Mitsubishi Outlander Gets A New Look For 2020

The 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is out, and it’s the compact crossover that has attracted more American customers than any other vehicle in Mitsu’s relatively sparse lineup. It looks like the new Mitsubishi already has captured the hearts of many. The updated model has “Dynamic Shield” front end styling which now resembles that of the bigger Outlander brother and the newer Eclipse Cross.

It’s not a new vehicle it just got a makeover which is the latest in a series of refreshers, bestowed on the CUV since the current generation bowed out in 2010. Mitsubishi’s smallest crossover was once expected to shrink in size to give the Eclipse Cross a break, but Mitsubishi shoved the plan onto the back burner. But the redesign is quite thorough, as the midcycle refreshers go, and it has a new rear, new interior materials, and unique 18-inch wheels.

The design hints as to what all the future Mitsubishis could be. The significantly restyled 2020 model gives the Outlander Sport a new face which crafts a replacement. The not very new model officially debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

The brawnier and shinier grille and the remolded front fascia gives the Outlander Sport and measure of visual toughness not present in past iterations, while a taller hood now cuts into the front fender. For warmth, the fog lamps and turn signals huddle together. The reformed tail lamps seem to mimic a signature feature of Volvo’s headlamps.      

Mitsubishi hopes they can broaden the model’s beam, at least visually, with the rear-end styling changes. “Design will be a key strategic thing moving forward for Mitsubishi Motors,” Nate Berg said, director of product planning for Mitsubishi Motors North America. “We will continue to focus on refining our design.”

When you first see the vehicle, the design change begins with a new flatter hood which no longer slant toward the front of the car. The front fascia has a broader version of Mitsubishi’s “Dynamic Shield” grille. At the far edges of the vehicle are the fog lights and the turn signals which are separated from the headlights.

It has a more robust look than the old model. Standard now is LED highlights when last year, they weren’t available as an option. The car’s 18-inch wheels have gotten a redesign too. There are some similarities to the Subaru Crosstrek such as the new rear bumper design which has extra plastic cladding and faux-vents.

Ahead of the front doors are new faux-plastic fender vents. Mitsubishi needed to go all out in the Outlander Sport design since customers cited that the design was a key selling point for the crossover. Berg said, “Our customers have told us they love the design of our Outlander Sport”.

Many believe that when it comes to the competition, there isn’t a lot that is rugged and bold. But many have forgotten about what the Hyundai Kona can offer. Within the cabin, most of the changes were aimed at improving interior quality with the seat upholstery.

The other changes available is the now standard black headliner and the redesigned climate-control knobs that are easier to grip. Last year, the infotainment had a 6- or 7-inch screen, but this year it’s a new 8-inch touchscreen which offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but it still has physical volume and tuning knobs. Mechanically there are no changes, so the Outlander Sport’s standard engine remains a 2.0-liter inline-four which distributes 148 horsepower and 145 lb-ft.

The GT models use a 2.4-liter engine which offers 168 horsepower and 167 lb-ft. Previously, on the base models, there was a five-speed manual transmission, but that has been discontinued for the year 2020. Available for active-safety technology are pre-collision braking and warning, blind-spot monitoring and automatic high-beam headlights, although the adaptive cruise control is not available anymore.

No pricing is available for the 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport as of yet, but Berg has promised that it won’t deviate from the current model’s figures pricing. Which most likely means that it can go anywhere from $22,000-$23,000 (plus destination fee), with the GT trim going as high as $27,000 (plus destination fee). The crossover goes on sale in Septemeber of 2019.

You can search Mitsubishi’s Outlander Sport inventory at University Mitsubishi. Make sure to stop by for a test drive and see if this model and make is the car for you.

Photo Credit: cars.com