When it comes to manufacturers currently active in the US, Mitsubishi is now one of the smaller ones around. In 2025, the Japanese marque managed to shift 94,754 vehicles, which is pretty small fry for a brand that sells mass-market vehicles. For reference, that’s only around 18,000 clear of Porsche, and less than a quarter of what Mazda achieved across the same period. Questions have been raised over its longevity as a result, but in 2026 it’s just been given a little pick-me-up.
This came via a sales boost for its subcompact SUV offering, the Outlander Sport. In an automotive landscape where new cars are harder than ever to sell, the rise in popularity of the model has provided Mitsubishi with some much-needed capital. The thing is, the aging machine likely doesn’t have much time left, so it raises the question of what the beloved brand does next. Luckily, it isn’t going down without a fight.
The Outlander Sport Is One Of The Cheapest Cars On Sale
2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 3rd Gen (XD) Facelift SUVMitsubishi
2026 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
Engine
2.0-2.4L NA I4
Transmission
1-Speed CVT
Power
148–168 hp
Torque
145–167 lb-ft
0-60 mph
8.5 secs (approx)
Base MSRP
$24,995
The Outlander Sport is the cheapest car that Mitsubishi offers in the US, and essentially takes over the discontinued Mirage subcompact hatchback as the manufacturer’s budget weapon. Taking the shape of a subcompact SUV, the Outlander Sport is notable due to just how cheap it is.
The base Sport S variant can be picked up for $24,995 (exc destination), which is less than half of the current average new car price in the US. Despite this, it comes with a decent amount of equipment, such as a touchscreen infotainment system and automatic climate control.
The car is one of the cheapest SUVs on sale in the US, though the likes of the Chevrolet Trax and Nissan Kicks can be picked up for less. It’s also one of the oldest. This generation of Outlander Sport has been offered in the US since 2012, making it ancient in automotive terms. It’s had various facelifts during that time but the car is still nearly 15 years old underneath, whereas its rivals have mostly all come out in the past several years.
It Provides Decent Grunt For The Price
2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 3rd Gen (XD) Facelift SUVMitsubishi
One area where the Outlander Sport does fare well is when you factor in its technical underpinnings. Its 2.0-liter inline-four engine kicks out 148 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque, which puts it solidly clear of the cheaper Trax and Kicks offerings, though the more expensive and better-selling Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrekhave it more than covered in this regard.
Spend closer to $30k, and you can have the car equipped with a 167-hp 2.4-liter unit. The only transmission on offer is a single-speed CVT transmission, which shares the power between all four wheels.
This latter fact is notable, as the Outlander Sport comes standard with AWD, making it the cheapest SUV to do so. That said, whereas the Kicks comes in front-wheel drive form as standard, the AWD variant costs just over a grand less than the Mitsubishi. It must be noted that even though you get a decent amount of grunt for the money, the Outlander Sport’s aging 2.0-liter engine isn’t the most efficient unit out there.
While it provides the car an average MPG of 26, its newer rivals all level out around the 29/30 MPG mark. On the flip side, the engine is at least a known quantity, making it very dependable.
Related
Mitsubishi Already Has A Sales Problem. Now, It Has A Dealer Problem
The automaker has lost more than 50 retailers, with many of its former partners leaving on account of lackluster product and mediocre incentives.
Mitsubishi’s Cheap SUV Has Enjoyed A Recent Sales Surge
2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 3rd Gen (XD) Facelift SUVMitsubishi
On the face of it, while the Outlander Sport is indeed very cheap, there are plenty of more modern rivals that can be had for around the same or less on the market. Its low-key sales figures over the past several years have reflected this, but all of a sudden in 2026, things have taken a turn. Mitsubishi managed to shift 8,432 examples of the car during Q2 2026, a considerable rise over the 4,968 units it sold during the same period in 2025. Whichever way you look at it, a 69.7% year-on-year increase is damn impressive.
