Compare the2023 Mitsubishi OutlanderVS 2023 Jeep Cherokee

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Mitsubishi Outlander 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 Jeep Cherokee doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear 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 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Cherokee 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 Cherokee doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

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 Cherokee only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Outlander’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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Outlander and the Cherokee have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 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 Cherokee has not been fully tested, yet.

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

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

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Outlander’s reliability 17 points higher than the Cherokee.

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 Jeep 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, Jeep is rated below average.

The Outlander’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 1 more horsepower (181 vs. 180) and 10 lbs.-ft. more torque (181 vs. 171) than the Cherokee’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mitsubishi Outlander is faster than the Jeep Cherokee 4 cyl.:

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mitsubishi Outlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Cherokee Trailhawk 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 Jeep Cherokee (5 to 6). This means the Outlander produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Cherokee 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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

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

The Outlander stops much shorter than the Cherokee:

For better traction, the Outlander has larger standard tires than the Cherokee (235/60R18 vs. 225/60R18). The Outlander SE/SEL’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Cherokee (255/45R20 vs. 245/65R17).

The Outlander ES’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4’s standard 65 series tires. The Outlander SE/SEL’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Cherokee Altitude LUX’s optional 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Outlander ES has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4. The Outlander SE/SEL’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels optional on the Cherokee Altitude LUX.

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

The Outlander SEL AWC handles at .87 G’s, while the Cherokee pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Outlander SEL AWC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Cherokee (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Outlander’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Cherokee’s (36.1 feet vs. 37.7 feet). The Outlander’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Cherokee Trailhawk’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outlander ES has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Cherokee (8.3 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Outlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Mitsubishi Outlander may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 300 pounds less than the Jeep Cherokee.

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

The Outlander has 22 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Cherokee (125.5 vs. 103.5).

The Outlander has 1.2 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 3.4 inches more rear hip room and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cherokee.

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

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

The Outlander 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 Cherokee doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 Cherokee 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 Cherokee’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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

Both the Outlander and the Cherokee offer available heated front seats. The Outlander SEL also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Cherokee.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mitsubishi Outlander SE/SEL has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Cherokee doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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

Consumer Reports® recommends the Mitsubishi Outlander, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Jeep Cherokee isn't recommended.

The Mitsubishi Outlander outsold the Jeep Cherokee by 6% during 2022.