Compare the2026 Mitsubishi OutlanderVS 2026 Chevrolet Equinox

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mitsubishi Outlander are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Equinox doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Mitsubishi Outlander has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Equinox doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Equinox doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

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

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 Equinox doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Outlander and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

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

The Outlander’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Equinox’s (7/100,000 vs. 6/100,000).

Mitsubishi pays for scheduled maintenance on the Outlander for 2 years and 30,000 miles. Mitsubishi will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 3 visits). Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Equinox.

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 Equinox.

The Outlander’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (206 vs. 184) than the Equinox FWD’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Outlander’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (206 vs. 203) than the Equinox AWD’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

Regenerative brakes improve the Outlander’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Equinox doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

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

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 Equinox are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Outlander SE/SEL’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Equinox (255/45R20 vs. 235/65R17).

The Outlander ES/Trail’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 Equinox LT/ACTIV’s standard 65 series tires. The Outlander SE/SEL’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Equinox RS’ optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Outlander ES/Trail has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Equinox LT/ACTIV.

The Outlander has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Outlander flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For greater off-road capability the Outlander ES/Trail has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Equinox LT/ACTIV (8.3 vs. 8.1 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 Equinox RS (8.4 vs. 8.2 inches).

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

The Outlander has 21.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Equinox (125.5 vs. 104.3).

The Outlander has .6 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear hip room and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Equinox.

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

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

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

The Outlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Equinox’s (2000 vs. 800 pounds).

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Outlander uses 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. The Equinox doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Outlander SEL offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction, infotainment and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Equinox doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Outlander SE/SEL/Trail’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches. The Equinox’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

The Outlander ES’ standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Equinox’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 Equinox 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 Equinox doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Outlander’s standard rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Equinox doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

Both the Mitsubishi Outlander and Chevrolet Equinox offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Outlander offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Equinox’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The Outlander has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Equinox.

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Outlander third among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Equinox isn’t in the top three.