The Mitsubishi Outlander was originally introduced to American motorists at the 2001 North American International Auto Show in Detroit as the Mitsubishi ASX concept vehicle – ASX standing for Active Sports Crossover. Replacing the body-on-frame Montero Sport in North America, the Outlander went on sale during the 2003 model year.

The fourth and current generation of the Outlander debuted in 2021 for the 2022 model year. As part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, the Outlander is based on the Nissan Rogue which rides on the CMF-CD platform. For 2025, the seven-passenger Outlander gets a mid-cycle refresh with revised front and rear styling along with greater levels of luxury in materials and design throughout the interior.