Outlander

Make
Mitsubishi
Segment
SUV

Despite the many ups and downs Mitsubishi and its alliance partner Nissan have gone through since the November 2018 firing of now-former CEO Carlos Ghosn, both have prevailed despite some sacrifices. For example, Mitsubishi will no longer launch new vehicles in Europe or the UK. Instead, it will focus on markets where it's already strong and has room to grow, including North America. The next-generation Mitsubishi Outlander, due for the 2022 model year, will play a key role.

Previously, we found out the next Outlander, which should debut in the coming few months, will share a platform with the also all-new Nissan Rogue. Recent spy shots show the new Outlander with overall similar dimensions to the Rogue although Mitsubishi's unique front-end styling could clearly be seen through the camouflage.

But one question remained: what will be under the new Outlander's hood? A topic of conversation from last May now appears to be confirmed thanks to Outlander Forums. A filing for the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows the 2022 Outlander will indeed have the new Rogue's 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 188 horsepower.

Compared to the outgoing Outlander's 2.4-liter four with just 166 hp, that's a 13 percent power increase. And, like the Rogue, both two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations are also stated in the filing.

This engine choice is not exactly surprising because it saves Mitsubishi a significant amount of money that is likely to be invested in something equally important: the next Outlander PHEV. Already one of the best-selling plug-in hybrids on the market, the Outlander PHEV will continue playing a key role in Mitsubishi's lineup and it's expected to come powered by an electrified 2.4-liter engine with a total range of over 430 miles.

The R&D alone for engineering and testing such a powertrain isn't exactly cheap, but it'll pay major dividends; Nissan will later launch a Rogue PHEV boasting that same Mitsubishi-developed powertrain.