Compare the2025 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVVS 2025 Ford Explorer

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 Explorer 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 Explorer.

Both the Outlander PHEV and the Explorer 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 around view monitors.

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 Explorer’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Mitsubishi’s powertrain warranty covers the Outlander PHEV 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Explorer. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Explorer ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

Mitsubishi pays for scheduled maintenance on the Outlander PHEV for 2 years and 30,000 miles. Mitsubishi will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 3 visits). Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Explorer.

The Outlander PHEV’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (332 vs. 310) than the Explorer’s standard 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Outlander PHEV running on electricity gets better mileage than the Explorer:

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

The Outlander PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 38 miles. The Explorer 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 Explorer 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 Explorer requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Outlander PHEV has a standard locking fuel door and a locking charge port with a power remote release convenient to the driver and which locks and unlocks with the power locks, respectively. The Explorer doesn’t offer a locking fuel filler door. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and a locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

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

The Outlander PHEV’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 Explorer ST are solid, not vented.

The Outlander PHEV’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Explorer’s standard 65 series tires.

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 Explorer doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Outlander PHEV SEL Premium handles at .85 G’s, while the Explorer Active 4WD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Outlander PHEV’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Explorer’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outlander PHEV ES has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Explorer (7.8 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the Outlander PHEV to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Outlander PHEV is 1 foot, 1.3 inches shorter than the Explorer, making the Outlander PHEV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Outlander PHEV is 5.7 inches narrower than the Explorer, making the Outlander PHEV easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

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

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Outlander PHEV’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Explorer doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Mitsubishi service is better than Ford. J.D. Power ranks Mitsubishi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 40% lower rating, Ford is ranked 26th.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the Explorer (except Active), the Outlander PHEV SEL 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 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 Explorer doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Outlander PHEV 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 Explorer’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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 PHEV’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Explorer’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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 Explorer doesn’t offer headlight washers.

When the Outlander PHEV 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 Explorer’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.