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Mitsubishi
Outlander
ZM·
2021-2026
suv-soft
Price (AUD)
$28k-$75k
Body styles
5-door wagon (5 or 7 seat)
Drivetrain
Front-wheel drive (2.5 petrol, base/mid grades), Electronic on-demand AWD / S-AWC (2.5 petrol higher grades), S-AWC twin-motor AWD (PHEV, all grades)
Origin
Japan
Built in
Japan
Overview
The fourth-generation Outlander (ZM, launched in Australia in late 2021) was the first Mitsubishi built on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi CMF-CD platform it shares with the Nissan X-Trail T33, and it is by far the most credible Outlander to date - sharper to look at, far better finished inside, and offered with seven seats on most petrol grades. It is a monocoque on-road soft-roader sold as ES, LS, Aspire, Exceed and Exceed Tourer, in two distinct powertrains. The volume seller is the 2.5-litre PR25DD naturally aspirated petrol (135kW/244-245Nm, shared with the X-Trail), driving through a Jatco-style 'eight-speed' stepped CVT in front- or all-wheel drive. The flagship is the Outlander PHEV - a 2.4-litre Atkinson-cycle 4B12 petrol engine paired with twin electric motors, a 20kWh battery and Mitsubishi's S-AWC twin-motor all-wheel drive (no conventional gearbox), giving roughly 84km of EV range and a 185kW system output (a larger-battery, higher-output 2026 update lifts this further). The two big used-buyer themes are the CVT on the petrol (smooth when healthy and calibrated to feel like a torque-converter auto, but a CVT is a CVT - watch for shudder/judder and insist on fluid history) and, on the PHEV, the long-term health and cost of the high-voltage drive battery and the complexity of the twin-motor system. Add a cluster of early ZM recalls - fuel pump, reversing-camera software and the Exceed/Exceed Tourer steering-wheel hands-on sensor - that should be confirmed complete before purchase. Mitsubishi's long 5yr/100,000km (up to 10yr/200,000km with dealer servicing) warranty and capped-price servicing are a genuine draw on near-new examples.
Engines & variants
2.5L PR25DD petrol
Engine
2.5L naturally aspirated direct-injection DOHC petrol I4 (shared with Nissan X-Trail T33)
Config
I4 NA
Displacement
2488cc
Power
135kW @ 6000rpm
Torque
244-245Nm @ 3600rpm
Drivetrain
FWD or electronic on-demand AWD (S-AWC)
Economy
7.5-8.1 L/100km combined (real-world ~9-10)
Tow (braked)
1600kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
CVT (8-step)
Timing chain / belt / gear
Timing chain (no scheduled belt replacement)
Pros
- Seven-seat practicality and a big, well-finished cabin
- Naturally aspirated, timing-chain engine - no DPF, no turbo
- CVT is well calibrated and mostly feels like a conventional auto
- AWD (S-AWC) grades are capable on dirt and in the wet
- Long Mitsubishi warranty and capped-price servicing on near-new cars
Cons
- CVT is the main long-term mechanical risk - costly if it fails
- Only modest performance; gets vocal and breathless on hills and overtaking
- Direct-injection intake-valve carbon and EGR fouling over time
- Lower 1600kg braked tow than some rivals
- Early build subject to fuel-pump and reversing-camera recalls
Known problems
high
CVT shudder / judder and long-term failure risk
The Jatco-style stepped CVT can shudder, judder or pulse at low speed and on take-up as the lock-up engages, and degraded/overheated fluid causes belt slip. It is smooth and well-behaved when healthy, but a CVT remains the costliest thing to go wrong on the petrol Outlander and is shared with the X-Trail's troublesome Nissan CVT lineage. Reduced-power warnings have also been reported.
Fix: Demand CVT fluid-change history (around every 60,000km despite 'sealed' claims); a software recalibration addresses some judder; budget for a unit on high-km cars with unknown history, and test-drive for shudder when cold and warm.
medium
Direct-injection intake-valve carbon and EGR fouling
The PR25DD is a direct-injection engine with no port-injection wash of the intake valves, so carbon builds on the valves over time and the EGR valve can foul with soot, causing rough idle, hesitation or misfire codes. These are documented PR25DD traits across the Outlander/X-Trail/Rogue family.
Fix: Walnut-blast/intake clean and EGR clean if symptomatic; quality fuel and regular oil changes slow it.
low
Valve lash / no hydraulic lifters (top-end ticking)
The PR25DD uses solid (mechanical) valve adjustment rather than hydraulic lifters, so valve clearances can drift and produce a top-end tick that requires a manual lash adjustment - not a typical modern-engine service item and easy to overlook.
Fix: Have valve clearances checked/adjusted if a top-end tick develops; otherwise no action needed.
low
Start-stop system glitching / battery faults
The auto stop-start system can become erratic - failing to restart smoothly, refusing to stop the engine, or throwing warnings - often traced to a tired 12V battery or sensor, a common complaint on this engine family.
Fix: Test/replace the 12V (and AGM/sub) battery; reset and update software if the fault persists.
