Rolling up the final mile on Hollywood’s notorious Sundown Strip within the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander, an SEL mannequin geared up with all-wheel drive and a Premium Package deal, the immortal phrases of the basic Easy Minds tune reverberated via my head.

Don’t you overlook about me.

No, the 1980’s anthem wasn’t taking part in on the SUV’s new Yamaha-designed stereo. It was purely an interior monologue that encapsulated a day spent driving Mitsubishi’s mildly refreshed SUV. Being tied to an automaker largely seen as a shadow of its former self, I concern the Outlander is simply too usually neglected. It is a superb car—not excellent, however one which deserves significantly extra consideration within the impossibly crowded compact SUV section. 

Let’s point out the elephant within the room instantly. Mitsubishi representatives inform us that the corporate is financially standing by itself two toes. Outlander gross sales had been up 6.5 % in 2024, a part of Mitsubishi’s 25.8 % year-over-year gross sales improve. And Nissan’s woes apparently aren’t affecting Mitsubishi, at the very least for the second. Sure, the Outlander shares its platform with the Nissan Rogue, however you wouldn’t realize it from behind the wheel. Mitsubishi injects its personal recipe into the underpinnings to create a driving expertise decidedly completely different—and by that I imply higher—than the Rogue.

To that finish, all of the Outlander’s suspension elements are Mitsu-specific. For 2025, they’re additionally tweaked barely. The shocks and is derived are retuned to scale back the preliminary bump affect, and the entrance sway bar is ever-so-slightly smaller. The steering can also be retuned to really feel a bit tighter at pace. Briefly, all of it works very properly. 

Photograph by: Mitsubishi

Treading over the cracked and cratered streets outdoors Los Angeles, the Outlander remained calm, collected, and impressively snug. Nothing felt harsh, nor had been there any unwelcome reverberations via the cockpit. That’s of specific curiosity contemplating Mitsubishi designed the SUV to primarily be a rolling speaker field, a neat tidbit I’ll describe afterward. 

And it’s exceptionally quiet on the transfer. Wind noise is minimal even at freeway speeds, and the hum from the 20-inch tires is equally subdued. Chalk this as much as added sound deadening all through the Outlander, together with appreciable time dedicated to enhancing total journey high quality and dealing with. There’s a decidedly upscale vibe occurring right here—one thing you don’t count on from an SUV with a $31,140 beginning worth.

Maybe much more spectacular is that Mitsubishi didn’t sacrifice dealing with for plush consolation. With the driving mode set to Tarmac, the Outlander stays degree via the twists and activates streets north of city. Some credit score for that goes to Mitsubishi’s Tremendous All-Wheel Management (S-AWC) all-wheel drive system, which may handle energy not simply between entrance and rear axles, however side-to-side for roughly yaw in corners. That alone doesn’t account for the minimal physique roll or reassuring steering really feel, nonetheless. Outcomes could range on the front-wheel-drive fashions, however all ought to have balanced traits. Nicely executed, Mitsubishi engineers.

Photograph by: Mitsubishi

Execs: Excellent Trip & Dealing with, Quiet, Uptown Vibe At Downtown Worth

Technically, this can be a refreshed mannequin, however even in case you look carefully, you’ll wrestle to see the adjustments. On the entrance, the brand new grille eliminates the vents and textured styling parts for a smoother look. It’s additionally connected to the fascia as an alternative of the hood. Additional down, there are minor variations within the colours on the decrease portion of the bumper. 

On the again, you’ll discover redesigned taillights that undertake a T motif. New wheel designs can be found, with all however ES trims getting 20-inchers normal. A brand new exterior coloration referred to as Moonstone Grey Metallic wraps up the outside refresh. Luckily, the Outlander’s styling was good to begin with, so no hurt, no foul.

Modifications are extra recognizable inside. I’m referring to the brand new 12.3-inch middle touchscreen positioned neatly on the sprint, a notable enchancment from the earlier 9.0-inch show. The middle console can also be revised to higher use accessible house, after which we get to the snazzy speaker covers with Yamaha branding on them.

