Mitsubishi Outlander vs Peugeot 408

What's the difference?

Mitsubishi has leaned into its strengths with this Outlander update, spending its money in subtle areas to upgrade what was already a widely appealing mid-size SUV.

The local tuning has made a notable difference to the refinement and comfort of this version, while subtle updates to the software and interior trim help to refine things even further.

If you’ve had an Outlander before, you’ll love this one, although it doesn’t help the brand to challenge new players on the value front. This leaves you with the decision of whether to pick a brand with the reputation and network of Mitsubishi, or roll the dice on a far more affordable new player.

For what it’s worth, it’s genuinely tough to pick a sweet spot here. I think the best picks are at either end of the spectrum, with the ES being outstanding value, and the Exceed being particularly plush.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Peugeot 408 GT plug-in hybrid features tech that could be improved upon and like all plug-ins, you get the best economy if you regularly charge it and that’s not always realistic. It is a little expensive compared to its rivals but sports a killer design that looks fresh and the cabin is roomy with nice features.

Blink and you’ll miss the changes. Actually, squint and you still might miss them. Aside from the eye-catching new 20-inch wheels on the Exceed and Exceed tourer grades and the new ‘Moonstone Grey’ paint colour, it’s hard to tell the new Outlander apart from its predecessor.

Look closer and there’s new lower garnish designs front and rear, a tweaked grille and a smoked appearance for the rear tail-light clusters.

It’s very subtle stuff, but Mitsubishi has chosen to spend its time and money on upgrades on unseen areas.

For example, the bonnet is now steel rather than aluminium, which helps with noise insulation (and also has the side-effect of removing the high-speed ‘fluttering’ effect the aluminium bonnet had on the previous version), there’s additional sound insulation throughout the car, and cladding in the transmission tunnel to make the cabin a quieter place.

Back on the topic of appearance, though, the dash and console has also been tweaked a little. For example, the new screen looks a bit more contemporary, with a much smaller bezel and more attractive software. The console has been rearranged to move the bottle holders to one side of the electronic gear shifter, which makes for a larger centre console.

High-grade leather seat trims also now have alternate patterns, but the range follows the same trims, from cloth on the ES and LS, while the Aspire gets a microsuede and synthetic leather blend, while the Exceed and Exceed Tourer get the ‘high-grade semi-aniline’ leather trim.

There’s quite a lot happening with the design because of the mash-up of body styles. The long sleek body has sedan vibes but it sits high enough to tag itself as an SUV and the rear has that classic coupe pinching.

It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but I like it. It's bold and different, which feels like a bit of fresh air in this SUV-heavy market.

The lights also set this apart from its Peugeot stablemates and look more refined, too. You can still see the remnants of the original ‘claw’ design in the tail-lights if you look closely but it's the long vertical DRLs at the front that give the design real edge. They resemble the fangs of a snarling cat (just too cool).

The sophisticated sleekness is extended to the interior where you find a cabin that is flush with high-end materials and soft touch points.

The curved dashboard, high-end tech screens and the mix of Nappa leather upholstery and synthetic leather trims definitely cement its grade position. While not a fan of the green contrast stitching myself, it does create an interesting focal point.

The previous Outlander was already known for having a spacious and versatile cabin, and this continues for the new car with a few small tweaks.

The width and satisfying seat positioning continue, and seats in all grades are generous and comfortable, but particularly the leather seats on the Exceed and Exceed Tourer grade we tested.

Adjustability is good in all positions, and the digital instrument cluster has an attractive dual-dial layout and functional display options. While not the best in class, it’s far better than many rivals.

The touchscreen’s new software is meant to be faster, but I found it a bit laggy still, although the integration of Google’s API into the navigation suite is an excellent tweak, making it relevant and useful for much longer.

The tweaks to the centre console make the area more space efficient and useful, but the new cupholders seem strangely shallow, potentially causing large bottles to tip. The tweaked centre console box is nice and large, and the wireless charger is nice and accessible, although its surface is not quite rubbery enough to stop your phone from leaving the charging area in the corners.

The back seat is noticeably stadium – you sit a fair bit higher than in the first row, which eats into headroom in cars equipped with a sunroof for adults. However, width is good, as is the seat comfort.

The rear doors open nice and wide, which should make fitting a child seat easy enough, and the floor is surprisingly flat, too, which makes the middle position more useful.

The third row, which I sampled in an Aspire grade, is both hard to get into and tight once you’re in there. The second row can slide forward on a rail, offering just enough room for me, at 182cm tall, to fit back there, with my knees hard up against the seat in front, and my head nearly touching the roof.

It is for this reason Mitsubishi calls seven-seat versions ‘5+2’. Good for kids, maybe, but not adults for any extended period of time.

