Mitsubishi Outlander Holds UAE Number One Spot For Second Month Running

Abu Dhabi: The Mitsubishi Outlander repeated at number one on the UAE's monthly sales chart in August, posting a significant 623 percent jump year on year and holding 8.9 percent of the market. It is the second straight month the Outlander has topped the chart, following a 696.7 percent surge in July that first pushed it past long-time leaders like the Toyota Hilux and Nissan Patrol.

This is quite a significant development for the brand as well as the overall market. Demand for mid-size SUVs continues to remain robust, despite customers looking beyond sedans. The mid-size SUV segment emerged as a bright spot in an otherwise negative market.

Measure	July 2026	August 2026
Outlander rank	1	1
Year-on-year change	Up 696.7 percent	Up 623 percent
Market share	Not disclosed	8.9 percent

Two Models, One Trend

What makes August different from July is that the Outlander is no longer Mitsubishi's only story. The Destinator, the brand's seven-seater SUVs launched through Al Habtoor Motors in February 2026, landed at number nine in its own right, its first appearance in the monthly Top 10.

Two separate models performing well at once points to broader momentum for the brand in the UAE, not a single car having an unusually strong run.

The August result did not come out of nowhere. The Outlander was fourth place in November 2025 and again in January 2026, and it held fourth in April, when the wider market fell 41.9 percent, and the Outlander still grew 24.7 percent.

By the end of the first half, it was up 125.4 percent and ranked fourth, ten places higher than a year earlier. That sets up the move to number one in July, and it points to demand building over several months rather than a single strong promotion.

The Premium variant of the Outlander is powered by a 2.5-litre petrol engine producing 181 hp and 245 Nm and is 4,710 mm long. That is more power than the Toyota RAV4 EX, which is listed at 169 hp and 203 Nm. The Hyundai Santa Fe, the other three-row rival, begins around AED 121,999, while the Chevrolet Captiva starts from about AED 75,700. A plug-in hybrid Outlander is also available in the UAE, adding an efficiency-focused option to the lineup.

Key Takeaway

With Outlander leading the charge in two consecutive months at number one, it is a harder trend to dismiss than one strong month alone. Furthermore, the Destinator's debut inside the Top 10 adds weight to the idea that Mitsubishi is having a strong run across its UAE lineup, not just with a single model.

Anyone comparing family SUVs this quarter should expect Mitsubishi showrooms to keep pushing both cars hard while the momentum holds. And the arrival of the hybrid gives the Outlander another card to play before rivals can respond.

Also Read: UAE New Car Sales, First Half 2026: Market Recovery Takes Shape