Compare the2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVVS 2023 Volkswagen Atlas

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 Volkswagen Atlas doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row 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 Atlas 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 Atlas doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Atlas doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Outlander PHEV. But it costs extra on the Atlas.

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 Atlas doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Outlander PHEV and the Atlas have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning 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 Atlas last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2018.

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 Atlas’ 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 Volkswagen covers the Atlas. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Atlas ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mitsubishi vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mitsubishi higher than Volkswagen.

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 Volkswagen 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, Volkswagen is rated below average.

The Outlander PHEV’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 13 more horsepower (248 vs. 235) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (332 vs. 258) than the Atlas’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Outlander PHEV’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 66 lbs.-ft. more torque (332 vs. 266) than the Atlas’ optional 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is faster than the Volkswagen Atlas V6:

On the EPA test cycle the Outlander PHEV running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Atlas:

The Outlander PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 38 miles. The Atlas can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Outlander PHEV’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Atlas doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Atlas with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

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

The Outlander PHEV stops shorter than the Atlas:

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 Atlas 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 Atlas’ suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Outlander PHEV SEL Premium handles at .85 G’s, while the Atlas SEL R-Line Black 4Motion 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 4.4 feet tighter than the Atlas’ (36.1 feet vs. 40.5 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outlander PHEV has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Atlas 2.0T (7.8 vs. 7.1 inches), allowing the Outlander PHEV to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Outlander PHEV’s minimum ground clearance is .3 inch higher than on the Atlas V6 (7.8 vs. 7.5 inches).

The Outlander PHEV is 1 foot, 3.3 inches shorter than the Atlas, making the Outlander PHEV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Outlander PHEV is 5.1 inches narrower than the Atlas, making the Outlander PHEV easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

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

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

The Outlander PHEV has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Atlas doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

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

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 Atlas doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Atlas SEL, 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 Atlas doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Outlander PHEV 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 Atlas doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 Atlas 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 Atlas doesn’t offer headlight washers.

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 Atlas.