Compare the2026 Mitsubishi Outlander SportVS 2026 Subaru Crosstrek

Both the Outlander Sport and the Crosstrek have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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 Subaru Crosstrek:

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

The Outlander Sport comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Crosstrek’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Mitsubishi’s powertrain warranty covers the Outlander Sport 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Crosstrek. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Crosstrek ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Outlander Sport’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Crosstrek’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Mitsubishi pays for scheduled maintenance on the Outlander Sport for 2 years and 30,000 miles. Mitsubishi will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 3 visits). Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Crosstrek.

The Outlander Sport stops much shorter than the Crosstrek:

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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Outlander Sport 4WD handles at .76 G’s, while the Crosstrek Wilderness pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Outlander Sport is 4.5 inches shorter than the Crosstrek, making the Outlander Sport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Outlander Sport has a much larger cargo volume than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (21.7 vs. 19.9 cubic feet).

The Outlander Sport offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

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 Crosstrek’s 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. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Crosstrek and aren’t offered on the Crosstrek Base.

Both the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and Subaru Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The Outlander Sport is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.