Compared: 2024 Volkswagen Taos vs. 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

How does Mitsubishi's subcompact crossover fare against Volkswagen's smallest SUV?

Brennan Sullivan | 

Jul 30, 2024 | 3 min read

Volkswagen | Mitsubishi

In the market for a subcompact SUV? Perhaps one just as suited to commuting in a dense city as it is for going off-road? There is an abundance of options available on the market today from automakers across the globe. In the breakdown below, we'll be focusing on two of them: the 2024 Volkswagen Taos and the 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport.

The Taos is VW's smallest SUV, bridging the gap between the German brand's sedans and its SUVs, such as the midsize Atlas and the compact Tiguan. The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is the baby sibling to the Outlander crossover, and provides an economic alternative for consumers who don't need as much space.

Volkswagen

Mitsubishi's Standard AWD Makes the Outlander Sport a Better Value

The base-model Taos starts at just under $25,000. It includes a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder and front-wheel drive, but Volkswagen's 4Motion all-wheel drive (AWD) is available for a roughly $2,300 upcharge. The top-of-the-line Taos SEL costs a heftier $35,000, but does come standard with AWD along with a slew of other included equipment.

Mitsubishi

The entry-level Outlander Sport also starts around $25,000, but it comes standard with All-Wheel Control, Mitsubishi's all-wheel-drive system. The Outlander Sport offers a larger four-cylinder engine than the Taos, boasting a full 2 liters, but does not feature a turbocharger. The tiers conclude with the $30,000 Outlander Sport SEL, which upgrades the engine to a 2.4-liter inline-four.

Volkswagen

The Taos Outclasses the Outlander Sport in Terms of Features

Although the Outlander Sport is relatively affordable, and its standard AWD is an attractive bonus, it loses some appeal with its limited features list. Despite being standard tech across the auto industry at this point, SiriusXM, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto do not come standard on the bottom two trims of the Outlander Sport — wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard in the base Taos, on the other hand, and wireless connectivity is standard as you go up the trim levels.

Mitsubishi

The Taos is the larger vehicle of the pair, and that's reflected in its cargo capacity. It boasts a 65.9 cubic-feet maximum, outranking the Outlander Sport's 49.5 cu-ft. VW has also equipped the 2024 Taos with standard adaptive cruise control, a feature not available on any Outlander Sport.

Volkswagen

The Taos Strikes a Victory Over the Outlander Sport in Terms of Fuel Efficiency

Thanks to its smaller engine displacement, the Taos holds a comfortable fuel-economy advantage over the Outlander Sport. The base model Taos achieves an EPA-estimated 28/36/31 mpg city/highway/combined, whereas the AWD variant is a bit thirstier, with a 24/32/27-mpg rating.

Mitsubishi

The Outlander Sport, with its larger engines and standard all-wheel drive, gets 23/29/26 mpg with the 2.0-liter engine and 23/28/25 mpg with the 2.4 liter.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Brennan Sullivan

Brennan Sullivan is a writer and lifelong car fanatic. With an appreciation for all makes and models, Brennan is particularly passionate about the rich history of the automotive industry. In his spare time, he's the caretaker of a 1962 Sunbeam Alpine, and a Golden Retriever named Willow.