The boot is enormous with two rows in use (485 litres in five-seat versions, or 478 litres in seven-seaters), and for this update, the space now has a wider aperture that should make loading objects easier. Space with seven seats up is 163L. Five-seaters get a full-size spare under the floor, while seven-seaters get a space saver.

Braked towing capacity is a middling 1600kg for petrol-powered variants. The brand says not many Outlander buyers are focused on towing as a key capability for the mid-sizer.

Both rows have ample leg- and headroom for my 168cm height. Even my father, who is 183cm tall, felt comfortable in both rows.

The seats are comfortable and offer enough padding to be enjoyable on a long trip. The heat and massage functions on the front seats make the cabin experience feel refined but the massage function sometimes stops when the heat function is also on.

Individual storage is good for the class with the front getting some centre console storage spots, including a phone shelf, as well as a dual-opening middle console, glovebox and two cupholders. There are also a small storage bin and drink bottle holder in each door.

In the rear, there are directional air vents, two USB-C ports, map pockets and a drink bottle holder in each door but you miss out on cup holders, an armrest and other items you might expect for this grade level, like heated outboard seats or climate control.

The other charging options are solid with the front row getting two USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad and a 12-volt socket. There is another 12-volt socket in the boot.

The 10-inch touchscreen multimedia system looks great and you can customise your ‘buttons panel’ to the features you use most often, which is very clever. However, the system isn’t always responsive which gets very annoying - the seat functions in particular can be laggy.

The system does feature built-in satellite navigation and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but the multimedia system is too glitchy to truly charm.

The boot features a tyre puncture repair kit, relatively level loading space and 471L of boot capacity, which has been fine for all of my errands this week. You also get a hands-free powered tailgate, which is always handy.

The 408 is being offered in one grade for the Australian market, the GT model, and it’s priced from $67,990 before on road costs, making it more expensive than its rivals.

The closest rival, the Cupra Formentor VZe PHEV sits at $64,990 MSRP and the Citroen C5 X PHEV slides in as the most affordable at $57,670 MSRP.

However, only being offered in one grade does have its benefits because the GT is highly specified and most people will be satisfied with the long features list.

In terms of luxuries, there is a heated steering wheel, powered front seats with heat and massage functions, with Nappa leather upholstery and synthetic leather trims throughout.

The technology looks gorgeous with a 10-inch touchscreen multimedia system and a 10-inch digital instrument cluster headlining the dashboard. It's rounded out by the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in satellite navigation, four USB-C ports, two 12-volt sockets and a wireless charging pad.

The key practical features include a powered tailgate, dual-zone air-conditioning, push-button start, keyless entry and the front driver's seat features a two-position memory function.

You can option a panoramic sunroof for an extra $2000, if you want it.

The 408 only comes in five colours, with the Obsession Blue on our test model being the only included colour. The rest are priced at $690 but the Elixir Red jumps up to $1050.

The petrol-powered Outlander soldiers on with a drab non-turbo, non-hybrid 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission.

The brand calls this combination “proven” and it’s hard to argue given it hasn’t cropped up with any major reliability issues in the pre-facelift car.

Still, it produces a middling 135kW/244Nm, not as punchy as many turbo options, and nowhere near as efficient as hybrid alternatives.

Those seeking a more powerful fuel-sipping option may want to wait for the PHEV version arriving later this year.

The 408 GT is a front-wheel drive that has an eight-speed auto transmission and is powered by a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and an 81kW electric motor, which produce combined outputs of 165kW/360Nm. It can do a 0-100km/h sprint in 7.8 seconds. 

The switch between the electric and petrol components isn’t always seamless and you can feel some shudders as it flips between them at lower speeds but the power feels adequate for everyday driving.

As a result of its relatively old-school sounding powertrain, fuel consumption isn’t at the forefront of the petrol-powered Outlander, with official consumption ranging between 7.5L/100km for the lightest five-seat ES 2WD version, to 8.1L/100km in the heaviest, top-spec Exceed Tourer AWD.

C02 emissions are also on the high side, which the brand will no doubt be off-setting with the new PHEV version which will offer even more emissions-free driving range than before.

One benefit of this long-serving engine, though, is it can be fed entry-level 91RON unleaded, better for the back pocket. The petrol-powered Outlander has a 55-litre fuel tank.

The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 1.5L/100km but that’s if you were recharging the car every time the electric range dropped out.

My real-world consumption sat at 5.5L after a mix of open-road and urban driving. I only charge it every other day as that’s realistic for my family life but like all plug-ins - you will get the best efficiency if you charge it regularly.

The 408 GT has a Type 2 charging port and a small 12.4kWh lithium-ion battery that can accept up to 3.7kW of power. You get up to 60km of pure electric driving range (but I only saw a top of 38km available) and on a domestic socket, you can go from zero to 100 per cent in around six hours.

On a 7kW or 11kW AC power charger, that drops to three and a half hours. So, it’s a tad slow to charge but worth it if you can leave your car on charge overnight.

The Australian team had a significant amount of input on the driving dynamics of this new Outlander, but does it make a big difference behind the wheel?

We were granted the chance to drive the old one alongside the new version to find out, and the changes are significant.

Overall, the character of the car hasn’t been fundamentally altered. This is still a somewhat plush and soft-around-the-edges family SUV, but redeveloped new suspension parts and even very minor, nerdy modifications like the thickness of sway bars have added up to a much more pleasant vehicle to spend an extended amount of time in.

The first thing you’ll notice is the retuned steering. Mitsubishi’s engineers tell us the tweaked feedback was all down to the software in the rack, and it’s a big difference, upping the firmness of the steering at low speeds, keeping the vehicle on track with more confidence while heading straight, and also removing a slight twitchiness with sudden adjustments.

Next is the cabin ambiance. The new Outlander is a relatively quiet place to be thanks to the extra insulation throughout. It combines with the new steering to give the car much more of a sense of heft than before. The engine is reduced to a distant thrum, and the road is damped away for the most part. Mitsubishi says the 20-inch wheels are a particular hit with buyers, which to me is a shame because I’m willing to bet it’s particularly comfy on the lower-grade tyres.

Elsewhere, the Outlander has a softer initial response to bumps thanks to retuned shocks, and the reduced width of the front sway bar makes for less ‘head toss’ for front seat occupants.

Does it make a significant difference? Yes. The new Outlander is all-round better balanced and better suited to our road conditions. It might not have the sophistication of more expensive options, and it still might be a tad off what the also balanced-and-comfortable RAV4 offers, although it will be interesting to get one back to see how it compares to rivals in a like-for-like test.

Just expect a much more comfort-oriented option than some rivals. These changes don’t make the Outlander as fun to drive as a Mazda CX-5 or a Skoda Kodiaq. For example, while the 2.5-litre engine and CVT combo provides a surprisingly urgent initial response, it's a dull, rubbery power application from there on.

The 408 GT has more than enough power to be a comfortable open-roader. You can keep your speed consistent on hills and it has enough gumption to cross traffic quickly in an urban environment.

Steering is responsive and the car is easy to manoeuvre in close quarters but the lane-keeping aid does severe corrections, so have your wits about you when you’re on the go because it can be a fright when the wheel starts fighting you.

With the ride comfort, there can be vibrations through the seats and steering wheel depending on the road surface and you’ll know about it when you hit a bump. It’s okay enough to not be classed as rough but it’s not as refined as you'd hope.

Despite the narrow rear window, the visibility is actually very good and it’s easy enough to park but the 180-degree camera system needs work.

You'll end up using the straight reversing camera because you need to ‘drive’ over the space for an image to pop up for the '180-degree' view and by the time it does, you’ve parked anyway!

The 408 is so new that it doesn’t have an ANCAP safety rating but it has a long list of safety features that it might not worry you.

That list includes all of the biggies like rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning and AEB.

It also includes a driver attention alert, dusk-sensing auto lights, tyre pressure monitoring, lane departure and keeping aids, traffic sign recognition, intelligent seatbelt warning and adaptive cruise control.

Parking is sorted with the 180-degree view camera system and front and rear parking sensors.

The 408 only features six airbags, which is low, and is missing out on the newer front centre airbag and even a drivers knee airbag.

For any families out there, the rear features ISOFIX child-seat mounts on the outboard seats and three top-tether anchor points. Two seats will fit best, though.

Mitsubishi continues to offer its near-industry-leading 10-year/200,000km warranty, conditional on the car being serviced at a Mitsubishi dealer. Otherwise, it reverts to a five-year/100,000km promise.

The 10 years of warranty is joined by 10 years of capped-price servicing required at 12 month or 15,000km intervals.

Prices are tame, varying between $320 and $680 per visit, for a total yearly average of $434. It’s not the cheapest yearly average out there, but most brands also don’t have capped price servicing extended this far, so it seems like a good deal regardless.

The 408 comes with a usual warranty term of five-years/unlimited km and the battery is covered by an eight-year or up to 160,000km warranty.

You can pre-purchase three, four, or five-years worth of services, which all work out to be cheaper than the pay-as-you-go option. It costs $1200 (three-years), $1700 (four-years), and $2000 for the five-year plan.

On the five-year plan, services average $400, which is reasonable for the class. Servicing intervals are also good at every 12 months/15,000km, whichever occurs first.