It's only been a year since Mitsubishi gave its bestseller a heavy refresh. A new cabin, more sound insulation, and some kicking Yamaha audio systems all gave the three-row SUV a boost. For 2026, Mitsubishi is making changes once again, and we have some good news to report on multiple fronts.Arguably the biggest issue with the sizable SUV was power, specifically a lack thereof. On the surface, it looks like things are actually worse for 2026 with a new, smaller engine. But that engine actually gives the Outlander some added muscle exactly where it's needed most. And perhaps the best news, the upgrade comes with a very minimal change in price. Let's take a look. New Engine Has Less Power, But More Torque Mitsubishi With a new engine the biggest change for the new year, Mitsubishi has surprisingly little to say about it. The 2026 Outlander announcement didn't include any specs, but we have most of them already. It's a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder that makes 174 horsepower. That's slightly less power than the already meager 181 hp from last year's 2.5L, but the torque figure is notably higher.Previously, the three-row SUV had just 181 pound-feet to work with. Now, it's up to 206 lb-ft, and it hits in the 3,000 to 4,000 rpm range for a broader power band. The Outlander still won't win any stoplight battles, but this extra torque is something it sorely needed.Perhaps most importantly, it also adds 48-volt mild hybrid assist. This should give it more torque from a stop, something the old 2.5 and its CVT really struggled with, though Mitsubishi doesn't say exactly how much oomph there is from the assist. It should also help with start-stop operation and fuel economy.Speaking of, the new Outlander is rated at 26 miles per gallon in the city and 31 on the highway with front-wheel drive, and 26/30 with AWD. That's not really an improvement over last year's 24/31 with FWD and 24/30 with AWD, but if you want more pulling power while using less fuel, the refreshed-for-2026 Outlander PHEV is right there in the showroom. 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander Pricing *Prices include destination (2026 $1,745; 2025 $1,495) Shuffled Trim Packages And Higher Pricing On The Luxury Grades MitsubishiJust like last year, the entry point into the Outlander lineup is the ES model. For 2026, it is $350 more than last year, coming in at $29,995 before the $1,745 destination. That destination fee, though, is up by $250, so the real difference is $600.ES includes the new engine, a 12.3-inch center display with navigation and SiriusXM 360L, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Even the base model gets a Yamaha audio system, this one with eight speakers. Mitsubishi's safety suite is a broad one, and includes forward collision mitigation, blind spot warnings, rear cross traffic alert and braking, and lane departure warnings.If you add all-wheel drive for $1,800, then you also get heated seats. Mitsubishi wisely recognizes the close relationship between all-wheel drive and cold weather, so it's nice to have without needing to splurge for a higher trim.Next up is the LE grade, which is new this year. It adds adaptive cruise and 20-inch wheels. It also has a leather-wrapped steering wheel and faux leather seats (the driver gets power adjustment) to make it feel more premium. LE also adds a multi-view camera system and two rear-seat USB-C ports.Mitsubishi With LE now in the middle, the SE grade is $1,950 more than before (plus the destination fee increase). It includes Mi-Pilot highway driving assist, traffic sign recognition, and a few other driver assists. It also has a power hatch. While this model is significantly more expensive than last year, it doesn't really offer any additional features. The notable ones are improvements to the driver assist systems and swapping cloth seats for synthetic leather.SE offers multiple option groups. A Tech Package gives SE a 12-speaker Yamaha stereo, power panoramic sunroof, and a 12.3-inch digital dash. Ralliart adds black trim and Ralliart badges to the all-wheel drive SE. The Trail Edition adds 18-inch wheels, black exterior details including more black fender trim, and bumper and door protection. It does not come with all-terrain tires, though.SEL adds leather seats with ventilation in the front, a heated wheel, digital dash, power roof, and three-zone climate control. A Premium Package adds the 12-speaker stereo along with Mitsubishi's sublime (for the segment) brown semi-aniline quilted leather seats. The Black edition swaps the brown cabin for black, and adds black exterior badges.The old top-line Platinum Edition is gone, but didn't add much more than a grey interior and special black exterior paint. The SEL, though, is now priced to make up for it. A loaded SEL starts from $42,095 or $43,895 with all-wheel drive, a $2,050 difference from last year.The 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander should arrive at dealers shortly.