Mitsubishi Outlander, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls

67,914 Mitsubishi Outlanders are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 76.3% of initial MOT tests, 4 points above the 72.3% UK average.

Looking at a specific Outlander? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.

Mitsubishi Outlander at the MOT

76.3% of 75,334 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Outlander 246th of 575 models. Mitsubishi Outlanders aged 3 to 5 years passed 86.8% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 58.8%.

First-time pass rate, 2025

Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.

  • Mitsubishi Outlander76.3%
  • All Mitsubishi modelsThe Outlander is 5 pts ahead71.3%
  • All cars72.3%

Pass rate by age at test

Mitsubishi Outlander tests in 2025.

  • 3 to 5 years12,961 tests86.8%
  • 6 to 10 years51,173 tests77.4%
  • 11 years and over11,199 tests58.8%

Where Outlanders fail

Share of all failure items recorded on Mitsubishi Outlander tests in 2025.

  • Brakes21.8%
  • Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment21%
  • Suspension19.5%
  • Tyres13.3%
  • Steering8.1%

The items testers recorded most often were brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick (5.9%), position lamp not working (5.1%) and track rod end ball joint has excessive play (4.7%).

The MOT page lists every common Outlander MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.

Full Mitsubishi Outlander MOT record

What to look at on a viewing

The Outlander's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.

  1. Brakes

    Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.21.8% of Outlander failure items

  2. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

    Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.21% of Outlander failure items

  3. Suspension

    Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.19.5% of Outlander failure items

Mitsubishi Outlanders in the UK

67,914 were licensed at the end of June 2026, the 2nd most of any Mitsubishi. The number licensed has grown 175% since the end of 2014, although it peaked at 77,308 at the end of 2021.

Change since 2014
+175%from 24,737 licensed
Typical year of first use
2016half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2016 or earlier
First registered in 2025
1against 14,291 in 2015
Declared off the road
3,4124.8% of those registered, under SORN

Licensed Mitsubishi Outlanders since 2014

Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.

Show the figures
DateLicensed
End of 201424,737
End of 201538,022
End of 201649,007
End of 201756,864
End of 201865,308
End of 201972,672
End of 202076,006
End of 202177,308
End of 202275,533
End of 202373,367
End of 202471,252
End of 202569,130
End of June 202667,914

How old they are

Licensed Mitsubishi Outlanders by year of first use.

  • Licensed at the end of 2025
  • First registered that year

A further 251 were first used before 2007.

Show the figures
First usedLicensed, end 2025First registered that year
20212,0942,300
20204,7465,252
20197,9398,803
20189,87111,234
20178,1379,512
201610,05111,904
201511,86414,291
20146,697
20131,822
2012956
20111,047
20101,160
2009884
2008939
2007572

11,864 Outlanders first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 83% of the 14,291 first registered that year.

Outlander engines and fuel

2.0 litre engines made up 52% of Mitsubishi Outlander MOT tests in 2025, followed by 2.4 litre at 23%. Plug-in hybrid accounts for 69% of licensed Outlanders and diesel for 24%. Electric examples were 4.2% of tests.

Engine size at MOT, 2025

Share of 75,325 initial MOT tests in 2025.

  • 2.0 litre52.4%
  • 2.4 litre23%
  • 2.3 litre18.2%
  • 2.2 litre2.2%

Fuel type, licensed Outlanders

DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.

FuelLicensedShare
Petrol4,7167%
Diesel16,08724%
Plug-in hybrid47,08369%
Hybrid electric1<0.1%
Gas27<0.1%

Mitsubishi Outlander recalls

28 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Mitsubishi Outlander. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Outlander is affected.

  1. Jul 2021 R/2021/233

    If there is an object in front of the vehicle the FCM camera system may incorrectly detect it as a pedestrian depending on road circumstances

    Outlanders built Aug 2016 to Mar 2020 · 17,804 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Remedy
    Carry out a software update to the FCM-ECU.
  2. Oct 2020 R/2020/146

    The right side second row seat belt may be assembled incorrectly

    Outlanders built Jun 2019 to Jul 2019 · 248 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Remedy
    Inspect the installation of the seat belt and replace if necessary.
  3. May 2019 R/2019/142

    The resistor inside the air flow sensor may corrode

    Outlanders built Oct 2013 to Jan 2014 · 12 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    It may not be possible to start the engine in order to charge the main drive battery.
    Remedy
    The air flow sensor is to be replaced on the affected vehicles.
  4. Jan 2019 R/2018/336

    Sunroof glass may detach from the sunroof assembly

    Outlanders built Nov 2006 to Jul 2012 · 5,940 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    The sunroof glass may detach from the sunroof assembly.
    Remedy
    Replace the sunroof glass and bonding material.
  5. Jan 2019 R/2018/335

    The flange of the drive belt automatic tensioner may crack

    Outlanders built Mar 2008 to Oct 2009 · 398 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Power steering drive belt automatic tensioner may crack and fail.
    Remedy
    Replace the automatic tensioner and bolts.
  6. Nov 2018 R/2018/286

    On certain vehicles equipped with FCM FCM may activate the brake for longer than necessary

    Outlanders built Aug 2016 to Nov 2017 · 6,752 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Collision avoidance system may activate the brake for longer than necessary.
    Remedy
    The ECU will be rewritten with modified software.
  7. Nov 2018 R/2018/285

    The brake hydraulic unit function may be interrupted

    Outlanders built Aug 2016 to Jan 2018 · 17,633 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Driver assist programme functions through the hydraulic brake unit may be interrupted.
    Remedy
    The ECU will be rewritten with modified software.
  8. Aug 2018 R/2018/180

    Parking brake caliper shaft boots incorrectly sealed

    Outlanders built Sep 2012 to Apr 2016 · 51,154 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Due to improper sealing of parking brake caliper shaft boots water might penetrate inside and rust the shaft. As the result of continuous use the rust will erode into the internal caliper and the shaft becomes stuck causing decreased parking brake force. Due to improper manufacturing process automatic adjuster for brake pad clearance of rear brake caliper might not work properly. As the result as brake pad wear the clearance is not correctly adjusted and brake force becomes insufficient to hold a vehicle. In the worst case scenario parking brake will not work even though a lever is fully operated and parked vehicle may move.
    Remedy
    Anti-rust coating (Fluorine) has been applied to parking brake shaft from 27/01/2016 supplied parts & the Inspection process for the caliper has been changed from 14/12/2014 supplied parts.
How to check a specific Outlander for recalls

Mitsubishi Outlander FAQs

How many Mitsubishi Outlanders are there in the UK?

67,914 Mitsubishi Outlanders were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 3,412 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.

Is the Mitsubishi Outlander reliable?

MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 76.3% first-time pass rate for the Mitsubishi Outlander across 75,334 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.

Has the Mitsubishi Outlander had any recalls?

28 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Mitsubishi Outlander. The most recent was published in July 2021. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.

What should I check before buying a used Mitsubishi Outlander?

On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: brakes, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and suspension. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.

How do I check a Mitsubishi Outlander's history?

Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.

Already found an Outlander?

Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.

Across the 1,548 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Mitsubishi history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Mitsubishi VIN check.

  • Outstanding finance
  • Write-off records
  • Stolen markers
  • Mileage history
  • Previous keepers

MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to October 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.