2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV vs 2021 Kia Niro

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV vs Kia Niro: Interior

When examining the interior, space appears to take the stage for what’s different. The new Outlander PHEV gives you 8-way power adjustable front seats with power driver lumbar support, while the Kia Niro provides 6-way power adjustable front seats with no extra support unless added.

Many dimensions within the Mitsubishi and the Kia Niro rival each other, like the front headroom and shoulder room and the rear legroom. Let’s check out the slight differences in the chart below:

You get 30.4 cubic feet of cargo space to start in the Mitsubishi, which can expand to 66.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats down. In the Kia Niro, you only receive 19.4 cubic feet of cargo space. This expands to only 54.5 cubic feet of cargo space.

Your Mitsubishi will feel more spacious for your guests at 102.1 cubic feet of passenger volume. For the Kia Niro, it fits 100.9 cubic feet of passenger volume.

Dimensions	Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV	Kia Niro
Front Headroom	40.6 inches	40.1 inches
Front Shoulder Room	56.4 inches	56 inches
Rear Legroom	37.9 inches	37.4 inches

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV vs Kia Niro: Safety

Most safety differences stem from what’s standard versus what’s available in both vehicles. For the Mitsubishi, each trim includes Blind Spot Warning with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. A multi-view camera system is available to show what may be surrounding your car. 

Similar systems in the Kia Niro, including Blind Spot Collision Warning, a Lane Keep Assist System, and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning only accompany higher trims. The Rear-View Camera does include Dynamic Parking Guidelines, but no multi-view visibility.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV vs Kia Niro: Performance

With the 2.4L MIVEC 4-cylinder engine and twin electric motors in place, you can travel on one charge for an EPA-estimated 320 miles in the Outlander PHEV. The Mitsubishi can also achieve an EPA-estimated 74 combined MPGe and uses three efficiency driving modes, including EV, Series, and Parallel. 

If you drive the Kia Niro, it uses a 1.6L 4-cylinder engine and full parallel hybrid system that stays on the road for an EPA-estimated 239 miles. It achieves an EPA-estimated 50 combined MPGe. 

Your grasp on the road may differ as well. Five diverse driving modes like S-AWC ECO, Gravel, Normal, Sport, and Snow, plus Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) in the Outlander PHEV provide plenty of traction. You’ll also be able to tow a maximum of 1,500 pounds when properly equipped.

For Kia Niro drivers, it uses front-wheel drive with a Drive Mode System sporting only two modes, including ECO and SPORT. Unfortunately, you cannot tow a load with this set of wheels.