Mitsubishi Outlander 2023 review: LS Black Edition

Your family’s grown to the point where a five-seat SUV is fine… most of the time. But on the odd occasion some of the kids’ friends are tagging along or nan and pop are in the mix.

Two extra seats is the answer, but a full-blown three-row SUV, and the imposing size that usually comes with it, is a bit much.

Enter the mid-size Outlander LS Black Edition, positioned by Mitsubishi as a ‘5+2’ SUV rather than a full-time seven-seater, with the two rearmost seats designated for “occasional” use.

Read more about the Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Outlander 2023 review: PHEV - off-road test Mitsubishi Outlander 2023 review: LS 2WD Mitsubishi Outlander 2022 review: Exceed long-term | Part 1

Does it have the practicality to pass the family test, and does the flexibility of an extra pair of chairs stack up? 

The Cleary family spent a week with this recently released edition to find out.

Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with?

At $41,490, before on-road costs, the Outlander LS Black Edition is a ‘5+2’ rather than a full-time seven-seater. But there’s no doubt it will be cross-shopped with other large/medium three-row SUVs like the Nissan X-Trail ST-L 7 Seat ($46,290), Skoda Kodiaq Style 132TSI ($51,490) and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace 132TSI Life ($48,490).

Worth noting those three competitors are all all-wheel drive, which no doubt contributes to the higher price points. But we’re still well below the Genesis GV80, Land Rover Discovery and Mercedes-Benz GLBs of this world.

And if you’re fine with front-wheel drive, as the Outlander is, that makes this Mitsubishi a potential value-for-money winner against its competitive set.

The Outlander LS Black Edition wears a price tag of ,490, before on-road costs. (Image: James Cleary)

So, aside from the performance and safety tech we’ll cover later in this review, what features are included as standard in the Outlander LS Black Edition? 

For a start, you can expect dual-zone climate control, a 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, Android Auto and (wireless) Apple CarPlay, sat-nav, six-speaker audio (with digital radio), power-adjustable driver’s seat, keyless entry and start, cruise control, a 7.0-inch ‘Multi Information Display’ in the instrument binnacle, and a wireless charging pad.

Upfront of the Outlander LS Black Edition is a 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen. (Image: James Cleary)

Plus there are LED headlights, tail-lights, DRLs and fog lights, a leather-bound steering wheel and gearshift, a combination of synthetic suede and synthetic leather seat trim and 20-inch alloy wheels.

That’s solid for a car in the around $40K bracket, but it pays to remember your front passenger will be adjusting their seat manually and the tailgate is of the open-and-close-it-yourself variety.

For those adjustments in electronic form, as well as a head-up display and other bits and pieces you’ll need to step up to the Aspire grade at $44,240, before on-roads. Still good value.

Design – Is there anything interesting about its design?

Say what you like about the current Mitsubishi Outlander, but there’s no doubt the design of the car’s ‘face’ is distinctive.

The large grille section consists of an upright lower panel and sloping, broadening, slotted upper piece. Big splashes of curved chrome run down the sides, at the same time defining the slim, angular daytime running lights above.

Then, more upright headlight units sit on top of separate fog lights, the entire combination topped by ‘Outlander’ script in proud relief along the bonnet’s leading edge, the latter obviously inspired by Range Rover’s long-established badge treatment.   

The large grille section consists of an upright lower panel and sloping, broadening, slotted upper piece. (Image: James Cleary)

The rest of the exterior is more conventional, with - surprise, surprise - the Black Edition defined by a whole bunch of black stuff.

Everything from the 20-inch alloy wheels to the front and rear skid plates, exterior mirror housings and the grille are blacked out.

And the theme carries over inside with a sleek and comfy combination of black synthetic suede and synthetic leather on the seats (with contrast stitching), a black laser-etched panel in the front centre console around the gearshift, black headlining and black front pillar trim.

Overall, the interior is simple, understated and functional with a common-sense mix of physical and digital controls, as well as soft-touch materials where it counts.

