2026 Mitsubishi Outlander SEL First Test: New Engine, Same Old Story

Mitsubishi’s compact SUV finally got the turbocharged engine we asked for. So what’s there to complain about? A lot, actually.

Pros Comfy, stylish seats Crystal-clear 12-speaker audio system Great warranty coverage Cons Noisy, gutless engine Outlandish price for the top model Useless third-row seat When we last checked in with the Mitsubishi Outlander, we were clear about its biggest shortcoming. The compact SUV built on Nissan Rogue bones received a modest refresh last year that included interior and exterior design tweaks, retuned steering and suspension, and a 1,650-watt Yamaha sound system. That’s all well and good, but what we really wanted was more giddy-up. “Our biggest gripe about the old Outlander was the lack of power, and we’re still griping,” senior features editor Aaron Gold wrote in his First Drive of the 2025 model.

So when we heard that the 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander was getting a new engine, we felt validated in a way that typically only happens in a licensed therapist’s office. The old Nissan-built four-banger, a 181-hp wheezing lump of lazy, was being replaced exactly as we’d dreamed it. “Surely Mitsubishi has a couple of spare turbochargers lying around the shop somewhere,” Gold wrote last year. Indeed, Mitsubishi found some extra snails attached to complete engines in the Japanese plant that was already making the 1.5-liter turbo inline-four for its smaller Eclipse Cross. Our cries had been heard.