2022 Mitsubishi Outlander vs 2021 Volvo XC40

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a more traditional SUV styling compared to other small luxury crossovers, featuring a tall, flat roof and an upright rear hatch. It seamlessly fit into the Volvo lineup with familial styling cues like “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlights and a simple oval grille. Gasoline models offered a white contrasting roof for a retro look. The XC40 Recharge distinguished itself with a blanked-off grille, subtle “Recharge” badging, and model-specific alloy wheels. It also featured a gloss black roof and mirror caps, a different rear bumper, and a model-exclusive color—Sage Green Metallic. The interior was minimalist yet premium, with high-quality materials, real metal trim, and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery. The design was coherent, with elements like the portrait-oriented touchscreen and air vents melding together seamlessly. The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander showcased a unique identity with bold front styling, featuring the “Dynamic Shield” grille and lighting concept. The design was balanced and appealing from the front wheels to the rear bumper. Mitsubishi offered the Outlander in various trims, all with handsome 20-inch wheels as standard or optional equipment. The test vehicle had SEL trim, AWD, White Diamond paint, and the Touring option package, bringing the total price to $39,475. The Touring Package added premium semi-aniline leather, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display (HUD), a premium sound system, and rear-window sunshades. The interior design adhered to minimalism, with black accents, authentic aluminum, and gloss black trim. Despite some interior plastics reminding of its segment, Mitsubishi avoided obviously inexpensive materials.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge at the top. The gasoline options included a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base FWD T4 had 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 had 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The Recharge shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring one electric motor per axle, enabling AWD with a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft. The 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack provided electricity, with 75 kWh of usable capacity. Volvo quoted zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds for the Recharge, 6.1 seconds for the T5, and 8.1 seconds for the T4. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality even on winter-ravaged roads. It also offered one-pedal driving and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds. The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander was equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 181 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) powered the front wheels, with Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) AWD system as an option. The S-AWC used a brake-induced torque-vectoring system. Paddle shifters offered manual control over the CVT’s eight stepped ratios. Drivers could choose from Eco, Normal, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow, and Mud driving modes. The Outlander felt most responsive in lower-speed urban environments but lacked confidence on freeways and during passing maneuvers. The steering felt vague and disconnected, and the suspension was too firm over minor pavement anomalies. The Outlander returned 24.9 mpg on the testing route, falling short of the EPA’s 26 mpg rating for AWD models.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 claimed no difference in passenger or cargo space between the Recharge and gasoline models. However, it had less legroom and headroom compared to the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E, and a smaller cargo area. The frunk was also very small. The gasoline XC40 was more competitive on interior space compared to rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Volvo compensated with clever storage solutions, including a removable trash bin in the center console, a bag hook in the glovebox door, and extra-large door bins. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was well-shaped for a phone, with an optional wireless charging pad and a single USB-C port. However, second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options. The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander excelled in form and function. The front seats were roomy and comfortable, with deeply padded armrests. The driver’s seat featured eight-way power adjustment, and both front seats and the steering wheel were heated. Controls were intuitive, and the displays, including the digital instrumentation and HUD, were impressive. The interior design was clean and uncluttered, but there was wasted space on and under the center console. The rear seat room was generous, with good thigh support and proper seating position. The third-row seat was cramped and not suitable for adults, and the cargo space was limited with the third row in use. The Outlander offered 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row folded and up to 79.7 cubic feet with the second row down.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, with Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. The standard hardware setup included a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge also had OTA update capability for the infotainment system and other vehicle functions. It lacked a start button, allowing the driver to simply get in and shift out of park. The Polestar 2’s Digital Key feature was expected in a future OTA update, but Volvo hadn’t confirmed it for the XC40. The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander SEL with the Touring Package featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display, a large HUD, and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The infotainment system included wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, and a free two-year subscription to Mitsubishi Connect Safeguard and Remote service plans. Wireless smartphone charging was standard, and the test vehicle had a 10-speaker Bose premium audio system. The voice-recognition technology had difficulty understanding commands while driving, likely due to road noise and tire slap.

The gasoline 2021 Volvo XC40 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. These ratings didn’t apply to the electric XC40 Recharge, but Volvo expected it to perform well in crash tests. The XC40 came with a long list of standard safety features, including lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, rear parking sensors, hill-start assist, and hill-descent control. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, a driver-alertness monitor, run-off road mitigation, oncoming lane mitigation, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver-assistance system. The Recharge model also had Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids. The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander featured the Mi-Pilot Assist driver-assist system, similar to Nissan’s ProPilot Assist. It was a hands-on Level 2 system, requiring the driver to keep hands on the steering wheel. The Outlander also included common driver-assist tech for forward collision avoidance, safe reversing, lane-keeping assistance, and blind-spot warning. The steering assistance and lane-departure prevention systems were intrusive but manageable with Mi-Pilot Assist active. Crash-test results for the Outlander were unavailable at the time of review.