2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Review: Climbing Over Pavements On The Cheap
Mitsubishi's entrant to the highly competitive subcompact SUV class comes in the form of the Outlander Sport; an inoffensive looking thing that sits high off the ground and has all the necessary requirements to be called a car. But what else is there? Powering the Outlander Sport is a set of four-cylinder engines producing between 148 and 168 horsepower. An impressive warranty, decent features list, and a low starting price of only $20,945 might seem attractive, but the car is let down by its underwhelming range of engines, so-so build quality, and questionable road holding. Competitors such as the Toyota C-HR and Hyundai Kona offer more in almost every way, including superior safety levels and increased interior space. 2020 brings a redesign that should make Mitsubishi's subcompact SUV more competitive, but until then, we're stuck with old bones dating back to 2011.
What's the Price of the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport?
An attractive feature to some will be the Outlander Sport's low starting price of only $20,945 for the base model 2WD 2.0 ES with the five-speed manual transmission, while opting for the CVT transmission will see that price increase to $22,145. To have the bottom-rung model in AWD adds $2,700 to the base price. LE models start at $23,145 and go up to $24,645. Mid-range 2WD SPs start at $23,545 and top out at $25,045 for the AWD model. Nearing the top-end of the range, the 2WD SE CVT starts at $23,545, followed by the AWD version at $25,045. The top of the range 2.4 GT AWD will set you back $26,545, with the 2WD version costing around $1,400 less.
Although the Nissan Rogue only starts at $25,020, it comes with more tech and safety features, as well as a more efficient and powerful engine.
Handling and Driving Impressions
What do you get when you combine a short wheelbase, high ground clearance, and skinny all-season tires? The short answer is you get a car that doesn't instill confidence when going around corners. In the case of the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, body lean is pronounced and the vehicle is easily unnerved when taking evasive action. The steering plays a big part in the Outlander's unpredictable handling characteristics: there's a noticeable delay between steering input and an actual change in direction, and on-center steering feels vague to put it lightly. Under hard braking, body instability becomes even more noticeable, and apart from the nose diving in dramatic fashion, side to side movement makes hard braking a nerve-wracking undertaking. The Outlander Sport is at its best driving at the speed limit, where it does a fine job of soaking up mild road imperfections; it does tend to get choppy at lower speeds.
Verdict: Is the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport A Good SUV?
The 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport was designed to live in the city, where its wobbly road holding and uninspiring engines wouldn't be as noticeable, and in that sense, it delivers. Still, the subcompact SUV shows its true colors when you look everywhere else. The Outlander starts with a low asking price, but as they always say, you get what you pay for. The engines fall flat when cruising on the open road, as does the steering feel and brake response. The interior, which is more functional than form, does the basics well but feels outdated and cheap when compared to rivals from Korea. The interior space is cramped, and total cargo space is left wanting. When it comes to standard features, the Outlander Sport stacks up to most of its rivals, but the options list is noticeably short, especially when it comes to active safety features. The Outlander Sport's one redeeming feature is its class-leading warranty that is sure to give peace of mind to buyers. There are many similar offerings out there that do it better in the same price range.
What Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Model Should I Buy?
The truth is that Mitsubishi could've saved themselves the time and trouble by cutting out most of the mid-range models. While the base model represents good value for money thanks to a decent features list and good practicality, it misses out on a lot of tech and safety features commonly found on its competitors. With a price difference of only $5,600 between the base model 2.0-liter FWD ES and the top of the line 2.4-liter AWD GT, it doesn't make sense to go for anything other than the 2.4 GT, even in 2WD guise. Not only does the GT perform better thanks to a more powerful engine, but it includes a host of standard comfort, safety, and other tech features that aren't available elsewhere in the range. Highlights on the GT include auto on/off HID headlights, rain-sensing window wipers, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a bunch of active safety features such as forward collision avoidance and lane departure warning. Our advice: take the $5,600 hit and go for the top of the range model.
2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Comparisons
2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vs Mitsubishi Outlander
Despite the similarities in name, the Outlander and Outlander Sport are very different vehicles, the former occupying the mid-size segment while the latter is a subcompact, two rungs down from the big brother. That means it's a lot smaller inside and out, seating only five while the regular Outlander seats seven. The Sport also has much less storage capacity at 21.7 cubic feet to the Outlander's 34.2 behind the second row of seats. Being smaller, the Sport makes do with a smaller, less powerful 2.0-liter engine on all but the GT trim, which receives the same 2.4-liter motor as the Outlander. This gives it better performance, but despite its diminutive size it's unable to provide better gas mileage. It is, however, better equipped, with more standard safety features, a higher quality interior, and better driving dynamics, but it's lacking in off-road ability. The short and sweet version: If you need seating for seven and go off-road, get the Outlander, but if you have a small city-dwelling family, the Outlander Sport is not only better but cheaper by at least $2,000 as well.
2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vs Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Between the Outlander and Outlander Sport sits the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross - a recently revived nameplate that's gone against the sporty history of the badge by coming back to life as a compact hatchback. With a starting price of only $1,400 more than the Outlander Sport, the Eclipse Cross gets a smaller, turbocharged engine that develops more power, more torque, and consumes an almost identical amount of fuel to its smaller sibling, although the performance deficit is minimized when the Outlander Sport takes on its GT guise. Despite occupying a larger class than the Sport, the Eclipse Cross is surprisingly tight inside, boasting less front and rear passenger space than the Outlander Sport. It only boasts an extra 0.9 cubic feet of storage in standard form, and with the rear seats folded offers less than the Outlander Sport does. Feature-wise, both are similarly equipped, meaning the Outlander Sport is much better value for money. The only thing going for the Eclipse Cross is a towing capacity of 1,500 lbs.