Mitsubishi Outlander Sport local pricing and specs revealed

The new Mitsubishi Outlander Sport has arrived in South Africa. Replacing the Mitsubishi ASX, this B-segment crossover aims to poach sales away from rivals such as the Toyota Urban Cruiser, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Honda Elevate, Kia Seltos and Chery Tiggo Pro 4. 

Manufactured in Indonesia and known as the Xforce in other markets, the Outlander Sport measures 4,390mm in length (with a wheelbase of 2,650mm), 1,830mm in width and 1,660mm in height. Ground clearance is 193mm; enough for taming Mzansi's choppy rural back roads. Its exterior design is striking and features the firm's 'Dynamic Shield' face consisting of a three-dimensional radiator grille flanked by distinctive L-shaped LED daytime running lights. The latter intersect with slotted accents to emit light in a T-shape.

Other features include a stylish 'floating roof' design, muscular front/rear fender flares and T-shaped LED taillights which, Mitsubishi says, contribute to a “wide and stable look”.

Four derivatives are available from launch, starting with the Outlander Sport GL. Though aimed at budget-conscious motorists, its list of standard features is generous and includes electrically adjustable power folding mirrors; a reach/rake adjustable urethane multifunction steering wheel, height adjustable driver seat, fabric seat upholstery, passenger seat under tray, and 40:20:40 split folding rear seats with eight-step recline. 

Sweetening the deal is the presence of manual air conditioning with rear air vents, front/rear USB ports (type-A and type-C) and an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility and a reverse camera. 

Riding on a set of grey 17-inch alloy wheels, the Outlander Sport GL is armed with safety features such as an electric parking brake with auto hold, active yaw control, ABS brakes with EBD, four airbags, active stability control, hill hold assist and LED headlamp clusters.

Next in line is the Outlander Sport GLS, which builds on the specification of its GL sibling with the addition of blind spot warning, lane change assist and rear cross traffic alert.

Rolling on grey 18-inch alloy wheels, the Outlander Sport Aspire claims extra creature comforts in the form of a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob, cruise control, wireless charging pad with illumination, four selectable driving modes (normal/wet/gravel/mud), synthetic leather seat upholstery with mocha accents, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, side-curtain airbags (upping the tally to six), rear park sensors, tyre pressure monitoring, ambient lighting and dual-zone automatic air-conditioning. 

Also on offer is a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, fully digital eight-inch instrument cluster, rain sensitive windscreen wipers, automatic headlamps, LED front fog lights, keyless entry and a hands-free power tailgate with height memory. 

The flagship Outlander Sport Exceed adds a punchy eight-speaker Yamaha sound system. 

Regardless of the model grade, all Outlander Sport models come equipped with a 1.5l four-cylinder petrol engine pushing out 77kW and 141Nm of torque. This is sent to the front axle via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Performance is best described as leisurely with Mitsubishi claiming 0-100 km/h in 13.6 seconds and a maximum speed of 175km/h. 

Pricing for the new Mitsubishi Outlander Sport range:

1.5 GL: R429,990

1.5 GLS: R449,990

1.5 Aspire: R479,990

1.5 Exceed: R499,990

Pricing includes a three-year/45,000km service plan and five-year/unlimited mileage warranty as standard. Service intervals are set at 15,000km.