Mitsubishi has a good track record in the SUV market and Land Rover has built its brand on off-roaders, so how does the new Mitsubishi Outlander compare to the Land Rover Freelander 2?

The Outlander has seven seats compared to the Freelander’s five, but the third row of seats or “bench” in the Outlander is only suitable for children, as legroom is limited and has been criticized for being uncomfortable. Both compact SUVs have 60/40 split rear seats, but which has more room? The Outlander has three rows of seats in a 2-3-2 configuration and offers 220 liters of space with all 7 seats up, 541 liters with just five seats up and 1,691 liters with all but the front seats folded down. The Freelander 2 has a maximum capacity of 1,670 with all rear seats folded and 755 with the seats up. Both have impressive top-end capabilities, but the Freelander offers more usable space when all five seats are up. A 7-seat Freelander is expected sometime this year, which should add extra versatility to the range.

The Freelander 2 is touted as the cleanest Land Rover ever built, with the new eD4 2.2 diesel engine with start-stop technology producing 158g/km CO2 and 47.2mpg. However, this is for the 2WD version, the 4-wheel drive model produces 45.6 mpg and 165 g/km. The Outlander isn’t too far off those numbers, with the 2.2-litre diesel emitting 169g/km of CO2 and delivering 43.5 miles per gallon. Outlander’s new diesel engine is also more powerful than Freelander’s, producing 174bhp versus 150bhp for the Freelander 2.2 diesel.

The Freelander has been criticized in the past for being unreliable and poorly built, but it has been said that the new Freelander 2 feels really solid and handles as well as you’d expect off-road, tackling even the toughest situations with ease. , but is just as competent on the road. The Outlander also appears to handle very well and is especially agile for a 4×4 thanks to the firm suspension.

So how do they compare price wise? The entry-level Freelander S model starts from £21,995, while the top-of-the-range Freelander 2 HSE will set you back £32,995.00. The Mitsubishi Outlander starts at £22,099 for 4WD models and from £23,349 for 2WD versions, with the GX4 starting at £28,599.

Both look very beefy, but the Land Rover has the edge, even with the recent styling update the Outlander is still pretty bland. So far I am not sure if I will visit my local Mitsubishi dealer in Somerset or head to my local Land Rover dealer as both have their pros and cons.