2022 Mitsubishi Outlander vs 2021 Toyota Sequoia

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia, despite its attempts to stay modern with a 2018 facelift, still showed its age. The subtle updates to the headlights and grille were overshadowed by its large, imposing silhouette. Inside, the Sequoia's design was reminiscent of the mid-2000s, with a massive, multi-tiered center dash and a standard 7-inch touchscreen that seemed small against the expansive dashboard. The front seats, though bulky, left tall drivers feeling cramped, especially with the optional sunroof. However, the second-row seats offered ample headroom and legroom, ensuring comfort for passengers. The Sequoia was available in several trims, including the SR5, TRD Sport, Limited, Nightshade Edition, TRD Pro, and Platinum, each offering various features and enhancements.

In contrast, the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander presented a bold and appealing design with its "Dynamic Shield" grille and balanced aesthetics. The Outlander was available in ES, SE, SE Launch Edition, SEL, and SEL Launch Edition trims, all featuring handsome 20-inch wheels. The SEL trim, equipped with the Touring Package, offered a luxurious interior with premium semi-aniline leather, a heated steering wheel, and a head-up display. The interior design was minimalist, with black and aluminum accents, though some interior plastics reminded occupants of its place in the compact crossover segment. Despite some wasted space on the center console, the Outlander provided generous rear seat room and a third-row seat, albeit cramped for adults.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia was powered by a robust 5.7-liter V8 engine, delivering 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, provided stout acceleration, even for an SUV weighing up to 6,000 pounds. The Sequoia's driving dynamics were akin to a truck, with a soft suspension and strong brakes, though it exhibited some body roll in corners. It could tow up to 7,400 pounds, which was less than competitors like the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Tahoe.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) powered the front wheels, with an optional Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) system. The Outlander offered various driving modes, but its performance was underwhelming, especially at higher speeds or during acceleration. The steering felt vague and disconnected, and the suspension was firm, transmitting road imperfections into the cabin. The Outlander returned 24.9 mpg in testing, slightly below the EPA's rating for AWD models.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia boasted a spacious cabin with nearly 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and up to 120 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. Its power-retractable rear window was a unique feature, allowing easy access to the cargo area. While the front-row space could have been better utilized, the Sequoia offered ample storage options, including deep door pockets and a massive center console.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander excelled in form and function, with roomy and comfortable front seats, an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, and heated front chairs. The interior design was clean and intuitive, though the center console had wasted space. The rear seat was spacious and comfortable, with the ability to slide for more cargo room. The third-row seat was cramped, suitable only for children, and limited cargo space to 11.7 cubic feet when in use. Folding the third row increased cargo capacity to 33.5 cubic feet, with a maximum of 79.7 cubic feet.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a WiFi hotspot. The system was user-friendly, with simple menus and large hard buttons. However, the digital trip computer was small compared to modern digital instrument panels.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander stood out with its 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display, a large and detailed head-up display, and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay, a two-year subscription to Mitsubishi Connect services, and wireless smartphone charging. The 10-speaker Bose audio system provided excellent sound quality, though the voice-recognition technology struggled with road noise.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense-P suite, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. It also featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors. However, it lacked advanced tech like lane-keeping assist and scored four out of five stars in the NHTSA's rollover test.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander offered the Mi-Pilot Assist system, similar to Nissan's ProPilot Assist, providing smooth and accurate driver assistance. It included forward collision avoidance, lane-keeping assistance, and blind-spot warning. The steering assistance could be intrusive, but the system worked well when expected. Crash-test results were unavailable at the time of review.