Compare the2022 Mitsubishi OutlanderVS 2021 GMC Terrain

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mitsubishi Outlander are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The GMC Terrain doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

The Mitsubishi Outlander has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Terrain doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Outlander has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Terrain doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Outlander has standard Rear Automatic Emergency Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Terrain doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Outlander SE/SEL has a standard Multi View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Terrain only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Outlander has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Terrain’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Outlander has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Terrain SLE/SLT offers a cross-path warning system and it costs extra.

The Outlander’s optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Terrain doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Outlander and the Terrain have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and lane departure warning systems.

The Outlander comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Terrain’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Mitsubishi’s powertrain warranty covers the Outlander 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than GMC covers the Terrain. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Terrain ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Outlander’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Terrain’s (7/100,000 vs. 6/100,000).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mitsubishi vehicles are better in initial quality than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mitsubishi 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is ranked 8th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mitsubishi vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mitsubishi 13th in reliability, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is ranked 25th.

The Outlander’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 11 more horsepower (181 vs. 170) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Outlander AWC gets better fuel mileage than the Terrain AWD (24 city/30 hwy vs. 25 city/28 hwy).

The Outlander has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Terrain doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Outlander’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Terrain:

The Outlander’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Terrain are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Outlander has larger tires than the Terrain (255/45R20 vs. 225/65R17). The Outlander’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Terrain (255/45R20 vs. 235/50R19).

The Outlander’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Terrain’s standard 65 series tires. The Outlander’s tires are lower profile than the Terrain SLE/SLT’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Outlander has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Terrain. The Outlander’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Terrain SLE/SLT.

The Outlander has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Outlander flat and controlled during cornering. The Terrain’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Outlander SEL Touring has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Terrain doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Outlander S-AWC has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Terrain doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Both the Outlander and the Terrain offer available heated front seats. The Outlander SEL also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Terrain.

The Outlander has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Terrain and isn’t available on the Terrain SL.

The Outlander’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Terrain SL doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mitsubishi Outlander SE/SEL has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Terrain doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.