Mitsubishi Outlander Sport v. Subaru Forester

MotoMommaNH

New member
DH will need a new car. Right now his daily commuter is a 97 Accord and while it runs/drives OK now, February is the inspection month so we have some time to research.

I haven't test driven either one yet, just the preliminary research. I'm going with these two because they are both: hatchback/wagons, IIHS Top Safety Pick +, get good gas mileage.

Any one out there that uses either vehicle to transport two harnessed kiddos please chime in on why you'd prefer one over the other or why you love/hate said vehicle. :D

TIA!!:)


ETA: oh yea, and both will be purchased brand new
 
Last edited:
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SavsMom

New member
Both are great, similar price wise, however the Subaru tends to have better reliability and insane resale value - that alone sways my vote.
 

MotoMommaNH

New member
Both are great, similar price wise, however the Subaru tends to have better reliability and insane resale value - that alone sways my vote.

I agree about the resale value, but I suppose I'm not looking to resell it....the 97 has 220k on it LOL, so as you can see we hold onto vehicles.

I guess I didn't look into the Mitsubishi reliability scores, that's a good point. I always just think Japanese = reliable but I suppose I shouldn't!
 

cantabdad

New member
I'd lean toward the Forester for a few reasons. First, Consumer Reports reviewed both vehicles, and their review of the Outlander Sport was lukewarm, while the 2014 Forester was named their #1 small SUV.

Second is the reliability issue that was mentioned. JD Power's 2013 survey puts Subaru around average (132 problems per 100 vehicles surveyed after 3 years of ownership) whereas Mitsubishi was well below average (178 problems per 100 vehicles).

On safety -- although both vehicles got the TSP+ rating from IIHS, the Forester also got a 5-star overall rating in federal NHTSA testing, while the Outlander Sport got a 4-star overall rating. (Though to be fair, the scores are more similar when you look at the constituent sub-scores.)

And finally, I think Subaru just has a larger dealer network and overall larger US presence, which should mean more choices and more competition for the sale, and more options for getting it serviced -- though this doesn't mean much if you have a local Mitsubishi dealer that you like.

We recently bought a new car and went with the Subaru Outback, which is similar to the Forester but with a slightly larger wheelbase and back seat. Our runner-up was the Honda CR-V which is very similar to the Forester.
 

MotoMommaNH

New member
Thank you so much for the thorough answer. Very well put.
Jumping off that point, what were the reasons you chose the OB over the Forester? I know its larger but was that the only reason or anything else that stood out for you?
 

SavsMom

New member
Thank you so much for the thorough answer. Very well put.
Jumping off that point, what were the reasons you chose the OB over the Forester? I know its larger but was that the only reason or anything else that stood out for you?

I had a Forester and my parents have an Outback. The main differences I have noticed is the Outback has a much roomier back seat and its much quieter in terms of engine and road noise.
 

cantabdad

New member
Jumping off that point, what were the reasons you chose the OB over the Forester? I know its larger but was that the only reason or anything else that stood out for you?

It was pretty simple - my wife liked the Outback better, and I wasn't about to go against that!

The two are really quite similar in terms of the engine and overall passenger and cargo space. We went with the Outback party for aesthetics (more wagon-like, less boxy), partly for the slightly larger backseat, and partly because the cargo area is oriented more horizontal (fore-aft) rather than vertical, which works better for the kid stuff we usually haul. We were also just more familiar with it, having recently borrowed one from a relative for a road trip.

This dealership website has the best comparison that I have seen, including checklist, pictures & video:
http://www.planetsubaru.com/forester-vs--outback.htm
 

daniele_ut

New member
We just replaced a 2001 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport that had over 205,000 miles on it with a 2005 Subaru Outback 2.5XT with 61,000 miles on it. We would have preferred a 2010 for the newer body style but couldn't find one in our price range. I would highly recommend a Subaru over the Mitsubishi. We had no mechanical problems with our Subaru for the entire time we owned it. It was starting to have some wear and tear issues that were getting expensive (struts and u-joint) and we really wanted more space so we sold it to a Subaru mechanic. DH drove it over 100 miles a day for several years and 75 miles a day for the last 5 years.

The Forester is built on the Impreza frame, which is narrower than the Outback frame, so if you ever plan to have 3 carseats, or even 2 carseats and another person I would strongly consider the Outback.
 

Guest

New member
Related to resale, since you seem to keep your cars for a while, it's questionable how long Mitsubishi will stay in business in the US. They're heading towards Suzuki's fate it seems.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Related to resale, since you seem to keep your cars for a while, it's questionable how long Mitsubishi will stay in business in the US. They're heading towards Suzuki's fate it seems.

I was about to post a similar caution and then noticed you had already covered it so I'm going basically to give a big :yeahthatsad: and add that warranty and service/parts could also become an issue if Mitsu pulls out of the U.S.
 

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