Mitsubishi continues as a small fish in a big pond as one of the smaller Asian companies doing business in the highly competitive and desirable U.S. marketplace.
The Japanese automaker's sole U.S. assembly complex is located among the sprawling corn and soybean fields of Central Illinois in Normal, also home to Illinois State University. Since July of 2012, this plant has churned out the Outlander Sport, a compact-sized crossover standing out from the competition on several fronts.
Outlander Sport is one of a handful of compact five-door crossovers available with Midwest-friendly four-wheel drive. While Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia may be best known for long-term powertrain warranties, Mitsubishi also boasts one of the longest powertrain warranties by an automaker: 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever arrives first. Also, Mitsubishi kicks in five years (with unlimited miles) of roadside assistance.
Outlander Sport's arrival in Normal coincided with a massive $45 million retooling injection into the complex to modernize the facility which first started production in 1988. Slower-selling models including the Galant sedan, Eclipse coupe/convertible and Endeavor sport utility halted production in Normal and were quietly dropped from the lineup. Mitsubishi is one of the few automakers doing business in the United States currently without a high-volume, mid-size sedan.
A relatively new offering to the Mitsubishi lineup introduced in 2010, the five-door Outlander Sport capitalizes on the popularity of a larger sibling with a similar, shorter name, the Outlander. Outlander Sport measures in 14 inches shorter than Outlander (which offers third-row seating). Changes for Outlander Sport are minimal from 2013, but now secondary steering wheel controls come standard across both trims.
March of 2013, represented Outlander Sports best sales month in its relatively short time in the lineup. A total of 3,264 units were sold, up an impressive 33 percent. The previous best month was June of 2013 when 2,634 units were sold. Prior to its Illinois manufacturing home, Outlander Sport was built in Japan.
Outback Sport shares car-like, uni-body underpinning with the compact Lancer sedan, a vehicle with a strong, devoted following.
Take you pick since this compact crossover segment is loaded with familiar nameplates (Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape) and promising new comers (Buick Encore and its platform-sharing, all-new Chevrolet Trax due out in the 2015 model year). Tall, boxy-yet functional competitors including the Kia Soul also vie for attention is this uber popular consumer segment. Outlander Sport's starting price sneaks in below many of the segments most popular-selling models.
Two trims include entry ES and up-market SE, both available in two-wheel front drive or push-button four-wheel drive. The sole powertrain, a 2.0-liter, 16-valve, inline four cylinder delivers 148 horses. Regular, 87-octane fuel fills the 15.3-gallon tank.
While no higher-mileage gas-electric hybrid or all-electric version is Outlander Sport currently available, the slightly larger Outlander introduced a plug-in hybrid electric version in its home market of Japan early last year, with definite plans on brining it here to the states. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) require an electric socket port to recharge a high-intensity battery with a pure-electric drive range of approximately 25 miles, after which a four-cylinder gas-electric engine kicks into service.
A five-speed manual transmission comes standard in two-wheel drive versions of the entry ES. Optional in ES front drive and standard in four-wheel drive ES and SE is a continuously variable transmission (CVT) helping improve fuel economy numbers; but expect only average acceleration performance when leaving from a standing start. Continually variable transmission seamlessly and automatically cycles through an infinite range of forward gear ratios rather than settling for five or six planetary ones. As with a traditional six-speed automatic, drivers have no foot clutches to push.
Our up-level SE with all-wheel drive and CVT started at $23,995, the highest-priced trim available. A $1,000 premium package included power driver's seat, upgraded stereo and dimming rearview mirror brining the bottom line to $25,820 with $825 destination charge. Starting price for a five-speed, two-wheel ES is $20,295.
The three-spoke steering wheel (manual tilting and telescoping) features cruise control functions at 3 o'clock and secondary audio controls at nine. Up-level SE models in include steering wheel paddle shifters for selecting shift points. Three, easy-to-grab circular dials control temperature, fan speed and blower direction; illuminating with bright red hues at night. Push-button start comes standard in the upgraded SE. The windshield's steep positioning opens up a larger inside sill, creating a larger ambiance. Drivers sit higher up than in conventional sedans for decent views in all directions.
Secondary audio controls come in handy since the rather small, black volume knob is found on the far side (from the driver's perspective) of the square, 6.1-inch touch audio screen (standard in SE), not along the bottom closer to the captain. Satellite radio and rear back-up camera feed through this 6.1-inch screen comes standard in SE. In-dash navigation, increasing screen size to 7 inches, is optional only in SE.
Two medium-sized deep-set analog dials with red needles and white backlighting make up the easy-to interpret instrument panel. A small digital readout in between consists of blue bars following fuel consumption use and engine temperature.
The recognizable exterior silhouette includes narrow overhang over the rear tires, and a large, protruding trapezoidal nose grille with honeycomb theme sectioned in two by a thick, horizontal plate, the entire nose trimmed in chrome. Mitsubishi's three-diamond logo resides in the upper half. A nice plus for both trims includes larger-sized, 18-inch alloy wheels. Many compacts start with 15 or 16-inch varieties. Larger tires translate to more grip on the road. A spoiler above the rear hatch window is optional. A sloping side belt line begins at the point of the wrap-around narrow tail lights and tilts slightly downward toward front, slightly flared circular wheel wells. The roof gently starts a downward slant above front door strap-like handles. Standard across the board are side fender turn signal blinkers.
The black dashboard includes accents of brushed aluminum. Leather seating surfaces are optional in all black or a black-grey duo-tone. The deep, squarish bi-level arm/rest storage bin is home to a USB plug-in port and power outlet (in the larger bottom portion) for portable electronic devices. Three inline cup holders are found between standard cloth bucket seats; one in front of the transmission shifter and two in back, alongside the hand-operated parking brake.
Headroom remains generous in front and good for those six-foot three inches and shorter in back. Rear quarters are optimal for two adult riders; three's a crowd for long durations. When prone, the 60/40-split second row offers 21.7 cubic feet of cargo space; folded, the area increases to 49.5 cubic feet. Comparatively speaking, it's a bit less than many compact crossovers. A temporary spare tire makes its home under the flat cargo floor.
Suspension tilts towards a softer calibration. Despite the 'Sport' suffix, this is a commuter car dealing pedestrian handling and cornering characteristics. The four-wheel drive option is great for on-road wet or snowy pavement, but deep-road off-roading certainly is not encouraged.
2014 Mitsubishi Outlander SportPrice as Tested: $25,820
Engine: 2.0-liter, inline four cylinder
Horsepower: 148
Wheelbase: 105.1 inches
Length: 169.1 inches
Width: 69.7 inches
Fuel Economy: 24 mpgcity/ 31mpg hwy.
Curb weight: 3,098 pounds
Powertrain warranty: 10 years/100,000 miles
Built: Normal, Illinois