Compare the2024 Mitsubishi OutlanderVS 2022 Lexus RXL

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 RXL 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 RXL doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Outlander and the RXL have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The RXL 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 RXL’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Mitsubishi’s powertrain warranty covers the Outlander 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Lexus covers the RXL. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the RXL ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

The Outlander’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the RXL’s (7 vs. 6 years).

Mitsubishi pays for scheduled maintenance (up to 3 visits) on the Outlander for 1 year and 20,000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the RXL (2/30,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 32 percent more Mitsubishi dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Outlander’s warranty.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mitsubishi Outlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The RX 450hL requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Outlander has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The RXL doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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 Lexus RXL (5 to 7). This means the Outlander produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the RXL every 15,000 miles.

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

The Outlander stops much shorter than the RXL:

For better traction, the Outlander SE/Black Edition/SEL’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the RXL (255/45R20 vs. 235/65R18).

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 RXL’s standard 65 series tires. The Outlander SE/Black Edition/SEL’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the RXL’s optional 55 series tires.

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 RXL doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Outlander SEL AWC handles at .87 G’s, while the RX 350L AWD pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Outlander SEL AWC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the RX 350L (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Outlander’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the RXL’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outlander ES has a greater minimum ground clearance than the RXL (8.3 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Outlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Outlander SE/Black Edition/SEL’s minimum ground clearance is .3 inch higher than on the RXL (8.4 vs. 8.1 inches).

The Mitsubishi Outlander may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 1100 pounds less than the Lexus RXL.

The Outlander is 11.5 inches shorter than the RXL, making the Outlander easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

The Outlander has 8.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the RXL (125.5 vs. 117).

The Outlander has .8 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, .6 inches more rear headroom, 9 inches more rear legroom and 5.5 inches more third row shoulder room than the RXL.

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

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

The Outlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RXL’s (2000 vs. 0 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 RXL.

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 RXL’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

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 RXL doesn’t offer headlight washers.

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