Compare the2023 Mitsubishi OutlanderVS 2023 Ford Edge

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 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Edge doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Edge doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Outlander has a standard Rear Automatic Emergency Brake that use rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Edge doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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

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 Edge 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.

Both the Outlander and the Edge have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, 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 Edge is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

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

The Outlander’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Edge’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 Ford 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, Ford is rated lower.

As tested in Car and Driver the Mitsubishi Outlander is faster than the Ford Edge turbo 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Outlander gets better mileage than the Edge:

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

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mitsubishi Outlander higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Ford Edge (5 to 6). This means the Outlander produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Edge every 15,000 miles.

The Outlander has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Edge doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

The Outlander’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Edge AWD are solid, not vented.

The Outlander stops much shorter than the Edge:

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 Edge doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Outlander SEL AWC handles at .85 G’s, while the Edge Titanium pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Outlander SEL AWC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Edge Titanium (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Outlander’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Edge’s (36.1 feet vs. 39.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outlander ES has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Edge (8.3 vs. 8 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 Edge ST (8.4 vs. 8.2 inches).

The Mitsubishi Outlander may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 700 pounds less than the Ford Edge.

The Outlander is 3.4 inches shorter than the Edge, making the Outlander easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

The Outlander has 11.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Edge (125.5 vs. 113.9).

The Outlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the Edge.

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

Trailer Stability Assist is standard on the Outlander, using 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. A trailer sway program costs extra on the Edge and isn’t available on the EdgeSE.

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 Edge doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Outlander SE/SEL’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 Edge’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Outlander has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Edge doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Outlander’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Edge’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

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 Edge 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 Edge 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 Edge’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Outlander is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Edge doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

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