- Yamaha audio system comes normal in refreshed 2025 Outlander SUV
- Collaboration marks Yamaha’s first automotive audio system within the U.S.
In the event you’re looking for a brand new automotive, you’ll quickly discover that, together with all of the totally different makes and fashions from which to decide on, there at the moment are extra premium audio methods than ever competing in your {dollars}. What you may not understand is that there are solely a few main manufacturers behind all of the names that ceaselessly seem on choices lists.
Harman, the large kahuna within the enterprise, is dad or mum to a litany of methods you’ve seemingly heard of (pun meant), and maybe some you haven’t. Its manufacturers embody JBL, Infinity, Harman Kardon, Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & OlufsenAKG, and even the Mark Levinson methods present in Lexus autos and the Revel ones present in Lincoln fashions. The opposite massive participant is Bose, which has additionally had decades-long partnerships with quite a few automotive manufacturers.
All that is to say that it’s uncommon to get a brand new branded audio system in a automotive, and when it does occur, it normally comes as a pricey possibility on autos within the premium or luxurious area. Probably the most notable instance of that in latest historical past is McIntosh partnering with Jeep just a few 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 automotive audio marketplace for the primary time, however for it to come back to a mainstream mannequin and — if that isn’t sufficient — to be normal 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. Nevertheless it had but to dip its toe into the automotive audio market, at the least right here in North America. That every one adjustments with the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander.
For its 2025 replacethe Outlander receives some design tweaks in and out. However the greater information for audio fans like me is the Yamaha system. Or methods, I ought to say. All 2025 Outlander fashions include the 8-speaker Dynamic Sound Yamaha system. Optionally available 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 Package deal that features the higher-end 12-speaker Yamaha Final setup. With different choices such because the Launch Package deal 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 the event you haven’t shopped for a automobile in two, three, or 10 years, know that worth continues to be a number of thousand under right this moment’s common transaction worth.
Throughout that week, after all, I drove the Outlander a whole bunch of miles, however my primary focus was evaluating its audio system, somewhat than its experience high quality. You may learn concerning the driving facet in our skilled evaluateand in addition see how the Outlander stacks as much as different smaller 3-row SUVs in one among our latest comparability checks.
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 nearly as good as — and certain a bit higher than — elective Bose methods present in different mainstream opponents. Is it one of the best I’ve ever heard? No. However once more, for a premium audio system in a mainstream automotive, it’s surprisingly crisp and refined. I feel it’s one thing that may shock and delight many Outlander consumers. They might have thought they have been getting only a value-oriented but strong SUV with an important guarantee. But, once they flip the quantity dial to the proper, their ears might be rewarded.
Like something, I surmise that the higher the audio file high quality you employ, the higher the system will sound. Once I check automotive audio methods, I exploit a thumb drive crammed with gigs and gigs of high-quality FLAC recordsdata that I’ve ripped from CDs, plus just a few high-res DSD recordsdata 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 recordsdata 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. Apparently, I most loved songs with loads of piano. I couldn’t assist however surprise if the Yamaha system is very good at reproducing this instrument’s sound, given the corporate’s historical past of constructing fantastic pianos.
Settings Galore
The Outlander’s Yamaha audio system has all the standard changes for settings equivalent 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 regulate the audio output based mostly on rainfall and fan pace, respectively. It didn’t rain throughout my week of testing, and I didn’t discover a lot distinction with the air conditioner mode set, nevertheless it’s neat that it’s there.
Additionally adjustable is the “sound kind,” with the alternatives being Signature, Energetic, Highly effective, and Stress-free. To my ear, every primarily modified the EQ settings. After operating by means of all of them a number of instances, 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 number of the world’s most interesting audio and residential methods over time, and whose personal discretionary earnings is spent commonly on high-end headphones and an ever-expanding SACD (Tremendous Audio CD) assortment.
That results in maybe one of the best factor about this new collaboration: You don’t should examine an choices field on the Outlander to get a top quality Yamaha audio system.
