The Mitsubishi Outlander 2020, a compact SUV, has undergone rigorous testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to evaluate its safety performance. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the IIHS crash test ratings for the 2014-2020 Mitsubishi Outlander models, focusing on the 2020 variant, to help you make informed decisions about vehicle safety.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side
The driver-side small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where just the front corner of the vehicle strikes an object, like a tree or pole. In this test, the 2014-2020 Mitsubishi Outlander received a Good rating, the highest possible.
Specifically, the structure and safety cage of the Outlander earned an Acceptable rating, indicating that while the occupant compartment held up reasonably well, there was some intrusion. However, driver injury measures were all rated Good across the board, for head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot. This indicates a low risk of significant injuries in a real-world crash of this type. The driver restraints and dummy kinematics were also rated Good, showing the airbags and seatbelts performed effectively.
Technical measurements from the driver-side small overlap test show controlled intrusion into the occupant compartment. For instance, maximum intrusion at the lower hinge pillar was 16 cm, and footrest intrusion was 10 cm. Crucially, steering column movement was measured at 0 cm, indicating good protection of the driver’s upper body. Driver injury measures were also low, with a Head Injury Criterion (HIC-15) of just 81 and chest compression at 24 mm. Femur forces and tibia index values were also within safe limits, reinforcing the “Good” injury ratings.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side
The passenger-side small overlap test is the counterpart to the driver-side test, evaluating safety performance for the front passenger in a similar collision scenario. The 2014-2020 Mitsubishi Outlander again achieved an Overall evaluation of Good.
The structure and safety cage rating remained Acceptable, consistent with the driver-side test. Passenger injury measures were all Good for head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot. Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics were also rated Good, mirroring the strong performance on the driver side. Notably, driver injury measures are also reported for the passenger-side test and were also rated Good across all categories, showing balanced protection for both front occupants.
Technical data from the passenger-side test reveals slightly higher intrusion measurements compared to the driver-side, with a maximum of 21 cm at the lower hinge pillar. However, injury measures remained low. The HIC-15 for the passenger was 161, and chest compression was 12 mm. Driver injury measures in this passenger-side test were even lower, with a HIC-15 of 59 and chest compression of 28 mm, further demonstrating the Outlander’s robust safety design.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test
In the moderate overlap front test, a larger portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a deformable barrier. For this test, the 2014-2020 Mitsubishi Outlander also earned a Good overall rating. This rating is based on testing conducted by Mitsubishi and assessed by the IIHS.
The structure and safety cage again received a Good rating, and all driver injury measures were rated Good, including head/neck, chest, and leg/foot (both left and right). Driver restraints and dummy kinematics were also rated Good, reaffirming consistent high performance in frontal crash scenarios.
Technical measurements for the moderate overlap test show minimal footwell intrusion, with a maximum of 9 cm at the center footwell. Instrument panel and steering column movement were also minimal. Driver injury measures remained low, with a HIC-15 of 127 and chest compression of 31 mm. Femur and tibia forces and accelerations were also well-controlled, contributing to the “Good” injury ratings.
Side Crash Test: Original Test
The side crash test evaluates occupant protection in a side impact scenario. The 2014-2020 Mitsubishi Outlander achieved a Good overall rating in the original side crash test.
The structure and safety cage were rated Acceptable. Driver injury measures for head/neck, torso, and pelvis/leg were all Good, as was driver head protection. Rear passenger injury measures and head protection also received Good ratings across all categories. This indicates good protection for occupants in both the front and rear seats during a side impact.
Technical measurements from the side crash test show a B-pillar intrusion of -7.5 cm, indicating the crush stopped short of the driver’s seat centerline, a positive outcome. Driver injury measures included a HIC-15 of 493 and chest deflection of 37 mm (maximum) and 32 mm (average). Rear passenger injury measures were notably lower, with a HIC-15 of 124 and chest deflection of 27 mm (maximum) and 20 mm (average), suggesting excellent rear passenger protection.
Roof Strength Test
The roof strength test assesses the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover crash. The 2014-2020 Mitsubishi Outlander received a Good rating in this test.
The strength-to-weight ratio for the Outlander was 4.95, significantly exceeding the minimum requirement for a “Good” rating. This indicates that the roof structure is strong relative to the vehicle’s weight, providing good occupant protection in rollover situations.
Head Restraints & Seats
The head restraints and seats are evaluated for their ability to protect against neck injuries in rear-end collisions. The Mitsubishi Outlander 2020 with manual cloth seats earned a Good overall rating.
Both the dynamic rating and seat/head restraint geometry were rated Good. Technical measurements show a backset of 26 mm and a distance below the top of the head of -4 mm, indicating good head restraint positioning. Neck forces measured in the dynamic test were also low.
Headlights
Headlight performance is crucial for nighttime safety. The IIHS tested three different headlight variations available on the Mitsubishi Outlander 2020.
For SEL and GT trims equipped with the Touring package, featuring LED projector low beams and LED reflector high beams with high-beam assist, the overall headlight rating was Acceptable. While low beam visibility was fair to inadequate in curves and straightaways, and high beams were better but still with some inadequacies, the high-beam assist feature was credited for compensating for some limitations.
For SE, LE, SP, and SEL trims with Halogen projector low beams and Halogen reflector high beams and high-beam assist, the overall rating was Poor. Visibility was inadequate in most scenarios for both low and high beams, despite the presence of high-beam assist.
For the ES trim, also equipped with Halogen projector low beams and Halogen reflector high beams, but without high-beam assist, the overall rating was again Poor. Visibility performance was similar to the other halogen headlight system, with inadequate illumination in most driving situations.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems are essential for mitigating or avoiding frontal collisions. The Mitsubishi Outlander 2020, when equipped with the optional Forward Collision Mitigation with Pedestrian Detection system, achieved a Superior rating in vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention.
The system meets forward collision warning requirements and successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the system in preventing or reducing the severity of vehicle-to-vehicle frontal crashes.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
Pedestrian detection systems are increasingly important for urban safety. The Mitsubishi Outlander 2019-2020 models, when equipped with the optional Forward Collision Mitigation System, earned a Basic rating for pedestrian front crash prevention in daytime conditions.
In tests involving a crossing child and crossing adult, the system reduced impact speeds, but did not avoid collisions completely, resulting in a “Basic” rating. In a parallel adult scenario, the system provided more significant speed reduction. While not “Superior”, the “Basic” rating indicates some level of pedestrian crash mitigation capability.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Child seat anchor ease of use is important for proper child seat installation. The Mitsubishi Outlander 2016-2020 models received an Acceptable rating for LATCH system ease of use.
The Outlander has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and one additional position with only a tether anchor. While some lower anchors were rated as being too deep in the seat, they were still usable without excessive force. Overall, the LATCH system is rated as “Acceptable” for usability.
Conclusion
The Mitsubishi Outlander 2020 demonstrates strong safety performance in most IIHS crash tests, achieving Good ratings in small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraints & seats evaluations. Front crash prevention systems also earned Superior (vehicle-to-vehicle) and Basic (pedestrian) ratings when optionally equipped. The headlight ratings, however, vary significantly by trim level, with LED headlights earning an “Acceptable” rating while halogen headlights are rated “Poor”.
Overall, the Mitsubishi Outlander 2020 is a safe SUV choice, particularly in crash protection. Potential buyers should consider the headlight options and available front crash prevention features to maximize safety.
