Where To Now? The 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.4 GT AWC

2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.4 GT AWC

Mitsubishi, high atop pretty much everyone's automotive death pool lists in the 2010s, has a future in the 2020s.  Nissan (which has its own troubles of late) is now running Mitsu and there's a product plan for North America for the decade ahead.

High on the list of "do something" is the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport.  With the exception of some inside-and-out facelifts, the Outlander Sport is the same one that Mitsu introduced in 2010. And it wasn't especially cutting-edge then.

The base Outlander Sports are still using the same two-liter four cylinder engines that they launched with, but the best move is to opt for the 2.4 GT, like our tester.  168 horsepower doesn't seem like much these days---in fact, it's not much---but it's better than the 148 the 2.0 produces.  And the 2.4 is noticeably smoother.  Fuel economy stays solid at an EPA-estimated 23 city/28 highway.

An interior re-do five years ago makes the Outlander Sport far more pleasant than it originally was, but it's clearly a product of a different time.  That's not necessarily all bad, though---because it's priced to sell.  Our loaded Outlander Sport 2.4 GT AWC has a base price of $26,895---dirt cheap for the segment---and here's what comes standard, some of which is surprising for the price and the age of the Outlander Sport:

• Electric power steering.
• All-wheel control.
• LED low and high-beam headlights.
• LED fog lights.
• LED daytime running lights.
• Automatic headlights.
• LED taillights.
• Gloss black and satin silver grille accents.
• Chrome side garnish.
• Body-colored outer door handles.
• Body-colored side mirrors with turn indicators.
• Power-folding side mirrors.
• Heated power side mirrors.
• Front variable intermittent wipers.
• Front rain-sensing wipers. 
• Rear intermittent wiper.
• Rear window defroster with timer.
• Rear privacy glass.
• Roof spoiler.
• Black roof rails.
• Shark fin antenna.
• GT badge.
• 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels.
• 225/55 R18 all-season tires.
• Temporary spare tire.
• 4WD decal.
• Color multi-information display.
• High-contrast meters.
• Dual sunvisor vanity mirrors with illumination.
• Cargo light.
• Six-way adjustable driver seat.
• Four-way adjustable front passenger seat.
• Heated front seats.
• Combination soft-touch seating surfaces.
• 60/40 split folding rear seat.
• Five-passenger seating.
• Driver seatback pocket.
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel.
• Tilt and telescoping steering column.
• Leather-wrapped shift knob.
• Soft-touch upper instrument panel and door trim.
• Chrome inner door handles.
• Satin gray window switch panels.
• Gloss black with silver accent audio panel.
• Gloss black shift panel.
• Black headliner and pillars.
• Eight-inch smartphone-link display audio system.
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio (three month free trial).
• HD Radio.
• Six speakers.
• Bluetooth.
• Steering wheel audio and phone controls.
• Steering wheel voice recognition control.
• Front USB ports.
• Rearview camera.
• Drive mode selector.
• Cruise control.
• Automatic climate control.
• Micron air filtration.
• Rear heater floor ducts.
• Remote keyless entry.
• FAST-key entry system.
• Pushbutton start.
• Power windows with driver auto up/down.
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink.
• 12-volt power outlets.
• Floor console box with armrest.
• Front door bottle holders.
• Rear seat center armrest with cupholders.
• Assist grips.
• Cargo tie-down hooks.
• Forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection.
• Lane departure warning.
• Automatic high beams.
• Blind spot warning with lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert.
• Anti-lock braking with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist.
• Active stability control.
• Hill start assist.
• Tire pressure monitoring system.
• Anti-theft alarm system.
• Anti-theft engine immobilizer.

That's a pretty comprehensive list of standard features---a lot of them very current and many of them available only as extra-cost options on other vehicles.  Again, keep in mind the price---$26,895.

There were three extra-cost options on our tester---the Red Diamond paint was $595, an accessory tonneau cover was $190 and carpeted floor mats and portfolio cost $145.  

With $1,095 destination and handling charge, the bottom line on the window sticker reads $28,920.

Yes, it's ancient by new car standards, but you have to give Mitsubishi some serious credit for what they've done in terms of features to keep the Outlander Sport 2.4 GT AWC relevant.  And at less than $30,000, this could very well be the best choice for many drivers.

Still, it will be fascinating to see this car's replacement, most likely as a 2021 or 2022 model.