The 2022 Kia Telluride is one of the most popular three-row SUVs right now. It’s safe, comfortable, and looks pretty good, too. When people think of an alternative to the Telluride, they often think of the Hyundai Palisade. But the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander? It’s rarely a competition between the two, and maybe that’s a mistake. Perhaps the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is a majorly cheap version of the 2022 Kia Telluride that more people should be considering. Let’s take a look at what Jalopnik has to say on the matter. 

Is the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander a good car?

Jalopnik spent some time with the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander recently, and they found it to be a worthy competitor to the beloved 2022 Kia Telluride. What makes the 2022 Outlander such a good car? For one thing, its size. It has the ability to seat seven, which is a huge bonus for families and those who regularly drive other people or have to haul a decent amount of stuff. 

There’s also its price. While the 2022 Kia Telluride starts at $32,790, you can get the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander for just $26,095. That’s a huge savings.

What’s wrong with the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander?

While the 2022 Kia Telluride has an almost luxurious interior, the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander certainly saved by not splurging on upscale materials. Jalopnik compared the Outlander’s seats to a budget office chair. While they thought that the brown and orange seats looked good, they say, “The orange-brown leather on this car didn’t feel great, but it’s not noticeably bad. It doesn’t present any different from what you get on, say, an Ikea office chair.”

Car and Driver notes that while most three-row SUVs come with at least a V6 engine, the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander has only a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that can do 181-hp and 181 lb-ft of torque. Not much, right? Car and Driver said that this was all that the Outlander needed, and the large SUV did surprisingly well with the smaller engine (though its tow capacity is only 2,000 pounds).

Still, the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander only gets about 27 mpg, which isn’t much better than the 2022 Kia Telluride’s 26 mpg on the highway. 

Is Kia Telluride worth the hype?

There’s a reason that the 2022 Kia Telluride is one of the best-selling three-row SUVs. It blends comfort, style, and safety. The 2022 Kia Telluride is bigger than the 2022 Mitsubishi, despite the fact that they each have seven seats. At 197” long, the 2022 Telluride is a full foot longer than the 2022 Outlander. If you need the extra space, this is nothing to sniff at. 

In addition, the 2022 Kia Telluride offers a bigger engine. It’s a 3.8-liter V6 that can do 291-hp and is matched to an eight-speed transmission. While the Outlander can tow 1,500 pounds, the Telluride can tow up to 5,000. If you’ll be using your SUV for towing, this is an important number. 

Even though the 2022 Mitsubishi may be a great three-row SUV, to compare it to the 2022 Kia Telluride isn’t really fair. They’re doing different things, and are probably not on the same radar for most car shoppers. Yet if you just need the seating capacity of either full-size sport utility vehicle and you aren’t too concerned about engine size or towing capacity, you might want to take a look at the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander.