Mitsubishi’s new blacked-out medium SUV strikes a lot of the right notes, without going overboard on specification. Meaning, it shapes up as one of the better value options in this hotly contested segment.
2023 Mitsubishi Outlander LS Black Edition
It’s the most popular choice of car in Australia currently, and filling the garages and driveways of many families. That means medium-sized SUVs are at the top of mind for the carmakers as well, who are keen to cash in on that rampant popularity.
Mitsubishi has always been a strong player in this part of the world, offering a practical, well-sized and good value choice for Australian families. And with this new-generation model – which shares a platform and major components with the Nissan X-Trail – continues in that theme.
There’s also a plug-in hybrid variant of the Outlander to consider, but what we are dealing with here is a petrol-powered LS Black Edition, which is a well-presented and pragmatic take on the model. And it’s great value.
How much does the Mitsubishi Outlander cost in Australia?
This new Outlander model gets a $42,490 price tag before on-road costs, which perches it in between a regular two-wheel-drive LS ($40,740) and Aspire ($44,240). This compares to an entry-level ES ($37,240) and top-spec Exceed Tourer ($54,490), before you start considering the option of a more expensive plug-in hybrid powertrain. In NSW that puts the drive-away price at $46,990.
Unlike other options in the Outlander range, this LS Black Edition isn’t available as an all-wheel drive or a plug-in hybrid. It’s front-wheel drive and straight petrol power all the way here.
Elements that set this Black Edition apart centre mostly around the blacked-out exterior features like the 20-inch alloy wheels, mirrors, lower bumpers (front and rear), grille and pillar trims. On the inside, this Black Edition Outlander gets some nice suede and leatherette seat trimming, black headlining, and a big patch of piano black surrounding the gearshifter.
This comes atop of other LS goodies like a 9.0-inch infotainment display, automatic LED lights (with auto high-beam), wireless phone charging, automatic wipers, rear privacy glass, keyless entry and a handful of other smaller things.
| Key details | 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander LS Black Edition |
| Price | $42,490 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | White Diamond Pearl |
| Options | Premium paint – $200 |
| Price as tested | $42,690 plus on-road costs |
| Drive-away price | $46,990 (NSW) |
| Rivals | Nissan X-Trail | Kia Sportage | Toyota RAV4 |
How much space does the Mitsubishi Outlander have inside?
Measuring in at 4.7m long, the Outlander is one of the bigger vehicles in the mid-sized SUV segment. And aside from having the rare fitment of a third row, there is a good amount of space on offer.
The refreshed interior of this Outlander is nice, feeling well laid out and of an acceptable build quality. There’s a reasonable amount of storage on offer, but the Outlander isn’t as good in this regard as others in the segment.
Power outlets include USB-A, USB-C and 12V plugs, as well as a wireless charging pad. The centre console is a decent size, you can fit bottles (and other things) in the door cards, and there are your two regulation cupholders near the gearshifter.
The seats look and feel good up front, and the addition of a leather wrap on the steering wheel and gearshifter helps to elevate the ambience here nicely. Urethane be gone!
The second row of the Outlander scores well for legroom and comfort, but I did note a slightly higher floor level in here that raised my thighs off the seat cushion a bit. Headroom is good as well, and there are things like power outlets, air vents and a slew of map pockets to help with storage. The flip-down centre armrest is also hiding some cupholders, and there is room in the door cards for bottles.
The third row isn’t as impressive, however, on a couple of counts. If you’ve got someone adult-sized and comfortable in the second row, then this third row is still going to be tight for anything that’s not a kid. The sliding and tilting ability of the second row helps to maximise the amount of space on offer, but this Outlander isn’t a true seven-seater. But it’s still a handy addition to have up your sleeve.
Perhaps the biggest problem with the third row is the lack of coverage from the curtain airbags.
With 478L of space in five-seat mode, the boot of the Outlander is plenty big enough with the rear seats folded away. That size drops down to 163L in seven-seat mode, which is still enough for a decent run of groceries or a few school bags. There’s space to stow the luggage blind here, as well as the novelty sized headrests for when the third row isn’t in use.
| 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander LS Black Edition | |
| Seats | Seven |
| Boot volume (VDA) | 163L to third row 478L to second row 1473L to first row |
| Length | 4710mm |
| Width | 1862mm |
| Height | 1740mm |
| Wheelbase | 2706mm |
Does the Mitsubishi Outlander have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
Since the base-spec Outlander recently dropped down to an 8.0-inch infotainment system, this model (and the regular LS) holds the middle ground with a 9.0-inch set-up. Aspire and above get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, but I reckon this is plenty enough pixel acreage for everyday usage. It’s a good system as well: Nissan-derived, relatively recent, and a big improvement over the system that Mitsubishi currently uses for some of its other models.
There are buttons and knobs available for easy operation and navigation, including a hallowed volume knob. There’s wired Android Auto with wired and wireless Apple CarPlay as well. There’s also native navigation and digital radio in this system, so you really don’t feel you are missing out on much.
Is the Mitsubishi Outlander a safe car?
With a five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2022, the new Mitsubishi Outlander rates well in the safety stakes.
