As a man who looked like a taller version of musician Father John Misty, the Millennial Harry Nilsson, breathily whispered curious hyperbole into my ear about sound-deadening panels, I found a peace I had not in recent months.

It was a strange scene a week ago, locked in a garage in Los Angeles’s Mid-City neighborhood, part of Mitsubishi’s mid-cycle relaunch of its still-unusual 2025 Outlander SUV. 

The vehicle, itself a substantially revised version of the current-generation Nissan Rogue, has not changed a lot since its debut in early 2021 – that is, a pleasant and affordable vehicle with distinctive looks and a miniature third row best used for transporting houseplants. Outlander starts at under $30,000 and peaks at just $43,000 for its Platinum edition.

That voice in my earpiece, however, was the simultaneous in-ear translation, not unlike a session at the United Nations, of one of Yamaha’s Japanese sound-meisters. He was explaining to us how the 130-year-old audio and musical instruments wing of the Japanese motorcycle company has partnered with Mitsubishi to produce a superb and sublime automobile sound system.

This followed another presentation detailing how the improved Outlander follows, of course, the “I-Fu-Do-Do” product concept, meaning that it is both authentic and majestic.

Yes, it was a lot to take in, but the upshot is that the revised Outlander – mostly discernible from Rogue because of the chrome-edged, insect-styled, knee-level headlamp pods on its face – does rather affordably join a range of other brands now offering ultra-premium audio systems.

A bit like the Klipsch, McIntosh, Naim and Bowers & Wilkins audio setups found elsewhere, the Yamaha/Mitsubishi collaboration offers two versions of its Dynamic Sound system with up to 12 speakers and 1,650 watts of dual-amplified output.

In another bit of serendipity, rather than being teamed with one of the media event’s cluster of cantankerous, old-school auto writers, I spent a couple of days riding and talking about the Outlander with Australian electronic dance music DJ Blanke, who now lives in Denver.

He cranked up the Tiesto channel on XM Radio on the car’s bright, 12.3-inch horizontal display, and we set off through the marvelous mess of Greater Los Angeles, discovering that the Yamaha system and the aforementioned acoustic sound insulation truly are a welcome addition to the automobile.

We even ambitiously headed all the way up Little Tujunga Canyon Road, one of those famous Southern California driving roads on the rim of the San Fernando Valley, where the Australian DJ got to do all the twisty-turny stuff.

Here, the reality of Outlander returns a bit to earth, as I remember from driving the car and its plug-in hybrid variant in Colorado two and three years ago. Unlike the Rogue’s 201-horsepower high-altitude-friendly, three-cylinder turbo, Outlander features a more traditional 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 181 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque, plus a continuously variable transmission.

The Outlander is equipped with Mitsubishi’s six-mode Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC) system and optional, electronic four-wheel drive, the former system best remembered from its use in the rally-inspired Evo sports cars. The suspension and steering have also been retuned for 2025. Cumulatively, it doesn’t quite translate into canyon-carving perfection, but the vehicle was still pleasant and responsive while pushed far out of its comfort zone. Other changes include 18- and 20-inch wheels, an updated interior, plus available semi-aniline leather and seat ventilation. 

Andy Stonehouse’s column “Mountain Wheels” publishes Saturdays in the Summit Daily News. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998, focusing on automotive coverage since 2004. He lives in Golden. Contact him at summitmountainwheels@gmail.com.