Compare the2022 Honda CR-V HybridVS 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/05/01

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V Hybrid deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V Hybrid’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Outlander Sport’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CR-V Hybrid. But it costs extra on the Outlander Sport.

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Outlander Sport SE/GT offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CR-V Hybrid has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Outlander Sport SE/GT has a cross-path warning system.

The CR-V Hybrid’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The CR-V Hybrid has standard HondaLink Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the CR-V Hybrid and the Outlander Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available rear parking sensors.

The Honda CR-V Hybrid weighs 412 to 643 pounds more than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda CR-V Hybrid is safer than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:

	CR-V Hybrid	Outlander Sport
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	141	208
Neck Injury Risk	27%	29%
Neck Stress	175 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	70 lbs.	90 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	65/19 lbs.	334/511 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37%	43%
Neck Stress	160 lbs.	221 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	276/243 lbs.	394/494 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Honda CR-V Hybrid is safer than the Outlander Sport:

	CR-V Hybrid	Outlander Sport
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Restraints	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	1 cm	1 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	23 cm	28 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Femur Force R/L	.3/0 kN	3.43/.93 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	1%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda CR-V Hybrid is safer than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:

	CR-V Hybrid	Outlander Sport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	71	163
Abdominal Force	142 G’s	163 G’s
Hip Force	310 lbs.	518 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	143	349
Hip Force	567 lbs.	794 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	17 inches
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	41 G’s
Hip Force	543 lbs.	807 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CR-V Hybrid the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Outlander Sport is not a “Top Pick.”

Warranty

The CR-V Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Outlander Sport’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are over 3 times as many Honda dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CR-V Hybrid’s warranty.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 15 places higher in reliability than Mitsubishi.

Engine

The CR-V Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 64 more horsepower (212 vs. 148) and 87 lbs.-ft. more torque (232 vs. 145) than the Outlander Sport ES/LE/SE’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CR-V Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 44 more horsepower (212 vs. 168) and 65 lbs.-ft. more torque (232 vs. 167) than the Outlander Sport GT’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda CR-V Hybrid is faster than the Outlander Sport ES/LE/SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	CR-V Hybrid	Outlander Sport
Zero to 60 MPH	7.5 sec	10.1 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	17.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86.3 MPH	78.4 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V Hybrid gets better mileage than the Outlander Sport:

			MPG
CR-V Hybrid
		2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/35 hwy
Outlander Sport
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
		2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the CR-V Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the CR-V Hybrid’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda CR-V Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (5). This means the CR-V Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Outlander Sport every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CR-V Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Outlander Sport:

	CR-V Hybrid	Outlander Sport
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	11.9 inches

The CR-V Hybrid stops much shorter than the Outlander Sport:

	CR-V Hybrid	Outlander Sport
70 to 0 MPH	173 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CR-V Hybrid has larger tires than the Outlander Sport (235/60R18 vs. 225/55R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CR-V Hybrid Touring has standard 19-inch wheels. The Outlander Sport’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V Hybrid is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Outlander Sport.

The CR-V Hybrid Touring handles at .81 G’s, while the Outlander Sport 4WD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CR-V Hybrid Touring executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Outlander Sport SE 4WD (28 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the CR-V Hybrid uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CR-V Hybrid uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The CR-V Hybrid has 5.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Outlander Sport (102.9 vs. 97.5).

The CR-V Hybrid has 3 inches more front hip room, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 4.1 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Outlander Sport.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CR-V Hybrid’s rear seats recline. The Outlander Sport’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Outlander Sport with its rear seat up (33.2 vs. 21.7 cubic feet). The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Outlander Sport with its rear seat folded (68.7 vs. 49.5 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CR-V Hybrid’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the CR-V Hybrid. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CR-V Hybrid EX-L/Touring has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the CR-V Hybrid Touring, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CR-V Hybrid, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer memory seats.

The CR-V Hybrid EX-L/Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The CR-V Hybrid’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Outlander Sport has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The CR-V Hybrid’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Outlander Sport’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the CR-V Hybrid the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Outlander Sport can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the CR-V Hybrid has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Outlander Sport only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the CR-V Hybrid’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Outlander Sport’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the CR-V Hybrid has standard extendable sun visors. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer extendable visors.

On extremely cold winter days, the CR-V Hybrid EX-L/Touring’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The CR-V Hybrid’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the CR-V Hybrid and the Outlander Sport offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CR-V Hybrid has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the CR-V Hybrid has a standard Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda CR-V Hybrid Touring has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda CR-V Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport isn't recommended.

The CR-V was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 20 years. The Outlander Sport has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Outlander Sport has never been chosen.