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Mitsubishi Turned The Outlander Into An Off-Road SUV For SEMA

With revised bumpers and all-terrain tires, the 2028 Outlander Diamond Trail Edition is made for the dirt.

2028 Mitsubishi Outlander Diamond Trail

Photo by: Mitsubishi

Brian Potter

By: Brian Potter

Oct 26, at 9:06am ET

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Mitsubishi has not had its own booth at the SEMA Show since 2012. That changes on November 3, 2026, in Las Vegas, where the automaker will use the stage to reveal the 2028 Outlander Diamond Trail Edition, a trail-focused version of its three-row crossover.

The new trim brings a dedicated off-road drive mode, revised bumpers for better ground clearance angles, and all-terrain tires. Mitsubishi says it is the most capable Outlander it has built.

Off-Road Capability

2028 Mitsubishi Outlander Diamond Trail SEMA lineup

2028 Mitsubishi Outlander Diamond Trail SEMA lineup

Photo by: Mitsubishi

The headline change is a new Rock drive mode added to the Outlander's Super All-Wheel Control system. It relies on faster brake control to suppress wheel slip on loose or uneven terrain. The standard all-wheel-drive setup isn't tuned to handle that.

Drivers get a dedicated instrument-cluster display in Rock mode showing steering angle, individual wheel slip, and traction-control intervention in real time. That level of feedback is something Mitsubishi hasn't offered on a mainstream Outlander trim before.

The Multi-View Camera System also behaves differently in Rock mode. It stays active up to 18.6 mph, three times the 6.2-mph cutoff on the standard Outlander, so drivers can keep eyes on obstacles at low crawling speeds.

Hill Descent Control kicks in automatically once Rock mode is selected, so drivers do not have to switch it on manually for steep descents.

Mitsubishi is not new to this terrain. The brand has 12 Dakar Rally wins and four World Rally Championship titles from 1996 to 1999. That history gives Rock mode some credibility.

Gallery: 2028 Mitsubishi Outlander Diamond Trail

2028 Mitsubishi Outlander Diamond Trail

Source: Mitsubishi

Revised Bumpers And All-Terrain Hardware

Redesigned front and rear bumpers push the approach angle from 18.3 to 20.5 degrees and the departure angle from 22.2 to 23.1 degrees. Those numbers mean fewer scraped bumpers on rutted trails or steep driveway transitions.

The Diamond Trail Edition rides on 265/65-18 all-terrain tires, a size built for rocks and gravel. Mitsubishi paired the tires with an adventure-oriented interior trim and a new exterior color, Trail Green Metallic, exclusive to this version.

Three Outlander Diamond Trail Edition vehicles will sit on Mitsubishi's SEMA stand: one stock example and two modified builds showing what the aftermarket can do with the new platform. They're part of a six-vehicle display, Mitsubishi's largest SEMA presence in over a decade.

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Mitsubishi North America CEO Mark Chaffin tied the reveal to the brand's broader direction, calling SEMA "the ideal stage for the world debut of the all-new Outlander Diamond Trail Edition," since the show is "where automotive passion, innovation and personalization come together." The comment places the Outlander inside Mitsubishi's Momentum 2030 plan.

Mitsubishi has not released pricing or an on-sale date for the Diamond Trail Edition. The SEMA debut is the first public reveal, with more details to follow closer to the 2028 model-year launch.

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