History of generations of the Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Outlander — is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors Corporation from 2001 to the present. Until 2008, it was called "Mitsubishi Airtrek", and in 2003 the name "Outlander" appeared. The body is a five-door SUV with a transversely located engine in the front. All-wheel drive, there is a more budget version with front-wheel drive. Also in 2013, a hybrid version appeared.

The main classmates and competitors of the Mitsubishi Outlander are Citroen C-Crosser, Chery Tiggo, Chevrolet Equinox, Dodge Journey, Ford Escape, Great Wall Hover H6, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Qasqai, Nissan X-Trail, Opel Antara, Peugeot 4007, Renault Duster, Skoda Kodiaq, Suzuki Vitara, Toyota RAV4 и Volkswagen Tiguan.

First generation (CU, ZE, ZF, 2001-2008)

In June 2001, the first Airtrek was introduced in Japan. The design was developed by the famous French car designer Olivier Boulay. The all-wheel drive models use differentials for the front and rear axles, and a viscous coupling is used for the center differential. The length of the Airtrek was 4410 mm, the width was 1750 mm, and the height was 1540-1585 mm. The length of the Outlander was 4545 mm, the width was 1750 mm, and the height was 1620 mm. The curb weight was 1605-1745 kg. In 2003, exports to North America began. In some South American markets, it was known as the Montero Outlander. Production was carried out only in Japan.

Only four-cylinder petrol engines were installed, with a capacity of 2.0 liters (1997 cm³, 4G63, 136 hp), 2.4 liters (2351 cm³, 4G64, 142 hp), 2.4 liters (2378 cm³, 6G69, 160 hp), as well as a turbocharged 2.0 liter (1997 cm³, 4G63T, 202 hp). The gearbox was a five-speed manual or a four- and five-speed automatic (INVECS-II).

Second generation (CW, ZG, ZH, 2006-2012)

In October 2006, the second generation was presented under the single name "Outlander". In the USA, the car was shown in April 2006 at the New York International Auto Show. The car is based on the Mitsubishi GS platform. In 2007, the same platform was used to produce the Peugeot 4007 and Citroen C-Crosser, which were presented at the Geneva Motor Show in July 2007. The body was a five-door SUV 4640-4765 long, 1795-1800 mm wide, 1655-1720 mm high and a curb weight of 1589-1720 kg. Assembly was carried out in Japan, the Netherlands, Russia and Taiwan.

There were two modifications of four-cylinder petrol engines with a volume of 2.0 liters (1998 cm³, 4B11, 148 hp) and 2.4 liters (2360 cm³, 4B12, 170 hp), as well as one six-cylinder V-shaped 3.0 liters (2998 cm³, 6B31, 220 hp). Diesel engines were all four-cylinder with a volume of 2.0 liters (1968 cm³, Volkswagen EA188, 140 hp), 2.2 liters (2179 cm³, PSA DW12, 156 hp) and 2.3 liters (2268 cm³, 4N14, 174 hp). Five- and six-speed manual transmission, continuously variable CVT (INVECS-III), as well as a six-speed robotic dual-clutch transmission (DCT).

The design feature of the rear door is that it is made of two parts, the lower one is built into the rear bumper and folds down and can serve as a bench, the upper and larger part folds up.

The body structure is built taking into account the safety technology "RISE" from "Mitsubishi". The 2007 car was crash tested by the European agency "Euro NCAP" and received a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, for more detailed data see the table.

Cars from the 2008 model year received an update.

Third generation (GF, GG, ZJ, ZK, 2013-present)

The third generation of the Outlander was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2012. In Russia, it was presented in July, and in European markets in September 2012 as a 2013 model. In North America, the car was shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2012, and sales began only at the end of 2013. The body length was 4695 mm, width 1810 mm, height 1710 mm and the curb weight was 1395-1820 kg. Aerodynamics were seriously worked on and the drag coefficient became 0.33, which is a good figure for a crossover. Inside, the dashboard and front doors were covered with soft-touch material, the seats were redesigned, sound insulation was added, which led to a decrease in noise in the cabin.

The front suspension is MacPherson struts with an anti-roll bar, and the rear suspension is a multi-link design with an anti-roll bar. Electric power steering reduces the load on the engine compared to a hydraulic system and helps reduce fuel consumption. All wheels are equipped with disc brakes.

There were four models of petrol four-cylinder engines with a volume of 2.0 liters (1998 cm³, 4B11, 146 hp), 2.0 liters (1998 cm³, 4J11, 146 hp), 2.4 liters (2360 cm³, 4B12, 168 hp) and 2.4 liters (2360 cm³, 4J12, 165 hp). For the North American markets, a six-cylinder V-shaped engine with a volume of 3.0 liters (2998 cm³, 6B31, 230 hp) was installed. There was also a diesel engine with a turbodiesel and intercooler with a volume of 2.2 liters (2268 cm³, 4N14, 174 hp). Transmission: five- or six-speed manual, six-speed automatic, continuously variable CVT, and electric drive transmission in the hybrid model (GKN Multi-Mode eTransmssion).

New available safety features include a collision avoidance system, lane departure warning system, an airbag to protect the driver's knees to reduce leg injuries, and adaptive cruise control, standard front driver and passenger airbags, side airbags, and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control system, active stability control, Hill Start Assist, and a brake pedal that retracts the foot to prevent injury to the foot in a crash.


The American Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash-tested the car and awarded the highest rating of "Good" in each category: frontal and side crash test, head restraint safety assessment, roof strength assessment, and crash prevention systems assessment. The European Committee for New Car Assessment "Euro NCAP" awarded the maximum five stars after crash-testing the 2013 car, see the table for details.

The third generation includes a hybrid variant called "PHEV" (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle), and its production version was presented at the Paris Motor Show in 2012. The car's batteries can be charged from an external power source, as well as from a 2.0-liter internal combustion engine. The front and rear wheels are powered by two 60 kW electric motors, which are fed by a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery. The range on battery power is 52 km.

At the 2015 New York International Auto Show, the public was presented with a heavily updated 2016 Outlander with a new "Dynamic Shield" design, which will become the basis for future Mitsubishi cars in various segments. In addition to visual changes, cabin noise was reduced due to the wider use of sound insulation, thicker door glass, dynamic suspension, differential dampers, and thicker seals. The next update was carried out in August 2018, which were minor.

Outlander 3, interior, 2013 year

Outlander 3, trunk, 2013 year

Outlander 3, 2016 year