Compare the2022 Subaru ForesterVS 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
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Forester have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Forester are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Forester (except Base/Premium) offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Forester Touring’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 Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring has standard STARLINK Connected Services, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or 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 Forester and the Outlander Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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

	Forester	Outlander Sport
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	186	208
Neck Injury Risk	23%	29%
Neck Stress	326 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	90 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	248/368 lbs.	334/511 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	31%	43%
Neck Stress	213 lbs.	221 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	105/93 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 Subaru Forester is safer than the Outlander Sport:

	Forester	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	0 cm	1 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	27 cm	28 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Femur Force R/L	1.4/.9 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 Subaru Forester is safer than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:

	Forester	Outlander Sport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	66	163
Abdominal Force	122 G’s	163 G’s
Hip Force	389 lbs.	518 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	246	349
Hip Force	670 lbs.	794 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	16 inches	17 inches
HIC	121	365
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	41 G’s
Hip Force	673 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 standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Forester its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 73 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Outlander Sport is not even a standard “Top Pick.”

Warranty

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

There are almost 2 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Forester’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Forester has a standard 620-amp battery. The Outlander Sport’s 530-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Forester’s reliability 34 points higher than the Outlander Sport.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 12 places higher in reliability than Mitsubishi.

Engine

The Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 34 more horsepower (182 vs. 148) and 31 lbs.-ft. more torque (176 vs. 145) than the Outlander Sport ES/LE/SE’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 14 more horsepower (182 vs. 168) and 9 lbs.-ft. more torque (176 vs. 167) than the Outlander Sport GT’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Forester is faster than the Outlander Sport ES/LE/SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Forester	Outlander Sport
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	10.1 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	17.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86.2 MPH	78.4 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Forester lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Forester gets better mileage than the Outlander Sport:

			MPG
Forester
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/33 hwy
		Wilderness 2.5 DOHC flat-4	25 city/28 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

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Forester’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.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Forester higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (5). This means the Forester produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Outlander Sport every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Subaru Forester as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Outlander Sport:

	Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring	Outlander Sport
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	11.6 inches

The Forester stops much shorter than the Outlander Sport:

	Forester	Outlander Sport
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Forester Wilderness has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Outlander Sport; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Forester is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Outlander Sport.

The Forester Touring handles at .83 G’s, while the Outlander Sport SE 4WD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Forester Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Outlander Sport SE 4WD (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Forester has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Outlander Sport (8.7 vs. 8.5 inches), allowing the Forester to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Forester Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is .7 inch higher than on the Outlander Sport (9.2 vs. 8.5 inches).

Chassis

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Forester has liquid-filled engine mounts. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The Outlander Sport uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The front grille of the Forester 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.

Passenger Space

The Forester has 14.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Outlander Sport (111.9 vs. 97.5).

The Forester has 1.8 inches more front headroom, 1.7 inches more front legroom, 2 inches more front hip room, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear headroom, 3.1 inches more rear legroom, 2 inches more rear hip room and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Outlander Sport.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s rear seats recline. The Outlander Sport’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Outlander Sport with its rear seat up (28.9 vs. 21.7 cubic feet). The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Outlander Sport with its rear seat folded (74.2 vs. 49.5 cubic feet).

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the Forester Touring’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 Forester. 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 Forester (except Base) offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The Forester has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Outlander Sport has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Forester uses the Vehicle Dynamics Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Forester is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Outlander Sport. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

When five different drivers share the Forester Touring, the memory system makes it convenient for each of them. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle and climate settings. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Forester 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 Forester’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 Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s front power windows open fully with one touch of the switches, and the driver’s window also automatically closes, 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.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s exterior PIN entry system. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Forester 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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Forester has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer cornering lights.

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

When the Forester Touring is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Outlander Sport’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Forester’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Outlander Sport has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Forester and the Outlander Sport offer available heated front seats. The Forester Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Outlander Sport.

On extremely cold winter days, the Forester’s optional (except Base/Premium/Sport/Wilderness) 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 Forester Wilderness/Limited/Touring’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 Forester and the Outlander Sport offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Forester 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 Forester 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.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Forester is less expensive to operate than the Outlander Sport because typical repairs cost much less on the Forester than the Outlander Sport, including $71 less for a water pump, $58 less for a muffler, $247 less for a fuel pump and $675 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Forester as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport isn't recommended.

The Subaru Forester outsold the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport by over five to one during the 2021 model year.