Tow Test: Mitsubishi Outlander 2024 (2024)

The fourth-generation Mitsubishi Outlander has been on the Australian market since 2021. In that time, it has become a very popular mid-size SUV for families who want good value without missing out on luxury equipment or the best safety features.

However, this isn’t a heavy-duty hauling machine. Instead, the Outlander’s 1600kg towing capacity is better suited to relatively light use. And while it does a decent job at this, as we found out, its performance, economy and tow bar design aren’t perfect for all lugging duties.

The 2024Mitsubishi Outlander Exceedseven-seat mid-size SUV is one rung off the top-spec variant in thepetrol-powered range, priced from $52,640 plus on-road costs.

There’s also aplug-in hybrid powertrainavailable in the Outlander – with the same 1600kg braked towing capacity as the petrol engine – but the equivalent seven-seat AWD Exceed version starts a lot higher at $69,290 plus ORCs.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed is flush with kit, as it should be given its position within the range.

It’s loaded with luxuries such as power-adjustable, diamond-patterned leather seats (heated at the front), three-zone climate control, a tilt-and-slide panoramic sunroof, rear seat window shades, a 10-speaker Bose premium sound system and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

The only key item it misses out on over the top-tier Exceed Tourer is massaging front seats.

The Exceed we tested came with optional Cosmic Blue paint ($740), tow bar kit ($1457 fitted) and tow ball ($41 fitted). The grey leather is a no-cost option over standard black.

All up, our vehicle as-tested came in at $54,878 plus ORCs.

Warranty is covered by Mitsubishi’s impressive 10-year/200,000km offering – but be aware the warranty expires at five years/100,000km unless every service is performed at an authorised Mitsubishi dealership. Corrosion warranty cover is for five years.

The Outlander is due for a service every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. It has a 10-year/150,000km capped-priced service plan, totalling $4340 over that period.

For the 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander, safety has made a big step up over the previous generation.

The Outlander’s active safety kit includes adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, lane departure prevention, lane change alert with brake assist, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and trailer stability assist.

The Exceed adds traffic jam assist, adaptive headlights, a 360-degree parking camera and a 10.8-inch head-up display as standard.

Eight airbags, including driver’s knee and front-centre airbags, are fitted. However, the side airbags do not extend to the third row.

TheOutlander’s ANCAP rating is five starsand was awarded by the safety body in 2022.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed has a modern technology suite.

Highlights include a 9.0-inch colour touch-screen infotainment display supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, embedded sat-nav, AM/FM/DAB radio, wireless smartphone charging, USB-A and -C ports and a 10-speaker Bose audio system including a subwoofer.

The Exceed’s infotainment system is one of the better ones for useability; its interface not stalling, freezing or confounding you with illogical menus.

The digital dash, and especially the head-up display, really make driving in a busy and unfamiliar environment easier.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine which produces 135kW of power and 244Nm of torque.

It’s tied to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that transmits drive to all wheels on demand. With a kerb weight of 1760kg, it’s a powertrain that doesn’t offend or overtly satisfy.

Like most CVTs, it takes a bit of getting used to when you floor it. Luckily, there is just enough torque in regular driving to avoid the revs being perched at 4000rpm – and the resulting uncouth acoustics.

Not especially, is the simple answer. The 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed has a claimed combined-cycle fuel consumption figure of 8.1L/100km.

On test, we averaged 7.1L/100km on a freeway run (unladen), 12.2L/100km in mostly urban traffic (unladen) and 15.3L/100km towing a 1200kg caravan.

With its 55-litre tank you’d cover 309km (with 50km in reserve) before needing to refuel.

The reason we’re here is ultimately to see just how good the 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed is as a towing vehicle.

Being a mid-size SUV, it’s obvious that the Outlander was never designed to be a heavy-duty hauler.

However, there are many buyers who want the efficiency and compactness of such a vehicle, but also need to tow light trailers. And given the 1600kg (braked) trailer limit, with a maximum 160kg tow ball download, theOutlander isn’t going to be towing anything substantial.

We secured a small Avan 402 caravan from Avan Sydney, in St Marys, Sydney. Weighing in at 1200kg, we wanted to see how the Outlander fared with ballast close to its maximum towing capacity.

With a 135kg download on the tow ball, the Outlander’s rear-end drooped 30mm and the front rose by 10mm. It looked a bit nose-up, yet these measurements are within acceptable limits – although only just at the back.

That didn’t seem to matter at all on the freeway. The Outlander feels stable at 100km/h and even large trucks passing in the next lane don’t make it fidget.

On secondary roads, the suspension does feel a bit too soft and the ride quality suffers dealing with large bumps.

The engine settles around 2600rpm with this load on level ground, the tacho swinging to about 3200rpm on any incline.

On the test route, the Outlander was able to hold the 90km/h set speed while ascending but only just and at full throttle. With more weight in the vehicle/caravan it may struggle on hills.

Engine braking is very good. Having access to the paddle shifters affords quick selection of the stepped third ‘gear’ within the CVT, helpfully pegging speed at 70km/h down the descent.

Even though the reversing camera is quite good at helping to hitch up when solo, the factory tow bar design and positioning won’t win any fans.

The tow ball is positioned very close to the rear bumper, making it easy to damage when coupling up a trailer, while the electrics plug, and especially the shackle eyelets, are located too far under the vehicle to be practical. You almost need to crawl under the vehicle to attach shackles.

The 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed’s diamond-pattern, off-white interior finish garners a pleasing first impression. Despite the questionable ability of such a hue to be pragmatic and long-lasting, in terms of an upmarket feel and aesthetic, Mitsubishi ‘exceeds’ expectations.

While the front pillar seems a little close when getting into the driver’s seat, there is nothing remarkable about the interior layout.

There is ample headroom and legroom in both the front and middle row, with the fore-aft second-row adjustment being very useful.

The third row is only suitable for young children, as the seats are quite small and cramped.

Put to the test as a towing rig, the 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed is stable at freeway speeds, the overall performance is acceptable and the engine braking is effective.

The downsides are its significant appetite for fuel when towing and a tow bar design that is a little compromised in its proximity to the rear bumper and location of the shackle eyelets.

Ultimately, for families entertaining the idea of lightweight towing duties, the Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed is a generally a good thing.

This article originally appeared on Carsales.

2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed at a glance:
Price:$52,640 (plus on-road costs)
Available:Now
Engine:2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output:135kW/244Nm
Transmission:Continuously variable automatic
Fuel:8.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2:185g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating:Five-star (ANCAP 2022)