2026 Mitsubishi Outlander Test: Rogue-Like
First glance: Why does this product look so similar to Rogue?
To be honest, when I first saw the 2026 Outlander, I was stunned for a few seconds-isn't this a Nissan Rogue? The V-Motion grille on the front face has been changed by Mitsubishi into stronger chrome claws, and the side lines are almost the same. But if you look closely, Mitsubishi is still trying to stuff its own DNA. For example, the T-shaped light band on the rear is more arrogant than Rogue, posing like a muscular man who has just finished working out. But deep down, it is Rogue's twin brother, sharing the platform and powertrain, and even the sound of door switches is similar. If you drive it out, many people will probably ask,"Are you the new Rogue? Oh no, Mitsubishi..."
Get in the car: Plastic feeling? No, it's a "symphony of pragmatism"
As I sat in the driver's seat, my first reaction was-well, the interior is very Mitsubishi. The layout of the center console is very regular, and the 12.3-inch screen responds quickly, but the circle of hard plastic around it really makes people feel like going back to 2015. But then again, the diamond-checked stitching on the seat looks quite advanced, and the 9-inch touch screen in the middle actually supports wireless CarPlay, which is better than Rogue. Back row space? That's really big-after all, the wheelbase is as long as Rogue, and the legroom can cross your legs, but the third row? Come on, it's for pets or relatives you hate. The overall atmosphere is like a hybrid of IKEA furniture and BMW interiors. It looks good, but it gives away when it touches it.
Driving it up: The CVT is still the same CVT, but Mitsubishi added a little "spicy"
Start the engine, and the 2.5L four-cylinder is equipped with a CVT. The familiar taste of Nissan comes to your face. But Mitsubishi adjusted it a little more aggressively, and the throttle was a little bit sharp at the beginning, which made you think the car was very strong-in fact, it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph for about 8.5 seconds, which was about the same as Rogue. The chassis is a surprise. It has better support when cornering than Rogue, and the steering is heavier. It has the illusion of "I'm driving an SUV instead of a boat." But don't be happy too early. High-speed wind noise and tire noise are like two quarrelling punk bands. The volume can only be suppressed by turning it to 18. What made me collapse the most was the CVT. When I stepped on the accelerator deeply, the engine roared like a saw saw, and the speed pointer looked like Parkinson's-this powertrain should be locked up in the "comfort zone education center."
Fuel consumption and four-wheel drive: Fuel saving is really saving, but you can forget about off-road
After driving for several days, the comprehensive road conditions showed 28 mph (about 8.4L/100km), which was almost the same as Rogue. After all, the power system was exactly the same. Mitsubishi's S-AWC four-wheel drive system can theoretically distribute the front and rear torque, but the actual measurement is the front drive bias. Yutian Mountain Road has a little confidence. Is it really going to the mud? Call for rescue. There is a small detail: Mitsubishi made the driving mode knob more off-road than Rogue. I tried it on "gravel","snow" and "mud", and it felt that the throttle response had become sluggish. Don't be fooled, this is an urban SUV, don't use it as a Pajero.
Price and configuration: Cheap is cheap, but what about the soul?
The 2026 Outlander SEL starts at $39,000, which is nearly $1500 cheaper than Rogue with the same configuration, and also gets an extra third row (although it is not great). It has everything it should have: seat heating, panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate, L2 assisted driving... but the dragon painting of the lane keeping system is even more ridiculous than my classmate in elementary school, twisting left and right like I was drunk. Mitsubishi's Warranty is kind-a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty is better than Nissan. But you have to ask yourself: Am I buying a Mitsubishi or a Nissan? If you don't care about brand tonality and just want to save money and buy a large-space SUV, Outlander is worth considering; if you want a little driving pleasure or delicacy-go and watch the Mazda CX-50. At least the CVT won't sound like a tractor.
Summary: Nice car, but good enough to be a bit "without character"
2026 Outlander is like the student in the class with average grades, no trouble, and no outstanding results-you ask him how he is, and he can only say "okay." It perfectly inherits all of Rogue's advantages (space, fuel consumption, reliability) and all of its shortcomings (CVT, noise, plastic feel), and then slightly adjusts the plug-in. Mitsubishi fans may be disappointed because this car does not have the spirit of Evolution; but for ordinary people, it is an affordable Rogue. If you can accept "spending less money to drive a Nissan ally's car," buy it. Anyway, everyone on the road thought you were driving a new Rogue, except for you who knew-Oh, I drove a Mitsubishi.
