Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 870 NHTSA complaints, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport years to avoid are 2015 and 2016 — the worst logged up to 4.2× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by transmission failures. Updated July 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of July 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 85 | 52 | 10 | CAUTION |
| 2012 | 35 | 16 | 6 | SOLID |
| 2013 | 67 | 31 | 10 | SOLID |
| 2014 | 85 | 46 | 6 | CAUTION |
| 2015 | 231 | 184 | 9 | AVOID |
| 2016 | 163 | 109 | 8 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 73 | 40 | 0 | SOLID |
| 2018 | 21 | 12 | 2 | BEST |
| 2019 | 47 | 35 | 1 | CAUTION |
| 2020 | 26 | 14 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2021 | 17 | 6 | 1 | BEST |
| 2022 | 11 | 5 | 1 | N/A |
| 2023 | 7 | 3 | 0 | N/A |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | 0 | N/A |
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. Full methodology.
Common Mitsubishi Outlander Sport problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport are transmission, engine, brakes. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Transmission failure with no power response
· Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2014–2016Corroborated by 20 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 227 transmission complaints across 2014–2016, typically 30,000–200,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $5,000–$9,000.
Engine stalling without warning
· Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2011–2013Corroborated by 5 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 47 engine complaints across 2011–2013, typically 52,000–133,025 miles.
Parking brake corrosion and locking failure
· Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2013–2016Corroborated by 6 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 36 brakes complaints across 2013–2016.
Why these years stand out
2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: 231 owner complaints on federal record, 184 of them severe, plus 9 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport.
2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: 163 owner complaints on federal record, 109 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport.
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FAQ
What years of the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport years to avoid are 2015 and 2016 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by transmission issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport?
The 2018 and 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Mitsubishi Outlander Sport before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport reliable?
The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 870 NHTSA owner complaints, 2015 and 2016 rate "avoid", while 2018 and 2021 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport?
The most-reported problem area for the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is transmission, followed by engine and brakes. Confirmed failures include transmission failure with no power response, engine stalling without warning, parking brake corrosion and locking failure. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport across every model year on record. Retrieved July 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.