Mini Montero Sport: 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander debuts

Mitsubishi Outlander gets much-deserved redesign after eight years

Months after Mitsubishi announced the launch date of the next-generation Outlander, the Japanese automaker has pulled the covers off the next-generation crossover. It's a significant model for the brand since this is their first product co-developed with fellow Alliance member, Nissan.

This full model change couldn't come at a better time for Mitsubishi. As it stands, the outgoing model isn't the freshest crossover in the market. It first came out in late 2012 but saw updates in 2015 and 2019. That makes the third-generation Outlander nearly nine years old. With the crossover market rapidly moving, the need to redesign it was urgent.

With that out of the way, let's move on to the fourth-generation Outlander. It takes a lot of cues from the Engleberg Tourer concept shown a few years ago. The snub-nosed front end and headlight layout closely resemble the Engleberg Tourer, and so do the side windows and tailgate design. The all-new model's redesign bears almost no resemblance to the previous generation with Mitsubishi opting for a revolutionary rework of the crossover.

Like the exterior, the interior gets sweeping changes. It's all about angles and straight lines in there, particularly on the dashboard. The Outlander also has a large “floating” infotainment screen and a digital instrument cluster. Keeping up with trends, it also comes with an electro-mechanical gear selector. Also, its bigger size now means it can be optioned with three-row seating.

Other features include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and three-zone climate control. It's also available with a heads-up display, a BOSE premium sound system, and Mitsubishi Connect. Mitsubishi Connect includes emergency assistance, theft alert, remote start-up and shut-off, and parking locator. Mitsubishi also boosted the safety features in the crossover. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Keep Assist (LKA) are available, and it comes standard with 11 airbags as well including a center airbag.

There is only one engine option available for now. Mitsubishi bucked the trend of downsized turbo engines by giving it a non-turbocharged 2.5-liter mill. It's then paired with a continuously variable transmission with eight simulated gears. Two-wheel drive models send their power to the front wheels, while all-wheel-drive versions come with S-AWC (Super-All Wheel Control). Also, Mitsubishi did not mention any power or torque ratings. It may be a similar engine from the all-new Rogue/X-Trail which also uses a 2.5-liter non-turbo. If that's the case, the Outlander's power output could be rated at 181 PS and 245 Nm of torque.

Mitsubishi is assigned as the Alliance's leader for the Southeast Asia market. So, does this mean there is a strong chance of the all-new Outlander coming to the Philippines? That might be a little tricky given that the Montero Sport also has three-row seating and has the advantage of size. Then again, there's always room for another seven-seat crossover in the local Mitsubishi line-up.