Auto News 5

Drive a new car off the dealership lot in 2011 and no matter the make or model, you're almost certainly in a car that's safe, reliable, and competent on the road. We live in a time in which "bad cars" are practically extinct, and the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is a prime example of that. Mitsubishi's compact crossover is a brand-new vehicle with a design that's years fresher than many of the segment's stalwarts. Despite that, it stumbles to the back of the pack right out of the gate. There's nothing perilously wrong with this Mitsubishi, but neither does it really sell itself. While its long-term reliability is untested, the Outlander Sport definitely suffers from the perception of low quality. The cabin creaks and rattles, the suspension occasionally crashes and clunks, and the interior feels decidedly cheap. Engine vibrations are evident at higher rpms, which you'll often see in efforts to get this 3040-pound vehicle moving with 148 hp. All that is a shame, because the Outlander Sport steers nicely and looks pretty sharp among some stodgier competitors.
- Eric Tingwall, Associate Editor