Can the Mitsubishi Outlander confidently compete with its rivals in the same segment, with a range of useful additional features at an unchanged price?
In this round of upgrades between its life cycle, the Mitsubishi Outlander 2022 doesn’t have too many changes in terms of exterior design. The car still possesses a sophisticated and elegant appearance that is suitable for its customer base. It must be said that when standing amidst a Tucson that is too avant-garde, a youthful Corolla Cross, and a CX-5 that has become familiar after 3 years on the market, the mature and elegant look of the Outlander is very easy to “score points” when playing the role of a safe and unobtrusive choice.
The front of the car has seen the most refinements in the new 2022 Outlander. The grille still maintains the modern Dynamic Shield design language with two contrasting colors: black and silver gray. However, if you pay close attention, customers will easily notice that the car has been equipped with additional front proximity sensors to increase safety.
The main lighting system still uses LED lights, similar to the previous version, but now includes the automatic headlight level adjustment feature (high/low beam), which is part of the Mitsubishi e-Assist safety package. Along with that, the windshield camera is also a feature that serves this safety package. The fog lights have been upgraded to LED as well, providing better performance than the filament type in the previous version.
Accompanying the upgraded fog lights are the chrome-wrapped fog light bezels, adding a touch of luxury to the front of the car. The front underguard of the 2022 Outlander has also been redesigned with a metallic gray color, increasing the elegance and sophistication of the 5+2 SUV model. Overall, the new Outlander front maintains a modern and neutral look, without being too old-fashioned or rigid.
Moving on to the body of the car, the most noticeable change is in the wheels. The Mitsubishi Outlander 2022 has bid farewell to the old 5-spoke pentagonal wheel design and replaced it with a beautiful and sophisticated dual-tone multi-spoke pattern. Along with that, the chrome strip running along the body combined with the gray roof rails adds solidity and a touch of luxury to the Outlander.
At the rear of the car, the 2022 Outlander has almost no major changes, except for the updated rear underguard design. In addition, the car still has LED brake lights, along with safety features such as a rear camera and rear proximity sensors, similar to the previous generation. It is necessary to step inside the interior compartment to discover many changes in this upgraded version.
The first change in the cabin that will please customers is the seats. Still upholstered in leather with a hug-like design, but now with an eye-catching quilted diamond pattern on the back surface of the seat – a detail that usually only appears on premium or luxury cars.
The diamond pattern leather trim also appears on the seats below and on the armrest area on the 4 doors. Taking care of the areas that users frequently touch has increased the level of luxury experience of the Outlander to a whole new level.
Accompanying the diamond pattern leather are the glossy black carbon-look trim panels, located on both sides of the door armrests and on the opposite dashboard. Although this detail is small, it contributes to making the interior of the car look youthful and sporty.
In addition, the Mitsubishi Outlander 2022 has upgraded the central entertainment information screen to an 8-inch size and comes with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The instrument panel behind the steering wheel still combines analog and a multi-information display in the middle.
The driver is still equipped with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, an electronic parking brake with Auto Hold, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, heated and power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone independent automatic air conditioning, a 6-speaker audio system, sunroof, electric charging, and air vents for all 3 rows of seats in the car.
The safety equipment is probably the most revolutionary change in the mid-cycle upgrade of the 2022 Outlander. In addition to the standard 7 airbags for all versions, the car is also equipped with advanced driving assistance features called Mitsubishi e-Assist, including:
– Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system that alerts the driver when the car starts to move out of the current lane;
– Automatic High Beam system: Enhances nighttime driving safety by automatically switching between low and high beams, while reducing glare for oncoming vehicles;
– Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system helps reduce the severity and limit the possibility of front-end collisions;
– Blind Spot Warning (BSW) and Lane Change Assist (LCA) system;
– Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) system when reversing.
The e-Assist safety package mentioned above has helped the Mitsubishi Outlander 2022 confidently compete in terms of safety features with its competitors, such as the Toyota Corolla Cross with Safety Sense, Hyundai Tucson with SmartSense, or Mazda CX-5 with i-ActivSense.
In terms of performance, Mitsubishi still maintains the Mivec 2.0 engine configuration paired with a CVT gearbox driving the front wheels, with a maximum output of 145 horsepower and 196 Nm of torque, similar to the previous generation. Real-world experience shows that this durable engine allows the driver to confidently take control of any road, from daily urban driving to highways, long-distance trips, or mountainous terrain.
With minor design changes, significant additions to equipment and safety features, the Mitsubishi Outlander 2022 still maintains its selling price at 825 million VND for the 2.0 CVT version and 950 million VND for the 2.0 CVT Premium version. Along with that, the first customers to buy the car will also receive free gifts of a 9-inch Android screen, 360 camera, 14 million VND physical damage insurance, and a financial support package. Not to mention the 50% reduction in registration fees by the Government for domestically assembled cars.
Thus, Mitsubishi Outlander 2022 can fully maintain its appeal and continue to compete with its rivals in the same segment while waiting for the completely new generation upgrade that has been launched in the global market and is predicted to come back to Vietnam in the near future.
Anh Phan (Tuoitrethudo)