This includes 83 per cent for adult occupants and 92 per cent for child occupants, despite the Outlander missing airbag coverage for occupants in the third row. Active safety technology gets a 83 per cent score, while vulnerable road users (pedestrians) get a protection rating of 81 per cent.
| 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander LS Black Edition | |
| ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2022) |
| Safety report | Link to ANCAP report |
What safety technology does the Mitsubishi Outlander have?
Mitsubishi has chosen to include almost all of its available safety technology suite in the Outlander LS grade, which includes things like autonomous emergency braking (forward and reverse), front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assistance and lane-departure warning, traffic sign recognition and driver attention alert.
There’s adaptive cruise control as well, but this grade misses out on a more advanced system that includes traffic jam assistance and lane-keep assistance when activated. Other higher grades also get a 360-degree camera system, while the LS Black Edition sticks with a reverse camera only.
How much does the Mitsubishi Outlander cost to maintain?
Spending $947 will get you three years’ worth of servicing the Outlander ($315 per year) through Mitsubishi’s capped-price servicing system, while five years jumps up to $1495 ($299 per year). This is all quite reasonable and competitive with many in the segment. The capped-price program runs to 10 years ($4340) with some higher-priced single visits after the fifth year pushing the average up.
Mitsubishi’s warranty sits at a standard of five years and 100,000km, which is competitive for time but not distance. Mitsubishi offers the opportunity of a warranty that doubles to 10 years and 200,000km, but only if servicing is maintained through the dealership network.
Insuring an Outlander like this one will cost $1114.53 according to an online quote generator, and based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
| At a glance | 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander LS Black Edition |
| Warranty | Five years, 100,000km or 10 years/200,000km if serviced at an authorised outlet |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Servicing costs | $947 (3 years) $1495 (5 years) |
Is the Mitsubishi Outlander fuel-efficient?
With no kind of trick turbocharging or hybrid assistance to call upon, we saw good levels of efficiency from the Outlander during our time with it. Against a claim of 7.7 litres per 100 kilometres, we were able to match this number.
Although, the highway-heavy driving cycles we did with the Outlander aren’t a fair comparison against the claimed figure (which uses the combined cycle of town and highway driving).
Perusing some other reviews, figures of 9.1L/100km, 9.7L/100km and even up to 10.2L/100km are achievable in more onerous and heavy conditions.
Fuel Consumption – brought to you by bp
| Fuel Useage | Fuel Stats |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 7.7L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 7.7L/100km |
| Fuel type | 91-octane regular unleaded |
| Fuel tank size | 55L |
What is the Mitsubishi Outlander like to drive?
Fuel efficiency around town isn’t the Outlander’s strong suit, and it’s impossible to compete without any serious form of fuel-saving electrification.
However, the Nissan-sourced 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is a good operator. This isn’t a carryover engine either; it’s known as a ‘PR25’ and dates back to 2018. Running through a responsive and well-behaved CVT automatic gearbox, the Outlander offers an easy driving experience with plenty enough performance for everyday driving.
The gearbox offers a stepped nature, simulating a traditional gearbox as it holds ratios before ‘shifting’ up or down. Of course, the CVT doesn’t need to do this; the acronym stands for ‘continuously variable transmission’. However, the driving experience does benefit from this nature. It’s less droney and stagnant, but still manages to get the right kind of performance out of the engine for everyday driving.
And while some might baulk at the idea of a CVT, I reckon it’s a much better fit than a dual-clutch transmission, which can be jerky.
Being a front-wheel-drive model only, the Outlander can spin the front wheels slightly during harder sessions of acceleration. This is mostly noticeable on an incline, and is made worse when the road is wet or when you’ve got a bit of steering lock applied.
Despite the inclusion of larger 20-inch alloy wheels, the Outlander maintains good levels of ride quality around town. Refinement is also good, with solid levels of noise insulation from things like the suspension and powertrain.
The steering feel of the Outlander is slightly heavy, but also well connected and without any cases of vagueness. Dynamically, the vehicle holds its own well enough. Traction and body control both feel well maintained, without feeling too sporty or pointed.
Although the inclusion of automatic LED headlights is a good thing to have at this price point, their performance does feel a bit lacking. The performance of both the high beams and low beams of this Outlander LS Black Edition is a little underwhelming.
| Key details | 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander LS Black Edition |
| Engine | 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol |
| Power | 135kW @ 6000rpm |
| Torque | 245Nm @ 3600rpm |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
| Transmission | CVT automatic |
| Power-to-weight ratio | 81.3kW/t |
| Weight (kerb) | 1660kg |
| Spare tyre type | Space-saver |
| Tow rating | 1600kg braked 750kg unbraked |
| Turning circle | 11.2m |
Should I buy a Mitsubishi Outlander?
The Mitsubishi Outlander sits in a sweet spot of the competitive and crowded mid-sized SUV segment. There are nice levels of inclusions here to make it feel like a quality and well-specced option, without going over the top. And that means it’s not a highly priced model either, allowing it to compete strongly against others in the segment.
The engine and gearbox are well matched, and there are good levels of comfort, space and practicality available.
And while that third row has its compromises of safety and space, it is still a handy thing to have up your sleeve for occasional use.
There’s more efficiency, power, features and technology available from other SUVs in the segment, sure. However, the Outlander does a good job of hitting the nail on the head, without going over the top.
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