2.4L PHEV plug-in hybrid (S-AWC)
Engine
2.4L Atkinson-cycle MIVEC petrol I4 plus twin electric motors, 20kWh lithium-ion battery and single-speed transaxle (series/parallel PHEV)
Config
I4 NA Atkinson + twin e-motor PHEV
Displacement
2360cc
Power
98kW (petrol engine); ~185kW combined system (2022-2025), higher on 2026 update
Torque
~195Nm (engine); ~450Nm combined system
Drivetrain
S-AWC twin-motor AWD
Economy
1.5 L/100km combined (PHEV cycle); ~84km WLTP/NEDC EV range; ~6-8 L/100km once battery depleted
Tow (braked)
1600kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
Single-speed transaxle (no conventional gearbox)
Timing chain / belt / gear
Timing chain (no scheduled belt replacement)
Pros
- Genuine 70-80km of EV-only commuting before the petrol engine starts
- Smooth, strong twin-motor S-AWC AWD with excellent wet/dirt traction
- No conventional gearbox or CVT to wear out - single-speed drive
- V2H/V2G capability (Dendo Drive House) and CHAdeMO DC fast-charge
- Far quieter and more refined than the petrol; the flagship of the range
Cons
- High-voltage drive battery is the big long-term cost unknown out of warranty
- Heavy and complex; specialist EV/hybrid repair expertise needed
- Petrol-only highway economy is unremarkable once the battery is flat
- CHAdeMO DC standard is being phased out at public chargers in Australia
- Most expensive Outlander to buy and to insure/repair
Known problems
high
High-voltage drive-battery degradation / replacement cost
Like all PHEVs the 20kWh traction battery slowly loses usable capacity and EV range with age, charge cycles and heat; individual cell/module faults can also trigger drive-battery warnings. Out of the battery warranty period, a pack or major module repair is very expensive and the single biggest financial risk of buying a used PHEV.
Fix: Check remaining EV range against the original ~84km claim and confirm the high-voltage battery warranty status; have an EV-capable workshop run a state-of-health / cell-balance test before purchase.
medium
Charging and 12V / EV-system faults
PHEV owners report onboard-charger and charging faults, EV-system warning lights, and a flat 12V auxiliary battery leaving the car unable to power up - the 12V remains a weak point even on an electrified car. CHAdeMO DC charging is also increasingly hard to find in Australia.
Fix: Replace a tired 12V battery; have charging faults diagnosed by a hybrid specialist; rely on AC (Type 2) charging at home as CHAdeMO fades.
low
Regenerative-brake / friction-brake corrosion and wear
Heavy reliance on regenerative braking means the friction brakes do little work and can corrode or seize - rotors pitting and calipers sticking - particularly in coastal/humid areas, a known trait of regen-heavy hybrids.
Fix: Periodically use the friction brakes harder to clean the discs; service/clean calipers and slides; replace corroded rotors as needed.
Common problems (all variants)
high
Fuel pump failure recall (early ZM)
Early ZM Outlanders were recalled because the commutator and wiring inside the low-pressure fuel pump could be incorrectly fused, leading to fuel-pump failure and an engine stall while driving - a clear safety risk.
Fix: Confirm the fuel-pump recall has been completed against the VIN; have the pump replaced free of charge if outstanding.
medium
Reversing-camera blank-screen software recall
A software error in the in-vehicle infotainment (A-IVI) system could leave the reversing-camera image blank on the display when reversing, on 2022-2023 Outlander and Outlander PHEV models.
Fix: Confirm the A-IVI software recall/update has been applied; the dealer reflashes the head unit free of charge.
medium
Steering-wheel hands-on sensor recall (Exceed / Exceed Tourer)
Around 7,500 AU Exceed and Exceed Tourer (2022-2023) were recalled (REC-006322) because the steering-wheel touch sensors may not accurately detect the driver's hands, so the MI-PILOT driver-assist system may not operate as intended, increasing crash risk.
Fix: Run the VIN through vehiclerecalls.gov.au and Mitsubishi Australia and confirm the steering-wheel sensor recall has been completed.
low
Infotainment / A-IVI glitches and connectivity dropouts
The Smartphone-link / A-IVI head unit can suffer freezes, reboots, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto dropouts and Bluetooth disconnects; some need firmware updates or a unit replacement.
Fix: Apply the latest A-IVI firmware first; use a quality cable for wired CarPlay; replace the unit if hardware-faulty.
low
Interior rattles, trim and squeaks
Owners report cabin rattles and squeaks (dash, third-row and tailgate trim) and the odd loose interior fitting - common on the early ZM build despite the otherwise big lift in cabin quality.
Fix: Have the dealer locate and re-secure or pad the offending trim under warranty; mostly cosmetic.
low
Road and engine noise under load
The petrol's CVT lets engine revs flare and drone on hills and during overtaking, and tyre/road noise on coarse-chip Australian surfaces is noticeable - a refinement trait rather than a fault.
Fix: Quieter tyres help road noise; no mechanical fix for the CVT drone - it is inherent to the powertrain.