Getting sporty with the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

By Tyler, Editor and reviewer

We’ve tested, borrowed, and rented quite a few cars in the past few years. But never have we been asked so many times whether we were thinking about buying those cars than with the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport that we borrowed this week. Maybe it was the bright blue color, or the fact that it’s a bigger car without being too big, or maybe it was because we’re due for a car that can handle the kinds of adventures we love to go on, but whatever it was, it seemed to be the consensus that we belonged in a vehicle like the Outlander Sport.

Here’s what we learned from our week of being sporty:

Daddy-O Likes
•    Mid-level height – Easy to get in and out of and also to load things {kids included} into.
•    Three across, no problem. As I said, we typically drive a compact sedan. But, that compact sedan is one of very few that can handle three car seats across, and we’re definitely playing Tetris every time we load and unload kids. With the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, we had inches to spare. That might not sound like a lot, but inches are a BIG deal when you’re talking three across. •    Rocking stereo – The Rockford Fosgate sound system is like a whole new level of sound. If we weren’t carting around kids with delicate eardrums, we would have definitely been rocking out in style with the awesome stereo system that you can customize for your listening pleasure. With AM/FM radio, Satellite channels, a hidden CD player behind the navigation screen, and iPod and Bluetooth integration, there are tons of ways to enjoy the clear sound of the Outlander’s bumping stereo system, and you can fine tune just about everything – including which seat gets to rock out the most. •    Back up camera – Safety is paramount, so anything that helps keep us and our kiddos safe is a huge plus to me.
•    Aggressive styling – I really like cars that look like they are ready to go without being overstyled. The Outlander Sport hits the sweet spot in this regard with a great stance, nice bulging shoulder lines, and a menacing grill.  
Mama Likes
•    Keyless entry and ignition – Keyless is awesome! My wife would love to keep the car keys zipped in a pocket and never take them out again, which is especially important when traveling with 3 kids and all our gear, alone.  
•    GPS – When we set out on a road trip, it’s a given that we will end up exploring a bit off the beaten path, so my wife is in love with the built-in GPS on the control panel that can help guide them back to the main path to find food, water, and shelter, as needed if I’m not there.  
•    Heated seats – She loves heated seats, even in summer. I think she’s crazy, but in winter I would be singing a different tune.
•    CVT with manual shifting – Since we’re used to a manual transmission, automatic transmissions can seem like they lag a bit, so having the option of shifting is really nice. With both steering wheel paddles and a traditional gear selector  you can shift with, it’s much closer to having the same feel as a manual but with the ease of an automatic. •    Big, but not too big – I like sitting up higher when driving, but I really don’t want to drive a huge truck or SUV, so I love the idea of a CUV {compact utility vehicle} that is big without being unmanageable in a parking lot or on narrow roads.  
Kiddos Like
•    Good visibility – Both kiddos loved being up higher so they could see out the windows on our journeys. Of course, they also loved opening and closing those windows whenever we weren’t on the freeway. Thank goodness there’s a parent lock for that.
•    Huge Sunroof – Seriously, this sunroof was HUGE! It extended from the front of the car all the way back to the kids, which not only lets in tons of light, it also just makes for a roomy riding experience in the backseat. •    LED lighting around sunroof – When exploring various buttons one night we realized there are lighted strips of LEDs along the edges of the sunroof. Upon turning them on our daughter exclaimed that we needed to buy this car immediately. {Perhaps she’s the one planting the idea of a purchase in everyone’s minds?} So, back to the question of if we’re thinking about buying the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. No, at this point we’re not in the market for a vehicle, but this would be something we would consider if we decided to upgrade. Honestly, even though they are really affordable fully loaded, I would probably go with a base model or at least a lower model since I enjoy the car more than I enjoy the bells and whistles. That being said, I would definitely recommend it to friends or family looking for a CUV, in fact, I have recommended it and will continue to. It’s a good little car with room inside, a compact footprint, and it can go anywhere and do just about anything that most people will realistically ever need a sport utility vehicle to do.

See you, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. You will be missed.
A big thank you to Drive Shop USA for this test driving experience. All opinions are 100% ours.