Explore the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Range

Mitsubishi Outlander 2023 review: LS 2WD Mitsubishi Outlander 2023 review: LS Black Edition Mitsubishi Outlander 2023 review: PHEV - off-road test Mitsubishi Outlander 2023 review: Plug-in Hybrid EV Exceed Tourer Mitsubishi Outlander 2024 review: Exceed Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV 2023 review: Exceed - off-road test

Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside?

At just over 4.7m long, close to 1.9m wide and 1.75m tall, the Outlander is a ‘large’ medium-size SUV.

There’s lots of breathing room up front and the car is wide enough that the driver and front passenger aren’t bursting each other's personal space bubbles.  

Within the car’s overall footprint, a 2.7m wheelbase (the distance between the axles) is pretty generous and rear seat room is good, too.

Sitting behind the driver’s seat set for my 183cm position I enjoyed more than adequate head, leg and shoulder room.

There is plenty of room upfront of the Outlander. (Image: James Cleary)

Three full-size adults across the second row are okay for up to medium length trips, thanks in no small part to a flat rear floor. And depending on the child seats or boosters you’re working with, three-abreast for smaller humans should be do-able, as well.

Storage options in the front include a medium-size lidded box between the seats (which doubles as a centre armrest), a reasonable glove box, two big cupholders in the centre console and generous bins in the doors with space for large bottles.

The wireless charging pad is handy for your phone (even when it’s not charging) as well as other bits and pieces. And an overhead bin flips down for your sunnies.

There are directional air vents for those in the rear with storage running to a shelf underneath the vents, map pockets on both front seat backs, two large cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest and slots in the doors, again with space for larger bottles.

Three full-size adults across the second row are okay for up to medium length trips. (Image: James Cleary)

Move to the third row, and… you’ll be cramped. Mitsubishi is up front in positioning this car as a ‘5+2’, meaning full-time seating for five and (very much) part-time seating for two.

Those two in the way-back seats will be small kids, on short trips, and even then, the sliding (and reclining) middle row will need to move forward quite a bit to accommodate their legs. Adults? Forget it.

Power and connectivity options include primary USB-A and USB-C sockets for media in the dash plus another two outlets in the rear for power only. There are 12-volt plugs in the front and the boot.

Speaking of which, the boot will accommodate 163 litres (VDA) worth of stuff (to the top of the seats) with the third row upright, which is enough for some shopping bags, school bags, etc.

Mitsubishi positions the Outlander LS Black Edition as a ‘5+2’ SUV rather than a full-time seven-seater. (Image: James Cleary)

Folding that 50/50 split-folding row down means removing the ludicrously long (but undoubtedly effective) head restraints for a flat-floor load space of 478 litres (VDA).

We were able to load in the large CarsGuide pram, with room to spare, and our three-piece luggage set (36L, 95L and 124L) was also swallowed easily.

Lower the 40/20/40 split-fold second row seat and you have 1461 litres (VDA - to the roof) at your disposal. 

There are small storage areas either side of the load space behind the wheel tubs and tie-down anchors to help keep loose loads under control.

The Outlander LS Black Edition is rated to tow a 1.6-tonne braked trailer (750kg unbraked) with ‘Trailer Stability Assist’ standard, and the spare is a space-saver.

The Outlander has plenty of room for our large CarsGuide pram. (Image: James Cleary)

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The CarsGuide three-piece luggage set (36L, 95L and 124L) was swallowed easily by the Outlander. (Image: James Cleary)

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With all seats in use the boot will accommodate 163 litres (VDA) worth of stuff. (Image: James Cleary)

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Lower the 40/20/40 split-fold second row seat and you have 1461 litres (VDA - to the roof). (Image: James Cleary)

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Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its engine and transmission?

The Outlander LS Black Edition is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.

It produces 135kW at 6000rpm and 244Nm at 3600rpm, sending drive to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission.

Under the Outlander's bonnet is a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. (Image: James Cleary)

Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range?

Mitsubishi’s official fuel economy number for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 7.7L/100km, the 2.5-litre petrol four emitting 174g/km of CO2 in the process.

Over a week of city, suburban and some freeway running, we averaged 8.9L/100km, which is pretty impressive for a close to 1.7-tonne, seven-seat SUV.

