Despite a claimed “more than 100” design and engineering improvements, Mitsubishi’s base price for the 2016 Outlander crossover stays the same as that for the outgoing version, at $25,998.

While the restyle is nowhere near as “dramatic” as Mitsu describes it, the new look does bring a dose of flash to this compact SUV, which immediately looked dated following its previous restyle in 2014.

Trim levels remain the same as the 2015’s: the range starts with the only front-drive model, the ES FWD, at the aforementioned $25,998. The first step up brings buyers to the ES AWC (that being the acronym for Mitsu’s creatively-named “all-wheel control” AWD system), priced at $27,998, an MSRP also carried over from 2015. Adding an available premium package to the ES AWC brings the price up to $31,998, a $500 bump from the previous model year.

Switch a couple letters around and you get the next-up trim, the SE AWC, also with a $31,998 MSRP, up $800 from 2015. Add an optional touring package for $1,600; where last year’s SE AWC Touring was $32,498, it’s now priced at $33,598.

Topping the line is the GT S-AWC, with its $36,498 MSRP, a $300 increase. Adding touchscreen navigation (the only option available in GT trim) costs $2,000, (down notably from last year’s $2,730), bringing the overall price down nearly $500, to $38,498.

Outlander’s look is new, but its powertrains remain the same. A 2.4L, 166-hp four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable transmission powers ES models, while SE and GT trims get a 3.0L V6 and six-speed automatic combo good for 224 hp. Mitsu is correct that V6 power is now rare in this segment, but that 3.0L’s output is on the weak side compared to turbo motors offered in the Ford Escape and Kia Sportage.

The 2016 Outlander goes on sale across Canada this summer.

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander 2

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