Mitsubishi Outlander extended warranty: cost, coverage & plans

Outlander extended warranty coverage

In a nutshell, an extended auto warranty effectively “extends” the length of the factory warranty your Outlander comes with, even though it’s technically a different plan.

For context, all new Mitsubishis come with the following warranties from the factory:

• A five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, which covers virtually every part on the car except regular ones designed to wear out (like brake pads and wiper blades) and select entertainment/navigation system parts
• A 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, which covers your engine, transmission and drive axle

Mitsubishi’s factory warranty is excellent, and it was competitive enough to earn the Japanese automaker a top spot in our ranking of the best new car warranties (with coverage similar to Hyundai’s).

» MORE: What does a car warranty cover?

Like most manufacturers’ warranties, Mitsubishi’s bumper-to-bumper warranty automatically transfers to the vehicle’s next owner (people who buy the vehicle used). So, if you purchase a pre-owned Outlander that’s two years old with 25,000 miles on the odometer, you’ll still have three years or 35,000 miles left of the original bumper-to-bumper warranty.

However, Mitsubishi’s powertrain warranty doesn’t transfer to subsequent owners unless you buy a certified pre-owned (CPO) Outlander.

Regardless, the maximum bumper-to-bumper protection you’ll have from the original warranty is five years. If you plan to own your Outlander past that mark, you might want to consider purchasing an extended warranty.

When looking at extended warranties for your Mitsubishi Outlander, you have two main options:

• Buy an official extended warranty from Mitsubishi, dubbed Mitsubishi Diamond Care Protection Plans
• Buy a third-party alternative from an extended warranty company

However, while researching for our full breakdown of Mitsubishi extended warranties, we called 12 Mitsubishi dealers in 10 states and not a single one sold Mitsubishi Diamond Care Protection Plans.

So, we reached out to olive and Endurance, two extended car warranty companies, for price quotes on a 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander extended warranty. We've shared our results below.

» LEARN: What to know about manufacturers’ extended warranties

How much does a Mitsubishi Outlander extended warranty cost?

A three-year, bumper-to-bumper extended warranty on a 2023 Outlander can cost as little as $1,400 before local tax.

That was the quote we received from olive. Endurance quoted us $4,420. Both plans had a $100 deductible.

This is just a sample of the different warranty options for an Outlander. It’s smart to shop around and get multiple quotes so you know you’re getting a good deal.

The Mitsubishi dealers we spoke with also offered other third-party plans ranging from $2,000 to $4,000 for three years of bumper-to-bumper coverage and a $100 deductible. (For context, the average extended auto warranty costs around $1,000 per year of coverage.)

Before we move on, it’s worth addressing that you can also get an extended warranty that doesn’t offer bumper-to-bumper coverage, but it might not be a good idea unless you really know what you’re doing.

» READ MORE: How to choose an extended car warranty

Bumper-to-bumper warranties often go by names like “Platinum” or “Complete Care,” but there are also Gold, Silver and Powertrain plans. These plans are usually cheaper than bumper-to-bumper plans, but they’re arguably not as worthwhile. Based on the reviews we’ve read from consumers, many people are drawn to these plans without understanding the limits of their coverage, resulting in a negative experience for everyone involved.

Bumper-to-bumper plans cover 90% or more of the parts on your car. Gold and Silver plans usually only cover 15% to 20% of your car, and Powertrain plans cover even less. You might pay a little more for Platinum, but you’ll get far more peace of mind knowing that your next major repair is more likely to be covered.

If you have significant savings, getting stuck with a massive repair bill might not be a huge worry, but if you don’t, it could be ruinous. A ConsumerAffairs investigation found that most drivers surveyed couldn’t afford to pay cash for a $1,000 repair bill, and 13% of respondents simply had no way to handle a bill that large — even with credit.

Is an Outlander extended warranty worth it?

If you can find an Outlander extended warranty under $2,500 — or, better yet, under $1,500 — is it worth paying for?

In general, an extended auto warranty is more likely to be worth it if any of the following apply to you:

1. The vehicle you drive has below-average reliability.
2. The cost of your extended warranty is less than you expect to spend on repairs.
3. A large surprise repair bill could be financially disastrous for you.
4. You don’t mind paying $1,500-plus for added peace of mind while you own your vehicle.

Since points three and four are up to you, let’s look at Mitsubishi’s overall reliability and cost of repairs to help you understand where you stand in relation to the first two points.

First off, Mitsubishi ranks well for reliability as a brand. In its 2023 Vehicle Dependability Study, J.D. Power ranked the brand sixth out of 32 total automakers based on the number of problems per 100 vehicles found after three years of ownership.

As for the Mitsubishi Outlander specifically, Consumer Reports gave the 2023 model a 4 out of 5 predicted reliability score. RepairPal, which rates cars based on the cost and frequency of repairs, also gave the Outlander a score of 4 out of 5. That site’s data suggests that the Outlander costs slightly less to own and makes slightly fewer trips to the mechanic than your average compact SUV.

In summary, the Mitsubishi Outlander has a high predicted reliability rating and a low expected cost of ownership. Plus, any major factory defect would likely start showing itself well within the five-year/60,000-mile factory warranty period.

» MORE: Mitsubishi maintenance: cost, plans and service schedule

However, that doesn’t mean there’s no chance of something going wrong with your Outlander. And if it does, your factory warranty may not be a perfect solution.

“I bought a brand new OUTLANDER 2022, in less than a month with less than 3000km the engine has started HEATING UP,” wrote Ansaar, a ConsumerAffairs reviewer in Canada. “It's been 10 days since my car is parked At Dilawri Mitsubishi Regina. I still do not know when the part will arrive, I believe it's coming from space.”

There’s also the fact that most used Outlanders won’t come with Mitsubishi’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. That means you could end up without any warranty protection sooner than expected.

Basically, if you want as much peace of mind as possible (or you’re in a situation where you intend to keep your vehicle long-term and can’t risk getting stuck with a large repair bill), getting an extended warranty for your Outlander might make sense. Otherwise, you may be better off without one.

» MORE: Pros and cons of extended auto warranties