Compare the2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVVS 2023 Toyota Rav4 Prime

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 Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 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 Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Outlander PHEV’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Outlander PHEV’s 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 Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Outlander PHEV and the Rav4 Prime have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is safer than the Rav4 Prime:

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 Rav4 Prime’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Mitsubishi’s powertrain warranty covers the Outlander PHEV 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Rav4 Prime. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Rav4 Prime ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Outlander PHEV’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Rav4 Prime’s (7 vs. 5 years).

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

The Outlander PHEV stops much shorter than the Rav4 Prime:

For better traction, the Outlander PHEV has larger standard tires than the Rav4 Prime (235/60R18 vs. 225/60R18). The Outlander PHEV SE/SEL’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Rav4 Prime (255/45R20 vs. 235/55R19).

The Outlander PHEV 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 Rav4 Prime XSE’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Outlander PHEV SE/SEL has standard 20-inch wheels. The Rav4 Prime’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

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 Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Outlander PHEV has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Rav4 Prime’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Outlander PHEV SEL Premium handles at .85 G’s, while the Rav4 Prime XSE pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Outlander PHEV has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Rav4 Prime can only carry 5.

The Outlander PHEV has 26.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Rav4 Prime (125.5 vs. 98.9).

The Outlander PHEV has 2.9 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear legroom and 5.6 inches more rear hip room than the Rav4 Prime.

The Outlander PHEV’s cargo area is larger than the Rav4 Prime’s in almost every dimension:

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Outlander PHEV’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat optional at extra cost in the Rav4 Prime XSE, 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.

The Outlander PHEV SEL’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Outlander PHEV’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Rav4 Prime’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Outlander PHEV to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Outlander PHEV 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 Rav4 Prime’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Outlander PHEV SEL offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Rav4 Prime.