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Sales
2025 Q2
4,968
2026 Q2
8,432 (+69.7%)
2025 FY
11,878
2026 YTD
20,508 (+72.6%)
Plus, the Outlander Sport is already well ahead of its entire 2025 sales figure only halfway through the year, and by a big margin. Its creators saw 11,878 walk out the door in 2025, while 20,508 cars have been sold so far this year, an increase of 72.6% with six months still to go.
The rise in demand for cheap cars following an increase in living costs across the US, the introduction of the well-equipped S trim, and Mitsubishi’s extensive five-year or 60,000-mile warranty are the reasons why Mitsubishi reckons its smallest offering has seen such a considerable sales rise over the last year.
Buyers need a cheap, dependable, and versatile machine to get everyday tasks done at the moment, and the venerable Outlander Sport is ideal for the job, making it a pretty safe investment for those who lack the budget to spend a ton of cash fixing their pride and joy.
The New Outlander Sport Won’t Reach The US
White 2023 Mitsubishi ASX frontMitsubishi
Despite the Outlander Sport being old by any measurement, it doesn’t seem like US audiences will be graced with its replacement. In Europe, where the machine is known as the ASX, a second-generation version was released in 2023, though it was simply a rebadged Renault Captur. Mitsubishi evidently doesn’t think the Renault will sell that well in the US, as it has no plans to bring it to the US to replace the current version.
Given the age of the current Outlander Sport, it’s unlikely that Mitsubishi can justify keeping it on sale alongside its vastly more modern rivals for much longer. Given the recent uptick in sales, this could prove problematic for its bottom line. Luckily, it has a plan to try and not only keep surviving, but thrive Stateside.
Mitsubishi’s Five-Year Plan Aims To Restore Big Profits
Mitsubishi Momentum 2030 line-upMitsubishi
In 2024, Mitsubishi announced its Momentum 2030 initiative, a five-year plan that aims to reinvigorate the brand’s US operations. It revealed that it was working hard to bring electrification to its range, which is set to be seen in hybrid and full electric vehicle form over the coming years. Its aggressive plan involves bringing at least one new model to market every year leading to 2030, including at least two that will bring Mitsubishi to a segment that it doesn’t currently compete in.
Beyond that, the company has pledged that it will be revising its dealer network to bring it more up to date, as well as expanding it to reach areas of the United States that it isn’t currently active in. This should help increase support for buyers who don’t live near a dealership at the moment, while also increasing sales thanks to its efforts being more widespread.
It’s likely that one of these new models will be a replacement for the Outlander Sport, as despite its recent sales spike, there’s only so much longer it’ll be able to cut it against its much more contemporary competition.
Related
10 Of The Most Reliable Mitsubishis Built In The Last 20-Odd Years
Some of the most reliable Mitsubishi models produced over the last 20-odd years. Some will surprise you.
Used Outlander Sports Provide Excellent Value
2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 3rd Gen (XD) Facelift SUVMitsubishi
Should even a new Outlander Sport sound a little steep for your current budget, there’s always the chance to pick up a used example instead. Being as affordable and dependable as they are, securing a tidy used specimen is one of the best ways of getting a versatile SUV without breaking the bank. According to the CarBuzz Marketplace, you can find 2020 specimens in good condition for an average value of just $12,000.
Related
Mitsubishi’s Best Model About To Get More Diverse
The automaker is exploiting the popularity of its compact SUV.
Higher-end examples with more equipment are on the market for closer to $16k, which is still a strong saving versus the car’s base MSRP. In terms of what to watch out for, the Outlander Sport is pretty solid for the most part, which you’d expect given that it’s been in production for well over a decade. One key issue to look out for regards the CVT transmission, which can deteriorate over time.
A lack of maintenance can lead to the unit feeling sluggish and hesitant, which hints that it may need rebuilding or replacing at some point in the future. If you feel these effects, it’s best to walk away and find another.
As the recent uptick in sales shows, though, the Outlander Sport still stands out as a trusted and affordable daily that is the ideal tonic for the current cost-of-living crisis. Mitsubishi knows it won’t be able to count on it forever, so we can look forward to a modern replacement before too long.
Sources: Mitsubishi.
