Compare the2025 Nissan Kicks PlayVS 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Nissan Kicks Play has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Kicks Play has standard Rear Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Kicks Play has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Outlander Sport SE/SEL offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks Play has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Automatic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Outlander Sport SE/SEL offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert and the Outlander Sport’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

The Kicks Play SV/SR’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Kicks Play and the Outlander Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Kicks Play is safer than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:

	Kicks Play	Outlander Sport
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	191	208
Neck Stress	374 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	27 lbs.	90 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	343/312 lbs.	334/511 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Nissan Kicks Play is safer than the Outlander Sport:

	Kicks Play	Outlander Sport
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Restraints	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Steering Column Movement Rearward	1 cm	1 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	25 cm	28 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Femur Force R/L	1.4/.5 kN	3.43/.93 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	1%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Tibia index R/L	.42/.37	.68/.36
Tibia forces R/L	.8/.8 kN	1.9/1.9 kN

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Kicks Play is safer than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport:

	Kicks Play	Outlander Sport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	139	163
Hip Force	347 lbs.	518 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	318	349
Hip Force	517 lbs.	794 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	17 inches
HIC	218	365
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	41 G’s
Hip Force	535 lbs.	807 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Kicks Play is 1.4% to 3.6% less likely to roll over than the Outlander Sport.

Warranty

The Kicks Play’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Outlander Sport’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are over 3 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kicks Play’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is rated lower.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Nissan Kicks Play is faster than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Kicks Play	Outlander Sport
Zero to 60 MPH	9.7 sec	9.9 sec
Quarter Mile	17.5 sec	17.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	80 MPH	79 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Kicks Play gets better mileage than the Outlander Sport:

			MPG
Kicks Play
	FWD	1.6 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/36 hwy
Outlander Sport
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
		2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the Nissan Kicks Play as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

Brakes and Stopping

The Kicks Play SV/SR’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Outlander Sport are solid, not vented.

The Kicks Play stops shorter than the Outlander Sport:

	Kicks Play	Outlander Sport
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Kicks Play’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Outlander Sport S’ standard 70 series tires.

The Kicks Play has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Kicks Play handles at .83 G’s, while the Outlander Sport SE pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks Play’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Outlander Sport’s (34.2 feet vs. 34.8 feet).

Chassis

The Nissan Kicks Play may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 600 pounds less than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Kicks Play has a liquid-filled front engine mount. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The Outlander Sport uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

Passenger Space

The Kicks Play has 1 inch more front headroom, 2.1 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear headroom than the Outlander Sport.

Cargo Capacity

The Kicks Play has a much larger cargo volume than the Outlander Sport with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 21.7 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The Kicks Play’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Outlander Sport’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Outlander Sport’s standard power locks don’t automatically lock the doors. The Kicks Play’s standard doors lock when a certain speed is reached. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights.

The Kicks Play has a standard Intelligent Key that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Outlander Sport SE/SEL offers FAST-Key.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Kicks Play has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Outlander Sport only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Nissan Kicks Play, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport isn't recommended.

The Nissan Kicks Play outsold the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport by almost five to one during 2024.

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