2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport gets more power

THREE DIAMONDS STILL PLUGGING ALONG

    Mitsubishi -- yeah they’re still around, with sales up 25 percent last year -- introduced the more powerful 2015 Outlander Sport this week. The 'ute gets a 2.4-liter four making a respectable 168 hp, 20 more than the current 2.0-liter engine.

    The Outlander Sport with the 2.4-liter will come in two trims for 2015: ES and GT. The ES starts at $21,295 while the GT starts at $23,595. For the GT's extra $2,300, buyers get a power driver's seat, leather-wrapped parking brake handle, aluminum pedals, and exterior enhancements including a black center bumper, along with black roof rails and outside mirrors with LED turn indicators. ES trims with the 2.0-liter four will still be offered, and all trims get the option of all wheel drive. That base ES is also one of the few crossovers on the market to offer a true manual transmission -- the rest of the Outlander Sport lineup gets a CVT.

    That base ES is also one of the few crossovers on the market to offer a true manual transmission -- the rest of the Outlander Sport lineup gets a CVT.

    Optional equipment on the GT includes the GT Premium package with a 710-watt premium sound system with nine speakers and a subwoofer, panoramic glass roof with adjustable LED mood lighting and auto-dimming rearview mirror. The GT Touring package adds leather seats, navigation and real-time traffic information.

    Mileage on the new 2.4-liter models is rated at 23 in the city and 28 on the highway with two-wheel drive. The smaller engine returns 25 mpg city and 32 mpg highway. All-wheel drive decreases figures by about 1 mpg.

    The Outlander Sport is still a good-looking crossover in a sea of beige. The front end is a more modern take on the Lancer Evolution front end, while the wheels, size and shape are all very agreeable.

    This is an important car for the Japanese company. In January it accounted for about 30 percent of total sales -- last January, it accounted for even more.