CAR REVIEW – 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport LE

We'd love it if you shared it!

I was provided with a week long test drive of the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport LE featured in this post, courtesy of DriveShop. This post has not been monetarily compensated. Please note that, as always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own.

We have had some really nutty weather lately. In the space of a week (three days actually) we’ve had weather ranging from 28 degrees and snowy to 70 degrees and humid. It’s exactly the type of weather that I love to drive an suv in. I’d like to share my experience with the vehicle I was driving during that week of nutty weather, the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport LE.

The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport LE is a compact crossover vehicle. The model that I drove had a 2.0-liter 148 horsepower engine. As far as fuel economy goes, I did a lot of relatively local driving, including a good number of errands. The fuel usage did not disappoint, one whole tank lasted me 10 days. The EPA rates the Outlander Sport LE with the following fuel economy for city/highway: 23/29 mpg (manual), 24/30 mpg (automatic, FWD), 23/29 mpg (automatic, AWD).

The exterior of the Outlander Sport LE has a sporty look. While the interior is strong and simple, I did find the cabin to be a touch noisy at higher speeds.

The Outlander Sport drove with the feel of a car, but sat a bit higher up. The vehicle performed well in local traffic. On highways I did find that there was a delay in getting up to speed, and the smoothness of the ride deteriorated a bit at higher speeds.

The Outlander Sport is described as being able to seat five – two in the front and three in the back. The front seat had plenty of room for me, and I am both tall and heavy. The seating in the back was tight. It’s fine for young or small children but is definitely cramped for adults or larger folks. My husband is 5’5″ and his knees were up against the passenger’s front seat.

The Outlander Sport’s rear storage space was roomy enough to accomodate a full days worth of shopping and errands with the seats up. The 60/40 split rear seat can also be lowered to accommodate a larger quantity of items or items bigger in size.

Technology in the Outlander Sport LE was easy to use. The 3.5″ touchscreen display was user-friendly. It took only a minute to connect my cell phone to the system, which has Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ Compatibility. The back-up camera was very clear.

My favorite safety feature in the Outlander Sport were the Super-Wide High Intensity Discharge (HID) Headlights. These headlights are very wide and bright and made it simple to drive between dawn and dusk on roads with differing weather and traffic patterns. Other available safety features are a Forward Collision Mitigation System, which helps prevent or reduce the severity of frontal collisions by warning you of a vehicle or person at an unsafe distance ahead and then applying the brakes as necessary, and available Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system, which uses an onboard camera to monitor lane position in front of the vehicle, audibly and visually alerting the driver if it detects the vehicle leaving its lane unintentionally.The vehicle also has Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic
Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA), Traction Logic Control, Active Stability Control and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Outlander Sport has a driver’s kneee airbag, advanced dual-stage SRS front airbags, side curtain airbags, and three-point seatbelts and head restraints for all seating positions.

The Mitsubishi Outlander sport LE comes with a 10-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable New Vehicle Limited Warranty, a 7-year/100,000-mile Anti-Corrosion/Perforation Limited Warranty and 5-year/Unlimited Miles Roadside Assistance.

The Outlander Sport is available in 4 different packages:

• Outlander Sport ES packs the essentials, like the 7” touchscreen display audio system, rearview camera and more, into its stylish, redesigned exterior.
• Outlander Sport Limited Edition includes exclusive badging, smartphone compatibility, sleek black alloy wheels and more.
• Outlander Sport SE delivers an upgrade in comfort and style with the 7” Smartphone Link Display Audio system and striking LED running lights.
• Outlander Sport SEL impresses with HID headlights and the available Touring Package with advanced safety features and a stunning panoramic glass roof.

The Sport LE package that I drove features

• 18-inch black painted alloy wheels
• High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights
• Heated front seats
• Rearview camera
• Red stitched steering wheel, shift knob, knee padding and parking brake handle
• Fog lights
• Dark alloy fuel door

With an MSRP of just under $24,000, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport LE is less expensive than its direct competitors such as Ford Escape and Hyundai Tucson.

Would the Outlander Sport be a fit for you or someone you know?

CONNECT

Mitsubishi website – Mitsubishi on Facebook – Mitsubishi on Twitter – Mitsubishi on Instagram – Mitsubishi on YouTube