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Prices and Trim Levels
The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is available in seven trim levels: the base ES, Black Edition, SE, SE Tech, SEL, SEL Special Edition, and the range-topping SEL Touring. Depending on your preferred trim, the starting manufacturer's suggested retail price of this SUV ranges from $26,495 to $35,345.
The 2022 Kia Sorento offers SUV buyers slightly more options with its eight-trim lineup, which comprises the entry-level LX, S, the off-road-oriented X-Line S, EX, X-Line EX, SX, SX Prestige, and X-Line SX Prestige. With a base price of $29,590, it's considerably more expensive than the Outlander. Opting for the top-of-the-line X-Line SX Prestige will set you back at least $43,190.
Exterior
The Mitsubishi Outlander mainly differs from the Kia Sorento in that it's a compact SUV. The Kia, on the other hand, competes in the midsize SUV segment. Therefore, the Outlander is smaller than the Sorento. That said, the crossover's tighter turning diameter further enhances its advantage in maneuverability.
It's also worth noting that the base Mitsubishi Outlander's minimum ground clearance is 1.4 inches higher than that of the Kia Sorento. As such, it's able to travel over rough terrain more easily. However, in the all-wheel-drive configuration, the Sorento has a ground clearance of 8.2 inches. Additionally, the Mitsubishi SUV comes standard with 18-inch wheels, whereas the Kia rides on 17-inch wheels.
Engine
No matter which trim you choose, the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is fitted with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 181 horsepower. This engine uses a continuously variable transmission to send power to the front wheels. For enhanced traction, you can get the available all-wheel drive, which comes with normal, tarmac, mud, gravel, and snow settings. The Outlander gets off the line quickly and feels lively in everyday driving.
The base engine of the 2022 Kia Sorento is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 191 horsepower and pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The SUV does a fine job of getting you around town, but its acceleration can sometimes be underwhelming. However, a 281-horsepower 2.5-liter turbo-four engine is also available, which is mated to a more refined dual-clutch eight-speed automatic transmission.
With their standard engines, the Outlander and Sorento have a maximum towing capacity of 2,000 pounds. The Kia is capable of pulling up to 3,500 pounds when equipped with a turbocharged engine.
Fuel Economy
If you want to save money at the gas station, you'll be better off choosing the Mitsubishi Outlander. This Mitsubishi model returns 24/31 mpg (city/highway) with front-wheel drive and 24/30 mpg with all-wheel drive. These figures are above average in the compact SUV segment.
With its base engine, the Kia Sorento earns 24/29 mpg with front-wheel drive and 22/27 mpg with all-wheel drive. While it's less fuel-efficient than the Outlander, it's one of the most frugal models in its class.
Interior
The Mitsubishi Outlander and Kia Sorento are three-row SUVs that accommodate up to seven people. The Outlander provides slightly more legroom and headroom in the front row, while the Sorento has roomier second and third rows. In terms of interior quality, the two SUVs are above their price points, featuring excellent fit and finish and an abundance of premium materials and soft-touch surfaces. Also, their cabins are well-insulated from outside noise.
Nevertheless, when it comes to comfort and convenience features, the Mitsubishi Outlander seems to have the upper hand. It comes standard with dual-zone automatic climate control, push-start button, and remote keyless entry. In the Kia SUV, these are available in some trims.
Cargo Capacity
Despite being a compact SUV, the Mitsubishi Outlander has a larger maximum cargo capacity than the Kia Sorento. The crossover offers 11.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row upright, 33.5 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 79.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows down. In contrast, the Kia has 12.6 cubic feet of storage space behind the third row, 45 cubic feet behind the second row, and 75. 5 cubic feet behind the first row.
Infotainment Features
The new Mitsubishi Outlander comes with an excellent selection of standard infotainment features to provide you and your passengers with a connected and enjoyable ride. These include an 8-inch touch screen display, a six-speaker sound system, two USB ports, Bluetooth, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. If you want a better experience, you can get upgrades such as a 9-inch touch screen display, a 10-speaker audio system, two more USB ports, navigation, satellite radio, HD radio, wireless Apple CarPlay, and a smartphone charging pad.
The Kia Sorento offers the same standard tech features as the Outlander, except that it has six USB ports instead of two and an HD radio. Other available features include a 10.25-inch touch screen display, a 12-speaker audio system, additional middle-row USB ports, voice recognition, navigation, satellite radio, a wireless device charger, and a rear-seat entertainment system.
Safety Features
Being newly released models, both the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander and 2022 Kia Sorento haven't undergone crash safety tests with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. However, these two SUVs have plenty of standard driver assistance technologies to help you stay safe on the road. These include automatic emergency braking, forward-collision alert, automatic high-beams, pedestrian monitoring, lane-departure alert, a rearview camera, and driver-attention monitoring.
If you live in or near Boardman, Ohio, and want to know whether the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is the right SUV for you, we invite you to drop by Boardman Mitsubishi for a test drive. Don't hesitate to contact us at (888) 891-9049 if you need more information about this amazing SUV or want to schedule an appointment.