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What do our experts think of the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport? We look at powertrain, interior options, trim levels, and more. Find out our thoughts here.
What’s New for the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport?
The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is still a part of the original generation launched back in 2011. As such, it’s a mostly outdated SUV in need of a big update. For now, it comes with two engine options that both use a continuously variable transmission and all-wheel drive. Six trim levels are available with pricing between $24,505 and just shy of $30,000.
Mitsubishi offers the 2023 Outlander Sport in almost the exact same form that it came in last year. All-wheel drive is now standard across the lineup and that the special editions from last year are gone.
2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport – mitsubishicars.com | Shop 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
Eye-catching exterior
Inexpensive base trim
Awesome warranty
Cheap interior
Weak engines
Outdated infotainment
Go back to the drawing board Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Specs
- 148 horsepower from base engine
- 145 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 6 available trims
- 21.7 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 49.5 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats down
- Available 8-inch infotainment system
- Standard lane departure warning
- 10-year powertrain warranty
2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Powertrain
In general, the powertrain options Mitsubishi offers with the Outlander Sport offer a lot to be desired. The base engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 148 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. It makes the Outlander Sport one of the most noticeably slow cars on the market right now. A more powerful 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is available on the nearly $30,000 GT trim but it only makes 168 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque.
It doesn’t help that both engines employ a continuously variable automatic transmission as opposed to one with real cogs in it. The issues don’t stop there though because the Outlander Sport doesn’t offer particularly noteworthy steering or pedal feedback either. Body roll is a bit exaggerated but sort of par for the course with this car it seems. At least all-wheel drive is standard for 2023.
2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Fuel Economy & MPG
The base Outlander Sport engine will get up to 24 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway according to the EPA. Opt instead for the Outlander Sport GT and its 2.4-liter engine and you’ll get up to 23 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway. That’s not a terrible tradeoff for the extra power but neither engine is particularly competitive against their rivals from Toyota, Kia, and Hyundai.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
Simple. That’s the word that very easily describes the interior of the Outlander Sport. It’s so simple that it almost looks like what one might expect an artificial intelligence to create if you asked for a generic automotive interior.
The dash, center control stack, and steering wheel are very spartan and mostly plastic. Design flourishes aren’t a thing in the Outlander Sport. It seems like the brand cut costs at almost every single corner possible. This might be the last “new” SUV on sale with a manual parking brake in the middle console for example.
We’re happy to report though that the seating is comfortable and supportive. It’s a letdown that powered adjustment is reserved only for the GT, and even then only for the driver. The rear seats are perfectly comfortable for smaller folks and kids and the cargo area in the rear is expandable by folding down those second-row seats. In total, the Outlander Sport offers almost 50 cubic feet of cargo space.
Entertainment & Technology
Mitsubishi kicks off the Outlander Sport lineup with a 7-inch infotainment system and just four speakers. Again, the word simple comes into play as the interface is quite plain. At the same time, that makes it easy to navigate.
Control knobs for volume and station changing are added benefits too. We just wish the system was a bit more modern both in terms of graphics and functionality. Thankfully, Mitsubishi also offers a larger 8-inch touchscreen on higher trim levels and it comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. To us, that’s a bit of a lifesaver for an otherwise outdated system.
Safety Features
The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport didn’t win any safety awards with the IIHS and it only scored four stars in crash testing with the NHTSA. It’s worth noting that Mitsubishi offers a few driver-aids as standard equipment. That includes forward collision mitigation, automatic high beams, and lane-departure warning. Interestingly, buyers can’t really add any other safety features no matter how much they spend. Blind-spot monitoring comes standard on the SE model.
2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Trims & Pricing
S – $24,505
The base Outlander Sport comes with the 2.0-liter engine, 16-inch wheels, LED headlights, automatic wipers, heated powered wing mirrors, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, a 7-inch infotainment system, four speakers, a USB power port, automatic climate control, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Safety equipment includes lane-departure warning, forward collision mitigation, and automatic high beams.
ES – $26,505
This trim adds 18-inch wheels and LED fog lights.
LE – $27,905
The LE includes leather upholstery for the steering wheel along with an 8-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, heated front seats, three more USB ports for a total of four, and voice recognition control.
SE – $28,960
This trim level gets a hands-free keyless entry system, power-folding mirrors, six speakers, and blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert.
Ralliart – $29,390
This trim is slated to begin U.S. deliveries sometime in 2023 but as of this writing, it’s not available on Mitsubishi’s website. The automaker also hasn’t described exactly what will make it special in the lineup.
Last year, it said that Ralliart models would come in white with a black roof and “rally-inspired” graphics. We imagine the Outlander Sport Ralliart will be almost identical to the SE but with those graphic changes.
GT – $29,760
GT buyers get the larger 2.4-liter engine along with leather upholstery, a black headliner, black roof rails, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat.
Warranties
If there’s one thing that Mitsubishi gets completely right about the Outlander Sport it’s the associated warranty package. The automaker covers this car bumper-to-bumper for five years or 60,000 miles. It also offers powertrain coverage for 10 years or 100,000 miles. That’s right in line with the leaders in this area Kia and Hyundai.
What we think
2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport – mitsubishicars.com | Shop 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport on Carsforsale.com
The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander gives us a lot of hope for its smaller Outlander Sport sister. The 2023 Outlander Sport needs a lot of updating to be worth anywhere near its top-end $29,760 price tag. That even takes into account new car incentives. Rivals from just about every other brand offer more technology, more safety, and more luxury for the same price.
