Compare the2023 Jeep CherokeeVS 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander

The Cherokee has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Outlander doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Cherokee. But it costs extra on the Outlander.

Both the Cherokee and the Outlander have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and rear cross-path warning.

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

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cherokee for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 3 oil changes). Mitsubishi doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Outlander.

There are over 7 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Cherokee’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Mitsubishi vehicles. With 27 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Jeep higher than Mitsubishi.

The Cherokee Trailhawk’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 89 more horsepower (270 vs. 181) and 114 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 181) than the Outlander’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Cherokee Trailhawk 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mitsubishi Outlander:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Cherokee’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Outlander doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Cherokee has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Outlander (15.8 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Cherokee stops shorter than the Outlander:

The Cherokee Trailhawk has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Outlander; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Cherokee has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Outlander doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Cherokee’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Outlander doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For greater off-road capability the Cherokee Trailhawk has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Outlander SE/SEL (8.7 vs. 8.4 inches), allowing the Cherokee to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Cherokee has standard flush composite headlights. The Outlander has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The Cherokee uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Outlander doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume than the Outlander with its rear seat up (27.6 vs. 11.7 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Cherokee. The Outlander doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Maximum trailer towing in the Mitsubishi Outlander is limited to 2000 pounds. The Cherokee offers up to a 4000 lbs. towing capacity.

The Cherokee 4x4 with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Cherokee can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Outlander can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Cherokee uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Outlander uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

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

The Cherokee’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Outlander’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Cherokee’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Outlander’s power window, power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Cherokee’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Outlander ES’ standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Cherokee’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mitsubishi only offers heated mirrors on the Outlander SE/SEL.

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

The Cherokee has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Outlander.

The Cherokee has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Outlander doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Cherokee’s ParkSense Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Outlander doesn’t offer an automated parking system.