Used 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

The 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is a subcompact SUV, a vehicle type akin to a golden goose in the eyes of manufacturers like Honda, Subaru, and Toyota. Crossover SUVs, especially in the subcompact and compact realms, typically rule the sales roost. It seems almost everyone wants one, and any company making them can pretty much bet they will fly out of showrooms.

That’s as true of the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport as it is for any major rival. The trouble is that Mitsubishi doesn’t have many showrooms for the Outlander Sport to fly out of, so there has to be a special reason to make the trek to a Mitsubishi dealer. Money.

The 2021 Outlander Sport also comes standard with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty. Only Hyundai and Kia can match this warranty program.

For the most part, the Outlander Sport (not to be confused with the larger Outlander) has proven to be dependable with a slightly above-average reliability record. But fuel economy is not great.

This year sees a new entry-level version. It comes with forward-collision mitigation, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams — all items that last year’s equivalent lacked, as opposed to most rivals.

A fairly healthy amount of standard equipment, great warranty, and reasonable pricing give the 2021 Outlander Sport enough ammunition for budget-conscious shoppers to give it a once-over. Or even a twice-over.

The 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport made its debut in 2011, so it feels old against newer competitors built on more modern platforms like the Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek. Even so, the Outlander Sport can be fun.

The ride is a bit firm, but it corners nicely and has decent feedback from the steering and brakes. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) can drone a bit under hard acceleration, but it works well overall.

With either a 148-horsepower 2.0-liter or a 168-horsepower 2.4-liter engine, the Outlander Sport isn’t as spry as some competitors. The latter is the better choice, though, with only a small penalty in fuel consumption.

The public doesn’t seem to mind the Outlander Sport’s age as it remains one of Mitsubishi’s best sellers. The driving experience and fuel economy don’t match those of the Honda HR-V or Mazda CX-3, yet this Mitsubishi nevertheless feels stable, especially when enhanced by the optional all-wheel-drive system.

The front seats are nicely bolstered, and there’s pleasant detailing around the dashboard’s control knobs and switches. Heated seats are optional in some trims, standard in the SE and GT.

Interior color choices are limited to black and gray, but the overall quality and construction of the seats, dash, and door panels are good. The LE model enlivens the cabin with contrasting red stitching in places.

The 8-inch infotainment touchscreen (found in the LE trim and above) mimics the look and functionality of a smartphone, with large and clear icons. The system can be navigated by either Siri, Google Assistance, or good old physical controls for volume and tuning.

Headroom and legroom up front are fine for 6-footers, but the back seat will feel cramped to anyone over 5′ 9″. The Outlander Sport has 21.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. This expands to 49.5 cubic feet when they’re folded flat.

The Outlander Sport’s overall proportions are excellent, and its modest length makes the subcompact SUV easy to operate in tight city traffic and parking spots.

A strong Mitsubishi grille design is complemented by the assertive designs of the front bumper, hood, and front fenders. LED headlights are standard, and a roof rack is optional. The rear bumper design also gives the Outlander Sport a wide and stable stance, emphasized by prominent moldings on the wheel arches.

The LE and BE trims add things like black-finished 18-inch alloy wheels and black side mirror housings. The BE also has side graphics, a large rear spoiler, and comes in Red Diamond, Pearl White, Black Labrador, or Sunshine Orange exterior colors.

APPLE CARPLAY & ANDROID AUTO
Optional in the ES trim, standard higher up, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration brings apps, text messaging, music, and navigation to the infotainment screen, allowing control through voice command or touch.

OUTSTANDING WARRANTY
One of the biggest questions many buyers have is: “Will the Outlander Sport be reliable?” Thanks to Mitsubishi’s impressively long 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, any concerns about costly repairs are put to rest.

The new-for-2021 base S trim has 16-inch steel wheels, LED headlights, automatic climate control, and a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen. All 2021 Outlander Sport models have hill-start assist, stability control, seven standard airbags (including a driver’s-side knee airbag), forward-collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams.

The ES comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic on/off headlights, LED fog lights, rain-sensing wipers, and a self-dimming rearview mirror.

New for 2021, the LE trim gains an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration.

The SE improves on that with a push-button starter, power-folding side mirrors, heated front seats, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-changing assistance.

The GT has the 2.4-liter engine and all-wheel drive, along with soft-touch seating surfaces and a remote garage door opener.

Anyone choosing a 2021 Outlander Sport from the middle of the range can opt for all-wheel drive.

An ES Convenience package adds the 8-inch display, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, satellite radio, heated front seats, voice recognition controls on the steering wheel, and gloss black accents.

Other options include exterior and interior color choices, plus more than a dozen accessory packages. A Popular Value Package includes wheel locks, front/rear mudguards, cargo net, and a leather-wrapped shifter. A rear roof spoiler and remote start are both dealer-installed accessories.

The base engine in the 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 148 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. It comes with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) automatic. The CVT is sufficiently smooth. It mimics a conventional automatic transmission with simulated “shift” points.

The engine in the range-topping GT SUV is a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder unit developing 168 horsepower. It’s still no paragon of push, but does a better job motivating the Outlander Sport than the 2.0-liter engine. It’s also quieter in operation.

Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard in most Outlander Sport variants, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available as an option in all but the base S version. The GT has all-wheel drive as standard.

2.0-liter inline-4 (S, ES, LE, BE, SE)
148 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
145 lb-ft of torque @ 4,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 24/30 mpg (FWD), 23/29 mpg (AWD)

2.4-liter inline-4 (GT)
168 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
167 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/28 mpg