Used car safety, rank #144 of 181
Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD Safety Rating (2017-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2017-20 Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD, a small SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2017-20 Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 53 per million registered vehicle years against a small SUVs average of 42.6, which is 24% above the class average. That places it #144 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 28.4/100.
What the Mitsubishi Outlander death rate means
At 53 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD is 24% worse than the small SUVs average of 42.6. The 95% confidence interval is 12 to 95, which overlaps the class average, so some of the gap may be chance.
The other-driver death rate of 73 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Mitsubishi Outlander. It is higher than the Mitsubishi Outlander's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used SUVs
The safest small SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD highlighted. It ranks 9 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Toyota C-HR at a death rate of 2.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota C-HR | 2018-20 | 2 (0 to 7) | 79.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda CR-V 4WD | 2020 | 14 (0 to 36) | 66.1 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 2WD | 2019-20 | 17 (0 to 39) | 63.8 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD | 2019-20 | 19 (0 to 37) | 62.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota RAV4 hybrid 4WD | 2019-20 | 20 (0 to 40) | 61.9 | n/a | n/a |
| Jeep Compass 2WD | 2017-20 | 27 (6 to 48) | 52.1 | n/a | n/a |
| Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 4WD | 2017-20 | 28 (3 to 53) | 50.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Chevrolet Equinox 4WD | 2020 | 30 (0 to 62) | 48.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD (this page) | 2017-20 | 53 (12 to 95) | 28.4 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for small SUVs: 42.6 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Mitsubishi Outlander
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Mitsubishi Outlander we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Mitsubishi Outlander | No award | 77.6 (provisional) |
| 2026 | Mitsubishi Outlander Sport | No award | 52.4 (provisional) |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 28.4 used-car score above.
Safety recalls for the Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
3 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering structure, seat belts.
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Structure: body, hatchback/liftgate, support device/strut
Risk: A gas spring cylinder rupture or a liftgate falling unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: MMNA will replace the left and right liftgate gas springs, free of charge.
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Structure: body, hatchback/liftgate, support device/strut
Risk: A gas spring cylinder rupture or a liftgate falling unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: MMNA will replace the left and right liftgate gas springs, free of charge.
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Seat belts: rear/other
Risk: An incorrectly assembled seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the right side second-row seat belt and replace it as necessary, free of charge. This recall began June 17, 2020.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD a safe car?
Not on this measure: its drivers died at a higher rate than its class average. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 53 per million registered vehicle years for the 2017-20 Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD, 24% above the class average (42.6 for small SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 28.4 out of 100 and rank #144 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD driver death rate?
53 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 12 to 95. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Mitsubishi Outlander died at a rate of 73 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2017-20 models.
How does the Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD compare with other small SUVs?
The small SUVs class averages 42.6 driver deaths per million; the Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD sits at 53. Among the 9 small SUVs compared above it ranks 9 by safety score; the top of that group is the Toyota C-HR with a death rate of 2.