- Yamaha audio system comes customary in refreshed 2025 Outlander SUV
- Collaboration marks Yamaha’s first automobile audio system within the U.S.
In case you’re looking for a brand new automobile, you’ll quickly discover that, together with all of the completely different makes and fashions from which to decide on, there are actually extra premium audio methods than ever competing on your {dollars}. What you may not understand is that there are solely a few main manufacturers behind all of the names that continuously seem on choices lists.
Harman, the massive kahuna within the enterprise, is father or mother to a litany of methods you’ve doubtless heard of (pun supposed), and maybe some you haven’t. Its manufacturers embrace JBL, Infinity, Harman Kardon, Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & Olufsen, AKG, and even the Mark Levinson methods present in Lexus automobiles and the Revel ones present in Lincoln fashions. The opposite large participant is Bose, which has additionally had decades-long partnerships with quite a few automobile manufacturers.
All that is to say that it’s uncommon to get a brand new branded audio system in a automobile, and when it does occur, it normally comes as a expensive choice on automobiles within the premium or luxurious house. Probably the most notable instance of that in current historical past is McIntosh partnering with Jeep a couple of years in the past within the Grand Cherokee and Grand Wagoneer fashions.
Mitsubishi and Yamaha Tie the Knot
It’s rarer nonetheless to haven’t simply an audio model enter the automobile audio marketplace for the primary time, however for it to come back to a mainstream mannequin and — if that isn’t sufficient — to be customary on each mannequin. That’s precisely what has occurred with Yamaha and Mitsubishi.
Yamaha is well-regarded for its premium house audio methods and has over 130 years of expertise making musical devices. However it had but to dip its toe into the automobile audio market, at the very least right here in North America. That each one adjustments with the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander.
For its 2025 replace, the Outlander receives some design tweaks inside and outside. However the larger information for audio lovers like me is the Yamaha system. Or methods, I ought to say. All 2025 Outlander fashions include the 8-speaker Dynamic Sound Yamaha system. Non-compulsory is the 12-speaker/1,650-watt Dynamic Sound Yamaha Final.
The Mannequin Examined
For my week testing the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander, I had the all-wheel-drive SEL mannequin with the Premium Bundle that features the higher-end 12-speaker Yamaha Final setup. With different choices such because the Launch Bundle and the great-looking Moonstone Grey/black roof two-tone coloration scheme, the as-tested worth of this mannequin got here to $45,930, together with vacation spot price. In case you haven’t shopped for a automobile in two, three, or 10 years, know that worth remains to be a number of thousand beneath at the moment’s common transaction worth.
Throughout that week, in fact, I drove the Outlander lots of of miles, however my essential focus was evaluating its audio system, moderately than its experience high quality. You’ll be able to learn in regards to the driving side in our knowledgeable evaluation, and in addition see how the Outlander stacks as much as different smaller 3-row SUVs in one in every of our current comparability exams.
So, How’s It Sound?
If I needed to summarize the Outlander’s new Yamaha system in three phrases, they might be: Fairly darn good.
To expound, this Yamaha audio system sounded each bit pretty much as good as — and sure a bit higher than — non-obligatory Bose methods present in different mainstream opponents. Is it the most effective I’ve ever heard? No. However once more, for a premium audio system in a mainstream automobile, it’s surprisingly crisp and refined. I feel it’s one thing that can shock and delight many Outlander consumers. They could have thought they have been getting only a value-oriented but strong SUV with an ideal guarantee. But, once they flip the quantity dial to the proper, their ears shall be rewarded.
Like something, I surmise that the higher the audio file high quality you utilize, the higher the system will sound. After I check automobile audio methods, I take advantage of a thumb drive crammed with gigs and gigs of high-quality FLAC information that I’ve ripped from CDs, plus a couple of high-res DSD information that I’ve bought and downloaded. However attempt as I would, the Outlander by no means acknowledged the thumb drive. Pity.
So, for my testing, I used music information streamed from my iPhone, SiriusXM, and even good ol’ FM radio. General, I discovered the Yamaha system adeptly re-created all of the notes with out being overblown. It’s a strong, surprisingly good-sounding system. Curiously, I most loved songs with loads of piano. I couldn’t assist however marvel if the Yamaha system is particularly good at reproducing this instrument’s sound, given the corporate’s historical past of constructing superb pianos.
Settings Galore
The Outlander’s Yamaha audio system has all the same old changes for settings similar to subwoofer degree, equalizer, and speech-compensated quantity, in addition to some I’ve by no means seen earlier than. For instance, there’s a setting for rain-compensated quantity and even an air conditioner-compensated quantity. These modify the audio output primarily based on rainfall and fan velocity, respectively. It didn’t rain throughout my week of testing, and I didn’t discover a lot distinction with the air conditioner mode set, however it’s neat that it’s there.
Additionally adjustable is the “sound kind,” with the alternatives being Signature, Full of life, Highly effective, and Stress-free. To my ear, every primarily modified the EQ settings. After working by way of all of them a number of occasions, I defaulted to the default: Signature.
You can even change the listening place by choosing All, Driver, Passenger, Entrance, or Rear. I selected All as a result of I’m a giver.
So the Mitsubishi Outlander’s Yamaha will get a PDG (fairly darn good) ranking from me, whose ears have had the privilege of listening to music reproduced by a few of the world’s most interesting audio and residential methods over time, and whose personal discretionary earnings is spent frequently on high-end headphones and an ever-expanding SACD (Tremendous Audio CD) assortment.
That results in maybe the most effective factor about this new collaboration: You don’t need to test an choices field on the Outlander to get a high quality Yamaha audio system.
