Compare the2024 Toyota Corolla CrossVS 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Corolla Cross 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 its 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 Corolla Cross 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.

The Corolla Cross has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Corolla Cross XLE has a standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Corolla Cross XLE has standard Front and Rear Parking Assist to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

Both the Corolla Cross and Outlander Sport have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Corolla Cross XLE has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Outlander Sport’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The Corolla Cross’ 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 Corolla Cross has standard Safety Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, 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 Corolla Cross 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 all wheel drive and blind spot warning systems.

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 Toyota Corolla Cross is safer than the Outlander Sport:

	Corolla Cross	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	19 cm	28 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Femur Force R/L	.4/.4 kN	3.43/.93 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	1%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Tibia index R/L	.43/.25	.68/.36
Tibia forces R/L	1.8/1 kN	1.9/1.9 kN

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 Toyota Corolla Cross is safer than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:

	Corolla Cross	Outlander Sport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	92	163
Abdominal Force	129 lbs.	163 lbs.
Hip Force	330 lbs.	518 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	349
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	47 G’s
Hip Force	367 lbs.	794 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	17 inches
HIC	239	365
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	41 G’s
Hip Force	623 lbs.	807 lbs.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Cross the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 72 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Outlander Sport is not a “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

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

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Corolla Cross for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Mitsubishi doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Outlander Sport.

There are almost 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Cross’ warranty.

Reliability

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 Corolla Cross’ reliability 46 points higher than the Outlander Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mitsubishi is rated lower.

Engine

The Corolla Cross’ 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 21 more horsepower (169 vs. 148) and 5 lbs.-ft. more torque (150 vs. 145) than the Outlander Sport’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Corolla Cross’ 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 1 more horsepower (169 vs. 168) than the Outlander Sport GT’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Corolla Cross is faster than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Corolla Cross	Outlander Sport
Zero to 60 MPH	8.4 sec	10.1 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	17.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	84.8 MPH	78.4 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Corolla Cross
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/33 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	29 city/32 hwy
Outlander Sport
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
		2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Corolla Cross’ 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 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 Toyota Corolla Cross higher (7 out of 10) than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (5). This means the Corolla Cross produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Outlander Sport every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Toyota Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the Outlander Sport:

	Corolla Cross	Outlander Sport
Front Rotors	12 inches	11.6 inches

The Corolla Cross stops much shorter than the Outlander Sport:

	Corolla Cross	Outlander Sport
70 to 0 MPH	172 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	137 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	140 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Corolla Cross L/LE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Outlander Sport S’ standard 70 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Corolla Cross L/LE has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Outlander Sport S.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Corolla Cross is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Outlander Sport.

The Corolla Cross XLE AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Outlander Sport 4WD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Corolla Cross XLE AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Outlander Sport SE 4WD (28.2 seconds @ .57 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Corolla Cross has 1.3 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front hip room and 1.1 inches more rear headroom than the Outlander Sport.

Cargo Capacity

The Corolla Cross has a much larger cargo volume than the Outlander Sport with its rear seat up (25.5 vs. 21.7 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Corolla Cross XLE offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Payload and Towing

The Corolla Cross has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Outlander Sport has no towing capacity.

The Corolla Cross has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Outlander Sport (1160 vs. 827 lbs.).

The Corolla Cross has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Outlander Sport (1175 vs. 827 lbs.).

Ergonomics

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

The Corolla Cross’ 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 Sport’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla Cross 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. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Outlander Sport can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Outlander Sport’s standard power locks don’t automatically lock the doors. The Corolla Cross’ standard doors lock when the transmission is engaged. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross XLE offers optional 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 Corolla Cross LE/XLE has standard extendable sun visors. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Corolla Cross XLE’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 Corolla Cross and the Outlander Sport offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross has a standard Dynamic Radar 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 Toyota Corolla LE/XLE has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Model Availability

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Corolla Cross 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 Toyota Corolla outsold the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport by over 17 to one during 2022.