Mitsubishi Outlander 2022: midsize SUV scores five stars in ANCAP safety testing

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The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander midsize SUV has been rated five stars by ANCAP, Australia’s peak safety-testing body, with praise given to several aspects of its crash-test results.

ANCAP was particularly impressed with the Outlander’s 92-percent score for child occupant protection in side impact, and oblique pole tests in the 2020-2022 test procedure. 

While the Outlander does feature a centre-front airbag, it did not meet ANCAP’s requirements for front-occupant protection, knocking the SUV’s final adult occupant score down to 83 percent. 

The mid-spec Outlander LS seven-seater ($37,990 before on-road costs) was tested by ANCAP, though the five-star rating stands across the whole range seeing they all share the same 135kW/245Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol drivetrain. It’s likely the forthcoming Plug-in Hybrid variant will adopt the same score.

Other similarly priced SUVs tested according to ANCAP’s current protocol include the Subaru Outback and Hyundai Tucson, both of which also scored five stars under the more challenging safety criteria that was introduced in 2020.  

Regarding the Mitsubishi Outlander’s impressive result, ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said: “Mitsubishi have clearly prioritised the safety of both vehicle occupants and other road users in the new Outlander, and should be applauded for this five-star result.”

How safe is the Mitsubishi Outlander in a crash?

The Outlander scored strongly in adult occupant protection (AOP) for the side, oblique pole, full-width frontal and frontal-offset tests. 

However, the Outlander’s centre-front airbag didn’t reach ANCAP’s standard, and failed to give adequate occupant-to-occupant protection in the event of a side impact – scoring 31.36 out of a possible 38 points, or 83 percent. 

Child occupant protection (COP) was more impressive, with the Outlander scoring full points in dynamic front and side impact tests.

There were some slight issues, however – one being the lack of availability of top-tether child-seat anchorage  points in the third-row, and the central second-row seat showed some issues with child-seat fitment, giving it a final score of 92 percent.

How good are the Outlander’s active-safety systems?

The Outlander’s electronic safety systems scored 83 percent in ANCAP testing, with the inclusion of AEB with pedestrian, cyclist and junction detection – all of which performed impressively.

Specifically, ANCAP mentioned the strong ability the Outlander’s AEB system had to successfully brake the vehicle when it detected another car crossing its path. However, no Outlander variant is equipped with reverse AEB. 

ANCAP awarded high marks for the pedestrian and cyclist AEB functions, as well as vulnerable road user (VRU) protection, with new Outlander scoring an impressive 81 percent in that category – easily besting the Hyundai Tucson (66 percent) but still falling shy of the Subaru Outback (84 percent) and BMW 4 Series (93 percent).

Other functions such as its lane-keep assist system were judged to be well-calibrated, with the Outlander also offering adaptive cruise control.

Mitsubishi Outlander 2022: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

• ES FWD (5 seat): $34,490
• ES AWD (5 seat): $36,990 
• ES FWD (7 seat): $35,490 
• LS FWD (7 seat): $37,990 
• LS AWD (7 seat): $40,490 
• Aspire FWD (7 seat): $41,490 
• Aspire AWD (7 seat): $43,990 
• Exceed AWD (7 seat): $47,990
• Exceed Tourer AWD (7 seat): $49,990