Mitsubishi Might Try to Replace the Mirage with a Cheaper Outlander Sport

The Mitsubishi Mirage was one of the cheapest new cars you could buy before the automaker discontinued it after 2024. That left the Outlander Sport to serve as the brand's entry-level offering, but it costs a lot more. Now, the Japanese automaker might offer a cheaper Outlander Sport to fill the space left by the popular Mirage.   

The 2025 Outlander Sport starts at $26,190, which gets you a crossover that comes standard with an all-wheel drive system. The cheaper Outlander Sport that Mitsubishi is allegedly planning to introduce will only power the front wheels, according to an unnamed source who spoke with Automotive News.   

It's a version of the crossover that was available just a few years ago.   

Mitsubishi Motors North America CEO Mark Chaffin wouldn't confirm the rumor for the publication, but he also didn't deny it. He told AN:   

"Affordability is a key concern for customers. We are actively evolving our game plan to better align with customer needs."   

He also said that reintroducing a two-wheel-drive model "would be a logical move to help lower the entry price point for customers." And with customers "overwhelmingly" wanting crossovers over sedans, a cheaper model "presents an opportunity to increase sales and enhance profitability for our dealers."   

The Outlander Sport on sale today is old. The crossover launched 15 years ago, and while Mitsubishi has updated it, it's hard to ignore its age. The crossover features a 2.0-liter engine making 148 horsepower paired with a continuously variable transmission, and it received its last facelift in 2020.   

Mitsubishi makes a new, sleeker Outlander Sport, but the automaker didn't engineer it for the United States, which seems like a missed opportunity. The new one has several improvements that put it on par with its competitors.   

It's unclear how much cheaper a front-wheel-drive Outlander Sport would cost. Kia shaved $1,000 off the Seltos' starting price by introducing an FWD variant. It now starts at $25,085, and we doubt Mitsubishi will be able to cut much more than that from a FWD Outlander Sport.