Compare the2026 Mitsubishi OutlanderVS 2026 Dodge Durango

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Durango doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 Durango doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

With its standard Forward Collision Mitigation with Pedestrian Detection, the Mitsubishi Outlander is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Dodge Durango, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Outlander	Durango
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH	AVOIDED	No Slowing
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Brights	2.3 sec	No Warning
37 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.6 sec	No Warning

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

The Outlander SE/SEL/Trail has a standard Multi View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Durango 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.

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 Durango doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Outlander and the Durango have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and lane departure warning systems.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Mitsubishi Outlander is safer than the Durango:

	Outlander	Durango
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Restraints	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Head injury index	101	119
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	3 cm	9 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	18 cm	26 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Femur Force R/L	1.5/.9 kN	5.3/2.5 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	6%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Tibia index R/L	.6/.41	1.53/.59

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Outlander is 1.4% to 1.9% less likely to roll over than the Durango.

Warranty

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

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

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). Dodge doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Durango.

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Outlander has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of some of the engines in the Durango.

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 25 points higher than the Durango.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Outlander
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/31 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/30 hwy
Durango
	RWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/25 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/24 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/21 hwy

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mitsubishi Outlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Durango R/T requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

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 Durango doesn’t offer a CVT.

Tires and Wheels

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 Durango doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

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

For better maneuverability, the Outlander’s turning circle is 4.3 feet tighter than the Durango’s (36.7 feet vs. 41 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outlander ES/Trail has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Durango (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 .3 inch higher than on the Durango (8.4 vs. 8.1 inches).

Chassis

The Mitsubishi Outlander may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1100 to 1300 pounds less than the Dodge Durango.

The Outlander is 1 foot, 3 inches shorter than the Durango, making the Outlander easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Mitsubishi Outlander amounts to more than styling. The Outlander has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the Durango (.36) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Outlander get better fuel mileage.

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 Durango doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Outlander has .7 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more third row shoulder room than the Durango.

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

Cargo Capacity

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

Ergonomics

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 Durango doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Outlander’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Durango’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The Outlander SE/SEL/Trail’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 Durango’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’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Durango’s headlights are rated “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 Durango 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 Durango doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Recommendations

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

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