Compare the2023 Land Rover Discovery Sport VS 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander

Both the Discovery Sport and Outlander have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Discovery Sport has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Outlander’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The power windows standard on both the Discovery Sport and the Outlander have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Discovery Sport is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outlander prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

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

Both the Discovery Sport and the Outlander have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Land Rover vehicles are better in initial quality than Mitsubishi vehicles. With 33 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Land Rover higher than Mitsubishi.

The Discovery Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 65 more horsepower (246 vs. 181) and 88 lbs.-ft. more torque (269 vs. 181) than the Outlander’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

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

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Discovery Sport’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. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Outlander doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Discovery Sport has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Outlander (17.7 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Land Rover Discovery Sport higher (7 out of 10) than the Mitsubishi Outlander (6 to 7). This means the Discovery Sport produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Outlander every 15,000 miles.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Discovery Sport offers optional 21-inch wheels. The Outlander’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Discovery Sport has a standard full size spare (not available on 7-Passenger) so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Outlander; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Discovery Sport offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Outlander’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Discovery Sport has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Outlander doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Discovery Sport’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Outlander (107.9 inches vs. 106.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Discovery Sport is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Outlander.

The Discovery Sport is 4.4 inches shorter than the Outlander, making the Discovery Sport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Discovery Sport has standard flush composite headlights. The Outlander has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Discovery Sport’s available middle row seats recline. The Outlander’s middle row seats don’t recline.

The Discovery Sport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Outlander’s (4409 vs. 2000 pounds).

The Discovery Sport’s front and rear power windows all 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’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

On a hot day the Discovery Sport’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Outlander can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Discovery Sport’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Outlander ES’ standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the Discovery Sport has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Outlander doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

The Discovery Sport’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mitsubishi only offers heated mirrors on the Outlander SE/SEL.

The Discovery Sport’s standard 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 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Land Rover Discovery Sport has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Outlander SE/SEL offers wireless charging.

Insurance will cost less for the Discovery Sport owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Discovery Sport will cost $550 to $5430 less than the Outlander over a five-year period.