Jeep Cherokee vs Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: which is more reliable?
The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is ahead of the Jeep Cherokee on the federal record, 76/100 against 66/100 — a real but narrow gap that a bad model year on either side closes.
The record, side by side
Jeep Cherokee
- 6 model years scored
- 2,801 owner complaints on record
- about 68 complaints per year on the road
- 29 recall campaigns, 11 safety-critical
- best year 2023 (92/100) · worst 2019 (25/100)
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
- 15 model years scored
- 872 owner complaints on record
- about 6 complaints per year on the road
- 55 recall campaigns, 14 safety-critical
- best year 2024 (93/100) · worst 2015 (34/100)
Mean score is the average across model years from 2013 on, where both records are comparable. How the score works.
Year by year: Cherokee against Outlander Sport
The comparison that decides the purchase. A nameplate is not one car — a redesign can move the record sixty points inside two years, and the two nameplates rarely move together.
What owners actually complain about
Jeep Cherokee
- Power Train — 1,357 complaints
- Engine — 680 complaints
- Electrical System — 591 complaints
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
- Power Train — 290 complaints
- Engine — 144 complaints
- Electrical System — 119 complaints
Both nameplates have Power Train as their largest complaint group, so the choice between them is about how often, not about what.
Years to avoid on each
Jeep Cherokee — avoid: 2018, 2019.
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport — avoid: 2015, 2016.
A year scores below 45 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. Every car’s years to avoid.
What each costs today
A recent used Jeep Cherokee prices at about $27,900 and a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport at about $30,500 — the Jeep Cherokee is roughly $2,600 less, and they return 24.0 against 26.0 MPG combined.
Class-level estimates re-priced to your country, not a valuation of one car. Method.
FAQ
Is the Jeep Cherokee or the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport more reliable?
On the NHTSA record the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport scores 76/100 against the Jeep Cherokee's 66/100, averaged across every model year we hold. The gap is small enough that the model year matters more than the badge.
Which Jeep Cherokee and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport years should I avoid?
Jeep Cherokee: 2018, 2019. Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: 2015, 2016. Each of those scores under 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns.
What goes wrong on the Jeep Cherokee and the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport?
The largest complaint group on the Jeep Cherokee is Power Train (1,357 complaints); on the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport it is Power Train (290).
Is the Jeep Cherokee or the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport cheaper to own?
A recent used Jeep Cherokee prices at about $27,900 and a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport at about $30,500, before insurance and the maintenance band. Both pages carry the five-year running-cost figure.