Used 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, a 5-seater, competes in a class full of newer subcompact SUVs from Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, and Subaru. It’s a hot category. Sales are strong. But with comparatively fewer Mitsubishi dealers, you don’t see many Outlander Sports on the road.

Two things are in the Outlander Sport’s favor: affordable pricing and an outstanding 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The basic warranty also is good, a 5-year/60,000-mile plan.

Even at the entry-level, the Outlander Sport has a forward-collision mitigation system, along with a lane-departure warning and automatic high-beam headlights. While most Outlander Sport models are powered by a 2.0-liter gasoline engine with 148 horsepower, the Outlander Sport GT models get a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder with 168 horsepower.

No hybrid model of the small Outlander Sport is available.

For 2022, the Black Edition of the GT is discontinued. Two new trim levels are available: the SE Special Edition and the 2.4 GT Special Edition.

Because the unit-body chassis goes back about a decade, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport feels a bit dated compared to the likes of the Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek.

Nevertheless, we like the solidly built Outlander Sport. With firm suspension, it takes corners with confidence, aided by steering and brakes with good feedback. At casual everyday speeds, the continuously variable transmission (CVT) is totally unobtrusive, aided by a Sport mode with eight steps. Under hard acceleration, though, the transmission tends to drone a bit — that sensation when engine rpm feels somewhat unrelated to vehicle speed.

As mentioned, there’s a choice of a 148-horsepower 2.0-liter engine or a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder with 168 hp. Our choice? The 2.4 as it puts out better power and torque but is almost as fuel-efficient as the 2.0. The 2.4 comes only in the Outlander Sport GT models, and it’s available exclusively with all-wheel drive.

The Outlander Sport, largely unchanged for 2022, remains one of Mitsubishi’s best sellers.

As a boxy design, the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport offers excellent interior volume. But be warned: There isn’t much rear legroom when the front seats are all the way back.

On a positive note, we like the substantial bolstering of the Outlander Sport’s front seats, and the pleasant detailing around the dashboard’s control knobs and switches. Heated seats are standard in the SE and GT trim levels.

The overall quality of the interior is excellent, with color choices limited to black and gray. On the LE, red contrast stitching in various places adds a lively ambiance. Cloth upholstery appears on the S and the LE. A combination of soft-touch materials adorns higher trims.

A 7-inch display gets used on the base S model; an 8-inch screen is used on the Outlander Sport LE and above. The larger infotainment screen is complemented by standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Another plus: The Outlander Sport has actual physical controls for volume and tuning, which makes quick adjustments on the fly easier and safer.

The new Outlander Sport Special Editon models come with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a leather-wrapped shift knob, plus heated front seats, lighted vanity mirrors (in the sun visors), and silver-painted panels for the window switches.

Behind the rear seat, the Outlander Sport offers 21.7 cubic feet of cargo space. For comparison, the Honda HR-V has 23.2 while the Subaru Crosstrek has only 20.8. The Outlander Sport’s cargo volume expands to 49.5 cubic feet when you fold the rear seat (which splits 60/40).

The Outlander Sport has tidy proportions and a short overall length, which helps to make this subcompact SUV a willing ally about town. You won’t have trouble parking this small Mitsubishi SUV at the supermarket.

The design update from the 2020 model year still looks fresh. A strong Mitsubishi grille gets complemented by LED headlights (on all trim levels but the S). In back, the bumper accentuates the wide stance of the Outlander Sport, which is available with an optional roof rack.

On the Outlander Sport LE, you’ll see black-finish 18-inch alloy wheels and black side mirrors. The new SE Special Edition wears body-color side mirrors with turn indicators, plus a grille with gloss black and satin silver accents.

And what about the new Mitsubishi Outlander Sport GT Special Edition? It’s distinguished by black roof rails, a 4WD decal, and GT badging.

TILT & TELESCOPE STEERING WHEEL
With this standard feature, the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport accommodates drivers short and tall. The steering wheel also has audio and phone controls.

GREAT POWERTRAIN WARRANTY
The powertrain warranty of this subcompact Mitsubishi SUV lasts for 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. That warranty is as good as it gets.

As an S model, the 2022 Mitsu Outlander Sport has 16-inch steel wheels, automatic climate control, and a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen.

You get 18-inch wheels, 2-tone 18-inch alloy wheels, and LED headlights at the ES level, while the LE comes with the 8-inch touchscreen, black 18-inch alloy wheels, black side mirrors, and heated front seats. The Outlander Sport ES also gets a leather-wrapped steering wheel and black interior fabric with red stitching, plus Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and two rear USB ports.

As an SE, this subcompact Mitsubishi SUV comes with synthetic leather upholstery, a push-button starter, and two technologies we wish were standard on all 2022 Outlander Sports: blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The SE Special Edition adds 2-tone 18-inch alloy wheels, power-folding mirrors (with turn indicators), soft-touch seat materials, and Special Edition badges.

At the GT level, the 2022 Outlander Sport gets the 2.4-liter engine, leather upholstery, black roof rails, and a black headliner, together with a 4-way power driver’s seat, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The GT Special Edition is largely the same vehicle with Special Edition badges, but it’s priced slightly lower than the standard Outlander Sport GT because it doesn’t have blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

All 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport models except the S base model are available with all-wheel drive. It’s $1,550 well spent on the ES, LE, and SE.

Other notable options include premium paints ($395 to $595) and a variety of port-installed accessory packages. Notable among them: a $695 Chrome Exterior Trim Package and a $495 GT Plus Package that includes roof-rack crossbars, a black bumper protector, front and rear mudguards, and a cargo mat.

As in 2021, the base engine in the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport remains a direct-injected 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 148 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. It mates to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) with simulated ratio changes, or “shift” points.

The GT models get the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, producing 168 horsepower and 167 lb-ft of torque. Both GTs, the GT and the GT Special Edition, have full-time all-wheel drive (AWD).

An AWD 2.0-liter Outlander Sport is rated by the EPA at 23 mpg city/29 mpg highway/26 mpg combined. With the 2.4, an AWD Outlander GT is nearly as efficient, returning EPA ratings of 23 mpg city/28 mpg highway/25 mpg combined.

2.0-liter inline-4 (S, ES, LE, SE, SE Special Edition)
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, GT Special Edition)
168 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
167 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/28 mpg