This week, Mitsubishi announced a new “rugged” Outlander SUV with “off-road bodywork, off-road-focused drive modes and performance upgrades, unique interior styling” set to arrive in the U.S. marketplace by the end of next year. Neat.
Here’s exactly how it was pitched in the press release:
“…today’s announcement confirms the second addition to the lineup will be an off-road-focused vehicle that reinforces the brand’s storied history in off-road and off-highway travel. MMNA recently debuted a Trail Edition package on Outlander, and this new model will build upon the graphic features on that vehicle by adding off-road-specific bodywork, off-road-focused drive modes and performance upgrades, and unique interior styling with specific materials. This vehicle will take the company’s legendary Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel drive system, honed from Mitsubishi Motors’ 12 wins on the legendary Dakar Rally and on the muddy tracks of the World Rally Championship, to the next level, allowing families to explore further beyond where the pavement ends.”
I expect the production model will get some fender flares, unique wheels with mild A/T tires, and, hopefully, at least a tiny lift and real skid plates. If Mitsubishi can pair that with a cute graphics package and a decent-looking interior, I think it’s on to something. That image above, of the standard Outlander next to another one covered with a sheet, is the only visual teaser we’ve had so far. So, looks like, no major ride-height change or roof racks.
There’s already been an Outlander Trail Edition, which has some stickers and cool wheels, listed at about $40,000 with all-wheel drive and a long list of luxury options. It shares a platform with the Nissan Rogue and has a very low-output engine, but reviews are generally not bad (I haven’t driven it).
The Outlander isn’t outstanding on paper, but it is inexpensive (starts at $30,000) and comes with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, five-year unlimited Roadside Assistance, and a two-year limited maintenance plan. It’s built in Japan, which exposes it to tariffs, but also gives it some prestige.
Whatever the Outlander off-roader ends up being called, it doesn’t need to be a solid-axle rock crawler to be worthwhile. A mild but good-looking equipment package would go a long way to making it fun to ride in. And for what most people in America consider “overlanding” (fire road running), all you really need are good tires and about 8 inches of ground clearance.
This is the first time I’ve seen Mitsubishi invoke its Dakar Rally heritage in new marketing materials since, like, the 2Fast 2Furious era, when at least one person at the brand still cared about appealing to car enthusiasts. There is a hidden section of the brand’s site with some cool old Dakar imagery, though.
Historically speaking, Mitsubishi has an incredible track record of building sweet on- and off-road performance vehicles, and yes, winning races. It was nothing less than a powerhouse of extreme off-road rally raid racing in the ’80s and ’90s. Unfortunately for fans of the brand, that history pretty much ends in the 2000s. The Lancer Evo X, the last vehicle sold in the States that was interesting enough to get super excited about, has been gone for 10 years now.
All that to say, given the broad popularity of off-road vehicles and nostalgia, I’ve long thought Mitsubishi could spin up some attention by slapping a few accessories onto an SUV and trotting out old footage of its Dakar Rally heroics as promo clips. Guess they finally feel the same way!
Got any ideas about what Mitsubishi’s 4×4 will look like? Drop me a line at andrew.collins@thedrive.com.
Automotive journalist since 2013, Andrew primarily coordinates features, sponsored content, and multi-departmental initiatives at The Drive.