Photograph by: Mitsubishi

Photograph by: Mitsubishi

Photograph by: Mitsubishi

Consider it or not, the 2025 Outlander is the primary car ever supplied in North America with a Yamaha-designed stereo system. Mitsubishi and Yamaha engineers collaborated on the design, which fits far past the electronics. The doorways on the Outlander had been strengthened to scale back vibration, and repair holes had been stuffed to make sure sound solely got here out of the locations it was designed for. Speaker grilles incorporate conventional Japanese geometric shapes, which allegedly helps disperse the sound in a good means. 

The excellent news?  You don’t should get the most costly trim to get pleasure from it. Yamaha’s stereo is normal on all 2025 Outlanders, although it’s supplied in two variations. The essential setup has eight audio system, whereas the premium model will get 12 and extra wattage to drive them. There are additionally a plethora of sound settings to select from, and there are computerized changes relying on car pace, wiper settings, and local weather fan pace. Yamaha engineers inform us it’s not simply volume-specific both. The sound will compensate in numerous registers to assist driver and passengers hear every thing clearly, rainstorm be damned. 

Spoiler alert, the stereo sounds good. However I feel the larger takeaway right here is the prep work that went into making it sound good. The added sound deadening and stiffer doorways all play into the Outlander’s spectacular driving attributes. There’s nary a shudder or a rattle to be heard, even over robust terrain. At pace, it’s as silent as you need it to be. It is a very stress-free place to be throughout heavy site visitors… once more, a shocker contemplating its low MSRP.

Photograph by: Mitsubishi

Cons: Desperately Wants Extra Energy, Third-Row Is A Torture Chamber

Nevertheless, stepping on the throttle reveals why the worth is low. The Outlander’s powertrain is unchanged for 2025, regardless of being sorely in want of an replace right here. The two.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder makes 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, and it goes to the bottom via a CVT that simulates eight gear adjustments. With simply the driving force and a single passenger inside, it’s barely enough for merging onto busy highways.

I shudder to suppose how the efficiency will drop with 5 and even seven individuals on board, must you discover two unfortunate people to sit down within the barely-there third row. Standing a mere 5 foot 6 inches, I actually couldn’t match with out tilting my head down and even then, my knees had been in the way in which. Mitsubishi lists third-row headroom at 34.5 inches and legroom at simply 18.7 inches. So the Outlander, although technically brandishing a again seat, continues to be not sensible as a seven-seater except two of them are babies.

That could possibly be for one of the best, contemplating the absence of energy. From a useless cease on one in all LA’s extra hilly roads, I floored the throttle and watched in dismay because the Outlander finally reached 20 mph, at which level the engine RPM lastly started to tug the SUV together with a bit extra authority. I’m often a proponent of CVTs, however that is an occasion the place a geared computerized would make a world of distinction. Ideally, 25 additional horsepower with eight precise speeds could be all that’s wanted right here. At a minimal, eliminate the CVT. This SUV wants large assistance on the low finish of the rev vary.

Photograph by: Mitsubishi

Photograph by: Mitsubishi

As for different points, I encountered only some. The Outlander’s native navigation system makes use of Tom Tom supported by Google, and it’s merely enough at discovering its means with out very particular instructions. Higher seat changes could be good, particularly on the higher-spec trims. However the addition of ventilated seats—a primary for the Outlander—is good. There’s a little bit of a delay in executing voice instructions, however alas, that’s extra frequent than not all through the auto trade.

I’ll say this—Mitsubishi offers the Outlander heated seats, 18-inch wheels, the Yamaha stereo, the 12.3-inch show, and a 10-year/100,000 powertrain guarantee all normal. These options alone make up for the minor annoyances I skilled throughout my journey, save for the underpowered engine.

The 2025 Outlander PHEV and a brand new off-road-themed Outlander Path Version will make an official debut later this yr. I believe, nonetheless, that almost all consumers will discover the usual model totally exceeds their expectations… as long as they keep in mind that Mitsubishi nonetheless exists. If the corporate retains constructing vehicles this good, it ought to exist for a few years to come back. 

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