Compare the2023 Toyota Rav4 PrimeVS 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Rav4 Prime have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Rav4 Prime has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Rav4 Prime XSE offers optional Parking Assist with Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Rav4 Prime has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a GPS response system, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Rav4 Prime and the Outlander PHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the general design of front seat head restraints for their ability to protect front seat occupants from whiplash injuries. The IIHS also performs a dynamic test on those seats with “good” or “acceptable” geometry. In these ratings, the Rav4 Prime is safer than the Outlander PHEV:

	Rav4 Prime	Outlander PHEV
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Restraint Design	GOOD	GOOD
Distance from Back of Head	18 mm	48 mm
Dynamic Test Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Seat Design	Pass	Fail
Neck Force Rating	Low	Low
Max Neck Shearing Force	0	47
Max Neck Tension	231	488

(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Rav4 Prime the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Outlander PHEV is not a “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

The Rav4 Prime’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Outlander PHEV’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rav4 Prime for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mitsubishi doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Outlander PHEV.

There are almost 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rav4 Prime’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Rav4 Prime’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Outlander PHEV’s camshafts. If the Outlander PHEV’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 54 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mitsubishi is rated lower.

Engine

The Rav4 Prime’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 81 more horsepower (302 vs. 221) than the Outlander PHEV’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Rav4 Prime is faster than the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV:

	Rav4 Prime	Outlander PHEV
Zero to 30 MPH	2 sec	3.3 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	5.5 sec	8.5 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	9 sec	15.1 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	2.8 sec	4.3 sec
Quarter Mile	14.1 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	98.7 MPH	83.9 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 Prime running on electricity gets better mileage than the Outlander PHEV running on electricity (105 city/84 hwy vs. 77 city/71 hwy MPGe).

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 Prime running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the Outlander PHEV running its gasoline engine (40 city/36 hwy vs. 26 city/26 hwy).

The Rav4 Prime can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 42 miles. The Outlander PHEV has to start its internal combustion engine after only 24 miles.

The Rav4 Prime has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Outlander PHEV (14.5 vs. 11.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Rav4 Prime’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Outlander PHEV:

	Rav4 Prime	Outlander PHEV
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	12.4 inches	11.9 inches

The Rav4 Prime’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Outlander PHEV are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Rav4 Prime XSE’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Outlander PHEV (235/55R19 vs. 225/55R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Rav4 Prime XSE has standard 19-inch wheels. The Outlander PHEV’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Rav4 Prime has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Outlander PHEV; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Rav4 Prime is 2.4 inches wider in the front and 3.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Outlander PHEV.

The Rav4 Prime XSE handles at .83 G’s, while the Outlander PHEV GT pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Rav4 Prime XSE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Outlander PHEV GT (27 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Rav4 Prime SE has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Outlander PHEV (8 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Rav4 Prime to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Rav4 Prime XSE’s minimum ground clearance is .9 inch higher than on the Outlander PHEV (8.2 vs. 7.3 inches).

Chassis

The Rav4 Prime is 3.9 inches shorter than the Outlander PHEV, making the Rav4 Prime easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Rav4 Prime uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Rav4 Prime has .1 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Outlander PHEV.

Cargo Capacity

The Rav4 Prime has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Outlander PHEV with its rear seat up (33.5 vs. 30.4 cubic feet). The Rav4 Prime has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Outlander PHEV with its rear seat folded (69.8 vs. 66.6 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Rav4 Prime. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Rav4 Prime XSE’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The Rav4 Prime’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Outlander PHEV’s (2500 vs. 1500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Rav4 Prime uses the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Rav4 Prime XSE, the optional memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Rav4 Prime XSE offers an optional 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 Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the Rav4 Prime and the Outlander PHEV have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Rav4 Prime is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outlander PHEV prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the Rav4 Prime the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Outlander PHEV can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Outlander PHEV’s standard power locks don’t automatically lock the doors. The Rav4 Prime’s standard doors lock when the transmission is engaged. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Rav4 Prime has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Outlander PHEV only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Rav4 Prime’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Outlander PHEV’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Rav4 Prime’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Outlander PHEV’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Rav4 Prime XSE offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Rav4 Prime has standard extendable sun visors. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Both the Rav4 Prime and the Outlander PHEV have standard heated front seats. The Rav4 Prime also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Outlander PHEV.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Rav4 Prime XSE keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

To direct the driver from any location to a given street address, a GPS navigation system is available on the Rav4 Prime. The Rav4 Prime’s navigation system also has a real-time traffic update feature that offers alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer a navigation system.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Rav4 Prime XSE has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Rav4 Prime, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its June 2021 issue and the Toyota Rav4 Prime XSE won out over the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV GT.

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Mitsubishi Outlander by over 9 to one during 2022.