Compare the2024 Mitsubishi Outlander SportVS 2025 Hyundai Tucson

The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Tucson doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Outlander Sport has standard Active Front Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Front Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Tucson doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Outlander Sport and the Tucson 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, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is safer than the Hyundai Tucson:

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

The Outlander Sport has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tucson (15.8 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Outlander Sport has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Tucson doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Outlander 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 Tucson doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better maneuverability, the Outlander Sport’s turning circle is 3.8 feet tighter than the Tucson’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outlander Sport has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tucson (8.5 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the Outlander Sport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Outlander Sport is 10.8 inches shorter than the Tucson, making the Outlander Sport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Mitsubishi service is better than Hyundai. J.D. Power ranks Mitsubishi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 56% lower rating, Hyundai is ranked 29th.

The Outlander 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 Tucson’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Outlander Sport’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Hyundai only offers heated mirrors on the Tucson SEL/XRT/Limited.

Both the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and Hyundai Tucson offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Outlander Sport offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Tucson’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.