Can Mitsubishi’s Outlander Catch Up to the Competition?
Mitsubishi hasn’t made it easy to determine the true identity of the likeable 2015 Outlander Sport.
Whether it’s the not-so-uniquely clever idea of making part of the small crossover’s name the same as its larger Outlander brother, or the appending of the word Sport to the moniker, as if to give the modestly powered utility vehicle additional performance credentials. Whaterver the reasons, the automaker muddles some of the car’s most endearing traits.
Oddly, that hasn’t kept the Outlander Sport from being the brand’s most popular model, but one has to wonder if, in the bigger picture, it’s the kind of product marketing that contributes to Mitsubishi garnering just one-half percent share of the U.S. automobile market.
Hey, I’m rooting for the underdog! The Outlander Sport, despite its pretentious moniker —and the somewhat inauspicious first impression I got because of it—turns out to be the kind of humble, easy-going, get-out-and-about vehicle that takes more than a twenty minute test drive to fully appreciate.
After a disappointing first drive at the end of a long work day, when I could have rallied my energies had I been behind the wheel of something with a lot more than 148 horsepower, I came away thinking the Outlander Sport had little to merit a recommendation. But that changed.
The first sign of reconsideration came midway through a 78 mile drive from northwest of Boston down to south of the city. After having reset the mileage calculator at the start of the trip, I saw that the all-wheel control SE test car with its 2-liter engine was registering a praiseworthy 29.6 miles per gallon average, right in line with the EPA marks of 24 city / 30 highway and better than what to expect from competitors like the Kia Sportage and the Jeep Compass. Notwithstanding I was buzzing along with traffic in the high-speed lane.
But then, the next day, I caught myself unintentionally admiring the crisp, contemporary look of the Outlander Sport. In the full light of a brisk November Saturday morning, the test car’s stylish labrador black body panels starkly contrasted with the colonial home in Fairhaven it was parked alongside. Could aesthetics explain the popularity the Outlander Sport enjoys over the rest of the Mitsubishi lineup? I wondered.
The clincher was discovering how enjoyable it made a casual Sunday drive through Westport down to the outreaches of the Massachusetts shoreline. With the standard heated front seats keeping driver and passenger delightfully comfortable, and the ability to easily switch (on the fly) from front wheel drive to locking four wheel drive, we rambled along highways and rolling country roads as carefree as we roamed narrow pathways and soft sandy beaches.
The small Outlander Sport proved its worth as a light off-road vehicle in ways that lumbering SUVs cannot, providing easy maneuverability with its tight turning circle of 34.8 feet. Plus, with its 8.5 inches of ground clearance, there was ample space to keep the undercarriage out of danger.
Offered in the entry-level front-wheel drive ES with a base MSRP of $19,595, the 5-passenger Outlander Sport comes nicely equipped with heated side mirrors, rear privacy glass and a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel.
The upmarket SE AWC test car adds niceties such as High Intensity Discharge headlights, fog lights, illuminated vanity mirrors and the aforementioned heated seats, boosting the MSRP by $4,600. But it also featured the Touring Package with a magnificent panoramic glass roof, comfortable leather seats, spot-on navigation and a premium nine-speaker, 710-watt Rockford Fosgate sound system giving it a sticker price (with $850 destination and handling) of $29,945.
The 2015 model boasts a number of improvements that go unseen but clearly add to the vehicle’s overall enjoyment including thicker front door window glass and new rear quarter panel insulation for a quieter cabin. The electric power steering and CVT also see upgrades that contribute to its better-than-average fuel economy.
But for some shoppers, its faults will be hard to overlook. Despite Mitsubishi’s efforts to make the continuously variable transmission seem more like a conventional automatic transmission by giving it, under certain circumstances, a semblance of shifting, the system behaves too abruptly, lunging forward when driven assertively. Strangely, “downshifting’’ (a term used loosely considering its a CVT) with the paddle shifters at highway speeds in order to brake using the engine produces unsatisfying results just when more decisive action is expected.
Safety features cover the essentials found in any modern vehicle, but surprisingly, a rearview camera is only found in the up-level SE, which has a 6.1-inch touchscreen to display the images.
And that points to Mitsubishi’s biggest challenge. Owner expectations are higher than ever these days, as the quick pace of technological advances has sharply raised the stakes in an already highly competitive automotive market. While the Outlander Sport is a decent enough vehicle with sharp styling and many conveniences, behind the wheel it gives the impression of being just slightly behind the times. And that may not be good enough for an underdog.
2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SE AWC
THE BASICS
Price, base/as tested (with destination): $19,595/$29,945. Fuel Economy, EPA estimated: 24 city/30 highway. Fuel economy, Globe observed: 29.6. Drivetrain: 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, continuously variable transmission, four-wheel drive. Body: 5-passenger compact crossover.
THE SPECIFICS
Horsepower: 148. Torque: 145 lb.-ft. Overall length: 169.1 in. Wheelbase: 105.1 in. Height: 64.2 in. Width: 69.7 in. Curb weight: 3,274 lbs.
THE GOOD
Fuel economy, contemporary exterior styling, light off-road capability, maneuverability.
THE BAD
Underpowered, uneven power delivery.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Outlander Sport is a decent enough vehicle with good fuel economy, sharp styling and many conveniences, but behind the wheel it seems slightly behind the times.
ALSO CONSIDER
Kia Sportage, Jeep Compass.
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