2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vs. Its Competition

John Voelcker

The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is a bit smaller than today’s compact crossovers, a bit larger than newer small subcompact SUVs.

That means competitors come from a broad array of models.

The Ford Escape is a stalwart of the compact SUV class, but it’s now on the smaller end of the scale.

Updated since its debut, its fuel economy remains notoriously subpar.

The Jeep Compass, larger than the brand’s tiny Renegade but smaller than its Cherokee, is a newer vehicle with more modern features than the small Outlander.

It’s also a budget entry and shares a few of the Mitsubishi’s faults.

The Kia Sportage was new last year, though it too suffers from low fuel-economy ratings.

The Nissan Juke is fun to drive, but now as old as the Outlander Sport, no larger than a subcompact hatchback inside, and gets remarkably low EPA ratings as well.

The Subaru Crosstrek, entirely redesigned this year, is one of our favorites and a sales success, so while it compares to the Mitsubishi in size, bargaining may not be possible.

Still, it would be our pick among this group.