Picture this: you're weaving through Sydney traffic, then hitting the Hume Highway for a weekend escape. The SUV ahead of you is twice the price, yet your seats are massaging away the drive, your favourite Spotify playlist is wafting through the Yamaha sound system fill the cabin, and you're sipping fuel efficiently. That's the 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed Tourer in a nutshell - Mitsubishi's top-of-the-range petrol AWD SUV that's loaded with kit most rivals charge extra for - a lot of extra for. I tested this beautifully specified Moonstone Grey with Brick Brown Premium Leather interior combo, and it left me grinning as I scratched my head. At under $65,000, it's a value bomb for practical car buyers wanting usability without the luxury badge snobbery.

Design & Exterior

The Outlander Exceed Tourer cuts a sharp, modern figure in the mid-size SUV crowd. Its bold front grille and slim Auto High Grade LED headlights give it real presence, flanked by LED fog lights and 20-inch two-tone alloy wheels that fill the arches nicely. That Moonstone Grey paint pops under Aussie sun, contrasting beautifully with the Brick Brown leather inside - a classy combo that turns heads without screaming for attention.

Practicality shines here, too. Roof rails handle kayaks or roof boxes effortlessly, and the hands-free power liftgate with adjustable height makes loading groceries, prams, or golf clubs a breeze. Ground clearance sits at a healthy 210mm, perfect for unsealed roads, while the full-sized spare wheel under the boot (standard across Exceed models) means you're not stranded with a space-saver. Turning circle is a tight 11m, making it nimble in car parks. Towing maxes at 900kg braked - solid for a trailer or bikes - and S-AWC all-wheel drive with multiple modes adds gravel-road confidence. It's not the most aggressive off-roader, but for real-world "All-Aussie Adventures", it nails the brief.

Interior & Technology

Hop into the Exceed Tourer, and it's premium lounge vibes on a family budget. This petrol AWD seats five properly (unlike the PHEV's seven-seater setup), with this beautiful Brick Brown Premium Leather that's soft and supportive. Front buckets feature 8-way power adjustment, heating, ventilation, and - get this - massage functions that rival SUVs twice the price. Long drives? No sore back here. Rear seats are heated too, with 40/20/40 split seats for flexibility, and ISOFIX points make child seat installations a doddle.

Tech is a highlight. The 12.3-inch Smartphone-Link Display Audio supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, and DAB. But the star? Yamaha Ultimate 12-speaker system - punchy bass, crystal highs, filling the cabin like a concert hall. Add a 10.8-inch head-up display, 12.3-inch digital driver cluster, frameless auto-dimming mirror with Homelink, and wireless charging - it's loaded.

Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4

Comforts abound: dual-zone climate control, heated steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers, and rear vents keep everyone happy. Boot space is generous at 309L (expandable to 1,817L), with underfloor storage. Materials feel upmarket - no cheap plastics - and the electrochromatic mirror plus puddle lights add polish. For daily usability, it's spot-on: quiet, spacious, and intuitive.

Performance & Driving Experience

Under the bonnet, the new 2.5L four-cylinder engine makes around 135kW and 244Nm, paired with a smooth CVT and Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC). It's peppy off the line for overtakes, but you will notice the weight when you load up the family and baggage. Fuel economy? Expect mid-7L/100km combined - efficient for a 1,740kg AWD haulier. I racked up 891km during my test and saw 7.3L/100km with an average speed of 50km/h. I was in the city, and yo-yo'd the Hume Highway a couple of times, so that number is pretty much bang on.

Around town, it's lovely: light steering, multiple drive modes (Tarmac, Gravel, Mud, Snow, Normal) that tailor grip perfectly, and an 11m turning circle that makes U-turns easy. Open road? Sublime. Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go (my nemesis!), comfy massaging seats, and a refined ride on 20s eat up kilometres. The CVT drones under hard acceleration but settles nicely at highway speeds. Real-world capability shines - I tackled wet gravel without too much TCS drama, thanks to Active Yaw Control.

It's no sports car, but for family duties, it's engaging and capable. Electric power steering is precise, and the suspension balances compliance with control beautifully.

Safety

Mitsubishi loads the Exceed Tourer with serious active safety. Standard kit includes 11 airbags, forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with intervention, lane departure prevention, rear cross-traffic alert, and a multi-view camera with moving object detection. Adaptive cruise, traffic sign recognition, driver attention alert, and front/rear parking sensors round it out.

Passive side: strong body from Japan, reinforced child locks. It aced testing in similar markets, and the full-size spare adds peace of mind. For Aussie families, it's comprehensive without needing options.

Shortcomings

No car is perfect, and the Outlander Exceed Tourer has its quirks. The CVT can feel rubbery during spirited drives, whining under load - it's efficient but not as engaging as a proper auto. Boot space trails some seven-seaters (like the Kia Sorento), especially with five proper seats prioritised here. You can certainly argue that there is a very strong case for a 7-seat option in this top-of-the-line Outlander. From what I can deduce, the petrol tank lives under the spare wheel well, which limits the depth available to stow that third row of seats. Somehow, the PHEV version makes it work.

Ride quality firms up on rough bitumen, transmitting more harshness than plusher rivals. Infotainment, while feature-packed, lags slightly in responsiveness compared to native Google systems. Fuel tank is 55L - adequate but not class-leading for long hauls. And while value is stellar, resale might not match Toyota badges long-term. These are nitpicks in a sea of strengths, but worth noting for picky buyers.

Value & Verdict

At sub-$65K drive-away territory for this spec (think leather massagers, Yamaha 12-speaker audio, S-AWC AWD, full-size spare, and HUD), the 2026 Outlander Exceed Tourer is unbelievable value. It undercuts loaded mid-sizers from Mazda or Volkswagen while matching or beating their kit. Five-year warranty, capped-price servicing, and real-world usability make it a smart pick for growing families.

Verdict: Buy it. This top-spec Tourer delivers luxury comfort, fun driving, and practicality without breaking the bank. If you want a versatile SUV that excels on highways, errands, and light adventures, shortlist this Moonstone Grey stunner now. Mitsubishi's certainly back in the game.