Compare the2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVVS 2023 BMW iX

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 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 BMW iX doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 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 BMW iX doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Outlander PHEV are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The iX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Outlander PHEV 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 iX doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Outlander PHEV and the iX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

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 Outlander PHEV the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 55 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The iX has not been tested, yet.

The Outlander PHEV comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The iX’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Mitsubishi’s powertrain warranty covers the Outlander PHEV 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the iX. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the iX ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

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 BMW 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, BMW is rated lower.

The Outlander PHEV’s maximum EPA estimated range on a full tank and a full charge is 438 miles, after which it can be refueled at any gas station in minutes. The iX’s range is only 274 to 324 miles, after which the minimum time to recharge is 35 minutes for only an 80% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not available in most areas. A full recharge using a conventional 110-volt outlet can take up to 33 hours.

The Outlander PHEV 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 iX doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Outlander PHEV SEL Premium handles at .85 G’s, while the iX xDrive50 pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Outlander PHEV’s turning circle is 4.3 feet tighter than the iX M60’s (36.1 feet vs. 40.4 feet). The Outlander PHEV’s turning circle is 6.7 feet tighter than the iX xDrive50’s (36.1 feet vs. 42.8 feet).

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1050 to 1150 pounds less than the BMW iX.

The Outlander PHEV is 9.6 inches shorter than the iX, making the Outlander PHEV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Outlander PHEV has standard seating for 7 passengers; the iX can only carry 5.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Outlander PHEV’s middle and third row seats recline. The iX’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Outlander PHEV’s cargo area is larger than the iX’s in almost every dimension:

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Outlander PHEV 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 iX doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the iX, the Outlander PHEV has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

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

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 PHEV has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The iX doesn’t offer headlight washers.

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

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

The Outlander PHEV SEL has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The iX doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Mitsubishi Outlander outsold the BMW iX by almost 8 to one during 2022.