2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.4 SEL AWC Review - Cheap and Value Aren't the Same Thing

There are some vehicles on the market that offer bargain pricing without punishing their buyers.

The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.4 SEL AWC isn’t one of those.

Mitsubishi has seemingly been in “barely getting by mode” for years now, and the Outlander gives a clue as to why.

Here’s a hint: Quality matters. On paper, the Outlander Sport 2.4 SEL AWC looks like it may actually offer a value proposition over other small crossovers, but that old cliché about getting what you pay for applies here. Arguably, you end up paying too much, anyway.

I loathe to be overly critical of fit and finish issues on any press loaner since the sample size is obviously a number of one, but when the driver’s seat rocks back and forth as you shift positions, as mine did the entire time I had it, well, that’s worth remarking upon.

[Get new and used Mitsubishi Outlander pricing here!]

So, too, is the fact that the radio just up and quit and required a re-fire of the engine while stopped at a light to work again.

These quality gremlins are too bad, because the Outlander isn’t as terrible in other regards as one might expect. Vehicles built by a struggling brand often become the victims of much side-eye, but the Outlander actually could be something worth driving if you weren’t worried about things breaking.

It’s not fast – the 2.4-liter four-cylinder only offers up 168 horsepower and 167 lb-ft of torque, saddled with all-wheel drive. But Mitsubishi has dialed a bit of personality into the steering and handling, and the ride was compliant enough around town. It may feel a bit low-rent, but the Outlander is pleasant enough to drive.

So, there’s a little bit of “sport.” That’s not enough to overcome concerns about build quality. What about the feature list?

Standard features include heated front seats, leather seats, fog lights, tilt/telescope steering wheel, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, satellite radion, 7-inch infotainment screen, Bluetooth, and dual USBs, automatic climate control, and cruise control. A $2,000 Touring Package adds forward-collision mitigation, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, premium audio, and a panoramic glass roof.

It all adds up to just a tick under $30K. The features list is pretty on par for the class, and so is the pricing – you aren’t saving a huge chunk of change over most of the competition. You are saving some money, though – enough that it might make a difference for stretched budgets. However, if the build quality leads to repair costs down the line, after the warranty is up, is it worth it?

Maybe it’s a risk worth taking if the interior design wasn’t so darn unremarkable. Mitsubishi offers up big “tiled” app buttons in its touch screen, but unlike similar designs (such as what’s seen with Honda), it looks a little cheap and cheesy. The rest of the inside offers up old-fashioned buttons and knobs that are easy to use but look a bit outdated. Perhaps the biggest drawback is that the interior shapes are a little too simplistic – the center stack and other areas lack character. It’s nice to have simple buttons and knobs, but there are ways to keep them and still give the design pizzazz. The Outlander Sport doesn’t have that balance.

The exterior remains an odd exercise in angles, with a truncated front end and unimaginative styling aft of the A-pillar. It’s not the ugliest ride on the road and, stump snout aside, the side profile is perfectly pleasant. The weird mashup of taillight/turn signal/back-up light does mar the view of the rear.

Value often requires compromise, and the Outlander is not an exception. Except the compromise here isn’t in features or even performance. It’s in materials, design, and build quality.

Like I said above, I don’t like to harp too much on the build quality of a press loan because a sample size of one is statistically useless. But a rocking seat and disappearing radio are cause for concern, especially when we’re discussing a brand that’s fighting for survival. Context matters.

Maybe the Outlander you buy will be gremlin-free. But you’re still left with an underpowered four-banger and low-rent materials and design.

You really do get what you pay for.

[Images © 2018 Tim Healey/TTAC]