Minimum fuel requirement is 91 RON ‘standard’ unleaded and you’ll need 55 litres of it to fill the tank.

Using the official economy number, that translates to a range of around 715km, which drops to just under 620km using our real-world figure.

The Outlander's official fuel economy number for the combined cycle is 7.7L/100km. (Image: James Cleary)

Driving – What's it like to drive?

Close to 4.7m long and tipping the scales at 1660kg, the Outlander LS Black Edition is a substantial rather than large front-wheel drive SUV.

Its 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine produces 135kW and 244Nm with that second, peak pulling power figure arriving at a relatively high 3600rpm.

You can expect 0-100km/h acceleration in around 10 seconds which is pretty handy, if not exactly earth-shattering.

The front seats remain comfortable and supportive after lengthy stints behind the wheel. (Image: James Cleary)

Yet, the Outlander is a pleasant machine to drive - quiet, refined and with enough oomph to get the job done in the cut-and-thrust of suburban traffic and cruise comfortably once out of town.

I'm not a fan of CVT autos, but the unit fitted to the Outlander is one of the better ones, minimising the usual disconnect between road speed and engine rpm.

The suspension (strut front, multi-link rear) is comfy, even over less than perfect urban surfaces, steering feel is good, and the body remains stable in the bends.

The Outlander LS Black Edition wears 20-inch alloy wheels. (Image: James Cleary)

That cornering performance is also helped by the (255/45) Bridgestone Ecopia rubber, designed specifically for SUVs and 4WDs. They’re economy-focused but grip hard, without a hint of squeal in tight cornering.

Braking is firm and progressive with (350mm) ventilated discs at the front and (330mm) solid rotors at the rear.

Under the heading of miscellaneous observations, the front seats remain comfortable and supportive after lengthy stints behind the wheel. An 11.2m turning circle isn’t tiny so it pays to plan ahead for U- or three-point turns. And all-around vision is good, with the exception of the enormous third row headrests. If there’s no one in those seats, make sure to remove them and pack the seat flat.

Warranty & Safety Rating

Basic Warranty

5 years/unlimited km warranty

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ANCAP Safety Rating

Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating?

The Mitsubishi Outlander scored a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment in 2022 and the active (crash avoidance) tech is impressive.

The standard suite includes lane departure warning and departure prevention, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, AEB operational from 5.0-110km/h (with forward collision warning, junction assist and pedestrian detection), rear AEB (below 15km/h), fatigue monitoring, auto rain-sensing wipers, traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera. 

The Outlander scored a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment in 2022. (Image: James Cleary)

If, despite all that, a crash is unavoidable there are eight airbags on-board - front and side bags for the driver and front passenger, side curtains, a driver’s knee bag and a front centre bag to minimise head clash and other injuries in a side impact.

Important to note the head-protecting side curtain airbags cover the first and second rows but not the third. Less than ideal.

There are three top tether points across the back seat for location of baby capsules and/or child seats, with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer positions. 

Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs?

Mitsubishi Australia covers the Outlander with a 10-year/200,000 km warranty, with five-year corrosion (perforation) protection also included.

That’s double the time period offered by the majority of brands in the local new car market, however an unlimited kilometre term is more typical. And… there’s a catch.

To qualify for the 10-year cover Mitsubishi says, “The vehicle must have had ALL scheduled services performed within the authorised Mitsubishi Dealer Network (from the first service onwards).” 

Have the vehicle serviced outside the Mitsubishi network, or not in accordance with the service schedule, and you’re looking at five years/100,000km.

Speaking of servicing, capped pricing is available for 10 years/150,000km, with the lowest annual cost being $299, and the highest (year 10) coming in at $849. The annual average over that period is $434. Not outrageous, but not especially sharp, either.

Also worth noting, roadside assistance is complimentary for the first year, renewed annually for up to four years, again, if you have your Outlander serviced by an authorised Mitsubishi dealer.

Pricing & Specs Insurance Quote

Verdict

Pricing Guides

$43,452

Based on 610 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months.

LOWEST PRICE

$30,987

HIGHEST PRICE

$70,987

See all Mitsubishi Outlander pricing & specs