NYIAS 2017: You Won't Believe What They've Done With the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Sit back and place a nitroglycerine pill under your tongue. It’s product announcement time.

As it revamps its utility vehicle lineup, Mitsubishi isn’t letting the looming introduction of the poorly named very own Eclipse Cross competitor — the Outlander Sport — for 2018.

So, say goodbye to the aging model you see above. Wait — hold on. That is the 2018 model.

Yes, there are very evolutionary changes coming to Mitsubishi’s stalwart Outlander Sport, which bowed in the U.S. for the 2011 model year (and 2010 elsewhere). With the planned downsizing of the model tentatively pushed back to 2021, this will be the model’s second refresh in the same generation.

Nissan-Renault’s acquisition of Mitsubishi has thrown the struggling automaker into a state of pleasant turmoil. Not surprisingly, its product timelines have become question marks as shared architectures and components become the new reality. Supplier sources claim the flagship Outlander will also see a delay. A new model could appear in 2020, a year later than first promised.

But back to the brand’s best-selling U.S. model. What changes can you expect going forward? Well, here’s a photo of the 2017 model for comparison:

Mitsubishi has added trendy, near-vertical LED running lights in the lower fascia, adjacent to the carryover foglights. The lower air opening now sees a tightly spaced mesh instead of horizontal slats, while the upper grille gains a thin chrome accent strip to frame the badge. Again, plastic slats are replaced with mesh. The rear bumper sees similarly minor tweaks.

Phew. Did you get all that?

As for content, the Outlander Sport gains a Touring Model for 2018, bringing the option of a panoramic sunroof, a longer list of safety aids (such as Forward Collision Mitigation) and unspecified measures to improve NVH issues.

Inside, you’ll find a redesigned console, new shift lever (best take another pill) and a 7-inch Smartphone Link display audio system. To woo millennials, that system features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

It looks like the drivetrain remains exactly the same, so don’t expect to see much movement in pricing. The 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport arrives at dealers with helpful window stickers denoting its model year this fall.

[Images: Mitsubishi Motors]