2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Reviews

The 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander looks sporty, maneuvers easily, and is very space-efficient. All that’s missing is the refined interior that the exterior suggests.

2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Interior/Exterior

The 2014 Outlander Sport is simultaneously a lighter, somewhat smaller alternative to the Outlander, and a tall wagon that has about the same overall width and height as the Lancer compact sedan. But thankfully, it doesn’t look too much like either of those two models, and it has its own design that looks good from nearly all angles.
The basic look of the Outlander Sport is practical and no-nonsense, but it’s been spruced up just the past several model years. Last year, Mitsubishi smoothed over some of the bluntness of the shark-like front-end design, while the look was made just a little neater in back with a new bumper design and blacked-out lower-body trim.
Overall, the Outlander Sport ends up looking more like a tall hatch—sporty from some angles, a bit bulbous from others—and the different sheetmetal than the Outlander, and a rising beltline crease that helps keep from looking too slab-sided. A new rear bumper design introduced last year offers a blacked-out lower-body aero trim to help it look just a little sportier, perhaps.
The dash is clean and upright inside, but your intrigue at first glance might disperse to disappointment upon closer look, as the cabin packs in plenty of drab materials that aren’t all that much more impressive than those in the Lancer compact sedan. Mitsubishi has added a little more bright trim, which helped somewhat, and seat materials have been updated. This year there’s a new black-leather seating option in the SE Touring Package.

2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Engine Performance

The Outlander Sport takes a sportier tack—looking (and feeling) more like a tall hatch—but it doesn’t always feel as sprightly as you might expect from the driver’s seat.
There really are two different assessments of how the Outlander Sport drives—and it depends on how importantly you value acceleration and straight-ahead responsiveness. Although the manual is a better choice to make the most of the 148-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, this is not a particularly quick vehicle, and the on-road performance provided with the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is quite disappointing. With the CVT, it feels strictly economy class, with on the road performance feeling sluggish and boomy when pressed.
But it’s a completely different story if you’re talking about cornering; the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport drives with a light, responsive feel—more like a compact sedan than a larger crossover—and this is a good pick for those who want compactness and maneuverability, not all-out ruggedness. Mitsubishi got the tuning of the electric power steering right, and with good body control, the Outlander Sport handles better than other tall subcompacts like the Nissan Cube or the Scion xD or xB. Excellent brakes also add confidence.

See more 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport photos

Outlander Sport redeems itself, though; this is a vehicle that tends to feel roomier inside than you might expect, considering its very compact exterior. Front seats feel fairly snug but supportive, and in back there’s real space for two adults or three kids. And with seat height just right for what many aging shoppers (or busy moms) seek—a little higher than a sedan, yet lower than a larger SUV—you get get in by merely sitting and turning, or load children in without straining your back.
The Outlander Sport has, in previous model years, been one of the noisiest vehicles in this class; but for 2014 Mitsubishi has added more noise insulation as well as a new engine balancer shaft. We hope to revisit this model soon and report back on the level of improvement, but based on previous experiences there’s been way too much noise and harshness—especially during passing or long mountain grades.
For safety, the Outlander Sport has been one of the better performers in this class—and among other vehicles its size and weight it has one of the top ratings in the tough new small overlap frontal test. Safety ratings for the Outlander Sport have otherwise been good, and it has all the features you’d expect in a vehicle that works for small families; a backup camera system is still sorely lacking on the base ES, but front knee airbags are included as an addition to the expected safety set for this kind of vehicle.
With a base price of around $20k and a fully loaded one barely reaching into the upper twenties, pricing and value are some of the Outlander Sport’s main selling points. If you can overlook its economy-class accommodations and lack of refinement, you’ll find that features are generous–with steering-wheel audio controls, remote keyless entry, alloy wheels, and a 140-watt sound system all standard.
For 2014, the Outlander Sport gets a new touch-screen audio system on SE models, as well as a new seven-inch touch-panel navigation system with real-time traffic. With new black leather seating, it’s part of an SE Touring Package.
Images: Mitsubishi Cars

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