Mitsubishi Outlander Diamond Trail Edition Brings Rock Mode and All-Terrains to SEMA
The brand's first SEMA stand since 2012 debuts a factory off-road Outlander with a Rock mode, better angles, and all-terrain tires. Price, clearance, and powertrain stay unannounced.
Mitsubishi is bringing the Outlander, its top-selling model in the U.S., to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas next week with a factory off-road trim it has never offered before. The 2028 Outlander Diamond Trail Edition makes its world debut on November 3, and Mitsubishi calls it the most capable Outlander it has built. It is also the brand's first official SEMA stand since 2012.
The hardware goes beyond decals. The Super All-Wheel Control system gains a Rock drive mode with brake control tuned to stop wheel slip sooner than the other S-AWC settings, and Hill Descent Control switches on automatically in that mode, with the driver able to adjust the speed it holds. A new instrument-cluster screen shows front-wheel steering angle, slip at each wheel, and when traction control steps in. The Multi-View Camera, previously cut off at 6.2 mph, now works up to 18.6 mph, so the driver can keep watching the trail while crawling.
Redesigned front and rear bumpers raise the approach angle from 18.3 to 20.5 degrees and the departure angle from 22.2 to 23.1 degrees, according to Mitsubishi. The Diamond Trail rides on 18x7.5-inch black wheels with Nexen Roadian ATX all-terrain tires and adds over-fenders, a matte-black grille, dark headlight bezels, and raised roof rails. A new Trail Green Metallic paint can be paired with a white roof. Inside, the seats get a water-repellent dark-gray fabric with khaki stitching, and Diamond Trail logos appear on the seatbacks, door trim, and floor mats.
Where it lands against the CR-V TrailSport and Forester Wilderness
Every major compact-SUV player now sells a trail trim, and the numbers are public. Honda's CR-V TrailSport Hybrid, at $38,800 before destination, rides on Continental all-terrain tires but keeps the standard 8.2 inches of ground clearance, and Honda's own spec sheet lists its approach and departure angles at 16.1 and 21.3 degrees, lower than the new Outlander's. Subaru's 2027 Forester Wilderness Hybrid, at $39,495, goes further: longer springs lift it to 9.3 inches of clearance, with a 23.5-degree approach and a 25.5-degree departure. Toyota's RAV4 Woodland adds Dunlop all-terrain tires and 8.5 inches of clearance without any suspension change.
On angles, the Diamond Trail sits between the Honda and the Subaru. What Mitsubishi hasn't said is where it sits on ride height: the release gives no ground-clearance figure and never mentions a factory lift, which suggests the gains come from the bumpers and tires alone. Pricing, an on-sale date, and the powertrain are also unannounced, and the company hasn't explained why the car carries a 2028 model-year designation when it debuts in late 2026. The closest reference point is last year's Outlander Trail Edition, an appearance-and-accessory package that started at $39,295, right where the CR-V and RAV4 hybrids cluster.
Six vehicles on the stand
Three Diamond Trails will be at Booth 52249 in the West Hall. One is close to stock, with factory accessories and a color-matched Thule roof box. A second is built for towing and camping, with a 1.5-inch Anderson Design & Fabrication lift, BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain tires in 265/65R18, a Thule Caprock rack carrying two Specialized mountain bikes, and a GulfStream Trail Boss trailer painted to match. The third goes further, with a 2.5-inch Flatout Suspension lift, Method 707 wheels, BFGoodrich KO3 tires, a Thule rooftop tent, and Rough Country lighting and traction boards.
Alongside them: the Ralliart Triton that won the Asia Cross Country Rally, the Delica D:5 Ultimate Gear van from January's Tokyo Auto Salon, which Mitsubishi says is the first time a current Delica D:5 has been officially shown in the U.S., and an Outlander Sport Trail Edition dressed in dealer accessories.
The timing matters to Mitsubishi's U.S. plan as much as to the Outlander. Under Momentum 2030 the company has promised one new or fully refreshed model a year through 2030, roughly doubling a four-model lineup, and the Outlander is carrying the sales load in the meantime: 9,311 of the 18,543 vehicles Mitsubishi sold in the U.S. in the third quarter were Outlanders, up 27.1 percent year over year while the brand's total fell 5.6 percent. The brand is also leaning on its rally record, including 12 Dakar wins, to give the badge some history. A SEMA stand costs far less than a new model, but it says where Mitsubishi wants the Outlander positioned: next to the Wilderness and TrailSport badges rather than in a base-trim price fight.
Mitsubishi's press conference is set for 9:30 a.m. Pacific on November 3. Pricing and the on-sale date will have to wait at least until then.
