FAST FACTS
2018 Nissan Kicks SR› Exterior color: Red› Interior color: Charcoal› Engine: 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder› Horsepower: 125› Transmission: CVT› Fuel economy: 36 mpg highway, 31 mpg city› Local Dealer: Mountain View Nissan, Nissan of Chattanooga East› Price (as tested): $22,2452019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport GT AWC› Exterior color: Pearl White› Interior color: Black› Engine: 2.4-liter, four cylinder› Horsepower: 168› Transmission: CVT› Fuel economy: 28 mpg highway, 23 mpg city› Local Dealer: Edd Kirby’s Adventure Mitsubishi› Price (as tested): $28,160
The 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport has angular good looks and a sporty drivetrain.
It’s coincidence, really, that these two subcompact SUVs both landed in Chattanooga for test drives last week. Because they both compete in the same segment, we thought it might be a good idea to give you our impressions in the same space.
The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is an 8-year-old design that has undergone a couple of freshening over its lifespan, while the Nissan Kicks is an all-new (for 2018) subcompact SUV.
The relative age of the models is apparent in their sheet metal. The Outlander Sport is angular with a BMW-style shape, while the Kicks has lines more like soft-serve ice cream. Kicks has a younger vibe, while the Mitsubishi offers classic styling and a 10-year or 100,000-mile power-train warranty. While technically in the same class, these two fire up different parts of a buyer’s brain.
Which is best? Well, it depends.