms, and Mitsubishi offers a nation-leading 10-year/150,000km capped price servicing regime.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander wears a Five Star rating from ANCAP, awarded at the beginning of 2022.

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VERDICT

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander has made bounds over its predecessor, and delivers versatile urban motoring with welcome doses of polish and nice presentation.

The third-row of seats are a nice and attractive feature but offer limited real-world use. They are still a benefit for a lot of people, however, as it's always nice to have the option of that added flexibility, though they do offer mixed results in practice.

In all other areas, the Outlander LS comfortably fulfils the brief of a relaxed family hauler, delivering a lot of value for just under $40,000.

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2022 Outlander LS 2WD specifications