Compare the2023 Mitsubishi OutlanderVS 2023 Honda CR-V

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 CR-V doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

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 CR-V only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Outlander has standard Mitsubishi Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to 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 CR-V 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 Outlander and the CR-V have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, 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, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Outlander its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 112 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CR-V has not been tested, yet.

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 CR-V’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 Honda covers the CR-V. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CR-V ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Outlander’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the CR-V’s (7 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mitsubishi vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mitsubishi above average in long-term dependability. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Honda is rated below average.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mitsubishi Outlander is faster than the Honda CR-V:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mitsubishi Outlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CR-V requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

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

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 CR-V are solid, not vented.

The Outlander stops much shorter than the CR-V:

For better traction, the Outlander SE/SEL’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the CR-V (255/45R20 vs. 235/60R18).

The Outlander SE/SEL’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CR-V’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Outlander SE/SEL has standard 20-inch wheels. The CR-V’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Outlander has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The CR-V doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Outlander has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The CR-V’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Outlander SEL AWC handles at .87 G’s, while the CR-V EX-L AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Outlander SEL AWC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CR-V EX-L AWD (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Outlander’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the CR-V’s (36.1 feet vs. 37.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outlander ES has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CR-V (8.3 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Outlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Outlander SE/SEL’s minimum ground clearance is .2 inch higher than on the CR-V (8.4 vs. 8.2 inches).

The Outlander has standard seating for 7 passengers; the CR-V can only carry 5.

The Outlander has 22 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CR-V (125.5 vs. 103.5).

The Outlander has 2.4 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more rear headroom and 3.8 inches more rear hip room than the CR-V.

The Outlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the CR-V.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Outlander’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The CR-V doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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

The Outlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the CR-V’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Outlander uses the Active 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 CR-V doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Outlander SEL 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 CR-V doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Outlander SE/SEL’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The CR-V’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 CR-V doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Outlander to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The CR-V doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Outlander SEL is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The CR-V’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Outlander and the CR-V 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 CR-V.

On extremely cold winter days, the Outlander SEL’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The CR-V doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

To direct the driver from any location to a given street address, a GPS navigation system is standard on the Outlander SE/SEL. The Outlander’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 CR-V doesn’t offer a navigation system.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Mitsubishi Outlander, based on reliability, safety and performance.