Compare the2026 Jeep CherokeeVS 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Both the Cherokee and Outlander Sport have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Cherokee has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Outlander Sport’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Cherokee has standard Rear Automatic Emergency 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Cherokee. But it costs extra on the Outlander Sport.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Cherokee’s standard Hill-descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer Hill-descent Control.

The Cherokee Overland offers an optional 360-degree camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Outlander Sport only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Jeep Cherokee’s optional 360-degree camera has integrated front and rear camera washers, ensuring clear, all-weather visibility without the need for manual cleaning. In contrast, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport lacks camera washers, requiring you to manually clean the cameras for optimal performance.

The Cherokee 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 Cherokee has standard Rear Cross Path Detection, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Outlander Sport SE/SEL offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

The Cherokee’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.

The Cherokee has standard Connect One, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

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

The Jeep Cherokee weighs 999 to 1032 pounds more than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

There are almost 8 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Cherokee’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Cherokee has a standard 550-amp battery. The Outlander Sport’s 530-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 36 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is rated below average.

The Cherokee’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 62 more horsepower (210 vs. 148) and 85 lbs.-ft. more torque (230 vs. 145) than the Outlander Sport’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Cherokee’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 42 more horsepower (210 vs. 168) and 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (230 vs. 167) than the Outlander Sport SEL’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Jeep Cherokee is faster than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Cherokee	Outlander Sport
Zero to 60 MPH	9.4 sec	10.1 sec
Quarter Mile	17.1 sec	17.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	80.8 MPH	78.4 MPH

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

			MPG
Cherokee
	AWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	39 city/35 hwy
Outlander Sport
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
		2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Cherokee’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Cherokee’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Cherokee has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Jeep Cherokee higher (6 out of 10) than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (4). This means the Cherokee produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Outlander Sport every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Cherokee’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Outlander Sport:

	Cherokee	Outlander Sport
Front Rotors	13 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	12.6 inches	11.9 inches

The Cherokee’s brakes have 35% more swept area (the area covered by the brake pads) than the Outlander Sport (573.14 vs. 424 square inches), so the Cherokee has more braking power available.

The Cherokee stops shorter than the Outlander Sport:

	Cherokee	Outlander Sport
60 to 0 MPH	122 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

For better traction, the Cherokee has larger standard tires than the Outlander Sport (225/65R17 vs. 215/70R16). The Cherokee Overland’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Outlander Sport (235/50R20 vs. 225/55R18).

The Cherokee’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Outlander Sport S’ standard 70 series tires. The Cherokee Overland’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Outlander Sport ES/LE/SE/SEL/Ralliart’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Cherokee has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Outlander Sport S. The Cherokee Overland’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Outlander Sport ES/LE/SE/SEL/Ralliart.

The Cherokee 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Cherokee’s wheelbase is 7.9 inches longer than on the Outlander Sport (113 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Cherokee is 3.6 inches wider in the front and 3.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Outlander Sport.

The Cherokee Overland handles at .79 G’s, while the Outlander Sport 4WD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The front grille of the Cherokee uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Cherokee uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Cherokee has 9.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Outlander Sport (107.4 vs. 97.5).

The Cherokee has .8 inches more front headroom, 3 inches more front hip room and 1.4 inches more front shoulder room than the Outlander Sport.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Cherokee’s rear seats recline. The Outlander Sport’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Outlander Sport with its rear seat up (33.6 vs. 21.7 cubic feet). The Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Outlander Sport with its rear seat folded (68.3 vs. 49.5 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Cherokee Limited/Overland has a standard power cargo door, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the Cherokee Overland, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

The Cherokee has a 3500 lbs. towing capacity. The Outlander Sport has no towing capacity.

The Cherokee uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Outlander Sport uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

When different drivers share the Cherokee Overland, the memory system makes it convenient. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Cherokee’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Outlander Sport does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Cherokee’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Outlander Sport has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The power windows standard on both the Cherokee and the Outlander Sport have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Cherokee is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outlander Sport prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Cherokee’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 Cherokee’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 power lock’s automatic feature may have to be activated by your dealer.)

The Cherokee’s standard Keyless Enter-N-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from pocket or purse. FAST-Key is only offered on the Outlander Sport SE/SEL/Ralliart, and doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear doors.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Cherokee 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.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Cherokee has standard extendable sun visors. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Cherokee Limited/Overland’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Outlander Sport has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Cherokee and the Outlander Sport offer available heated front seats. The Cherokee Overland also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Outlander Sport.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Cherokee Overland keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Cherokee Limited/Overland’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Cherokee’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Cherokee and the Outlander Sport offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Cherokee has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Cherokee has a standard Adaptive Speed Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

Compared to traditional radio, the Jeep Cherokee’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio is only offered on the Outlander Sport LE/SE/SEL.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Jeep Cherokee Limited/Overland has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Cherokee Overland has a 115-volt a/c outlet, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Cherokee Overland’s Automated Parking System can parallel park by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer an automated parking system.