Kia Sportage vs Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is the more reliable used buy: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 3.4 percentage points ahead of the Kia Sportage on first-time MOT passes. That comparison covers 37,456 real tests across every generation on the road, not a survey. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Kia Sportage

Pass rate80.5%

Age-matched national81.7%

Difference-1.3

Tests32,024

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Pass rate83.8%

Age-matched national81.6%

Difference+2.1

Tests5,432

Model	Pass rate	Age-matched national	Difference	Tests
Kia Sportage	80.5%	81.7%	-1.3	32,024
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV	83.8%	81.6%	+2.1	5,432

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Kia Sportages registered 2010–2022 and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs registered 2014–2021.

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. The difference is worked out before rounding, so it can be 0.1 away from the two rounded figures beside it.

Kia Sportage

NQ5, 2022+ · compact crossover SUV

The NQ5 Kia Sportage (UK deliveries from 2022) shares the Hyundai Tucson's platform and engines, so faults are similar: 1.6 T-GDI oil consumption claims (largely resolved), PHEV battery cooling pump, and minor TPMS quirks. Kia's 7-year warranty covers most of the risk. Best-buy: 2023+. Worst: early 2022 PHEV.

What goes wrong

1.6 T-GDI oil consumption (shared with Hyundai)moderate
Oil drop between services
2022 · Usually goodwill within 7-yr warranty; out of warranty engine rebuild £3,500+
Check: Dipstick at viewing; service history.
PHEV battery cooling pumpmajor
"Hybrid system" warning; reduced EV range
2022 PHEV · Under warranty; £1,200+ otherwise
Check: PHEV battery health check (£30–£50 at Kia dealer).
TPMS sensor faultsminor
"Tyre pressure" warning despite correct pressures
All NQ5 · £80–£140 per sensor
Check: Visual check on dash — no warnings.
Front suspension bushingsminor
Knocking on rough roads
All NQ5 · 50,000+ miles · £250–£400
Check: Rough-road test drive.

Typical asking price:: not given as a fixed figure — the model guide shows the median and middle 80% of asking prices for the cars advertised on Autoza that day, when at least 10 qualify
Fuel economy:: 38–45 mpg 1.6 T-GDI petrol; 1.6 hybrid 43–50 mpg
Vehicle tax:: £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
Best years:: 2023, 2024
Years to avoid:: 2022 (PHEV)

Used Kia Sportages for sale Full Sportage fault guide Used Kias

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Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

2014–2021 plug-in hybrid · large plug-in hybrid SUV

The early Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has an unusually long DVSA recall record: cars built from late 2013 to March 2016 are inside up to four large recalls, including a parking-brake caliper boot (R/2018/180), an engine ECU relay that could stall the car (R/2018/019) and a fault that can leave the car without drive (R/2017/183). What Car?’s used review (May 2021) ranked it 13th of 14 hybrids in its reliability survey. Mitsubishi’s current terms give the traction battery 8 years or 100,000 miles from the 2016 model year.

What goes wrong

Safety recall R/2018/180recall
Parking brake caliper shaft boots incorrectly sealed
51,154 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 11 September 2012 and 12 April 2016
Large recall — 51,154 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
Safety recall R/2018/019recall
ECU relay may overheat and cause ECU to malfunction
28,059 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 5 December 2014 and 6 April 2016
Large recall — 28,059 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
Cover — Mitsubishi UK’s warranty and traction-battery termsminor
Not a fault. Mitsubishi Motors in the UK gives a new car 5 years of cover (24 months unlimited mileage, then 62,500 miles to month 60) from first registration, and its current warranty manual adds 8 years or 100,000 miles on the Outlander PHEV’s main traction battery from the 2016 model year. The 12-volt battery has 3 years.
All; the terms depend on the model year and registration date
Check: Mitsubishi says cover depends on the model year, the date and type of registration, so ask a Mitsubishi dealer for this VIN rather than assuming eight years. A 2014 or early 2015 car was sold under earlier terms: What Car? says the standard warranty was three years until Mitsubishi raised it to five in 2015.
Battery range display, charging flap and warning beepsminor
What Car? says some owners noticed the battery range on the display seemingly fall over time, which Mitsubishi puts down to the car learning how it is driven and adapting the predicted range; that the large flap over the charging sockets has been known to bend or lose clips; and that the car makes an unusual number of warning beeps and some owners had Bluetooth problems with iPhones.
2014–2021 Outlander PHEV
Check: Fully charge the car and compare the range shown with the seller’s claim, close the charging flap several times, and pair your own phone.

Typical asking price:: not given as a fixed figure — the model guide shows the median and middle 80% of asking prices for the cars advertised on Autoza that day, when at least 10 qualify
Fuel economy:: No sourced real-world figure. What matters on a plug-in hybrid is the electric range on a full charge and the economy once the battery is flat; read both on the car you are looking at.
Vehicle tax:: £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:: 2018, 2019
Years to avoid:: 2014, 2015

Used Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs for sale Full Outlander PHEV fault guide Used Mitsubishis

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Which one suits you

Kia Sportage

Good for: Family buyers wanting Kia's 7-year warranty for peace of mind.

Less good for: Buyers needing premium badge.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Good for: Buyers who want a large plug-in hybrid SUV and will check the recall record, particularly on a 2014–2016 car, and the battery cover for the exact VIN.

Less good for: Anyone buying a 2014–2015 car without the dealer record for the parking-brake, ECU-relay and hybrid-system recalls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Kia Sportage or the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV?

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 3.4 percentage points ahead of the Kia Sportage on first-time MOT passes, across 37,456 DVSA-recorded tests covering every generation on the road. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

How do the MOT pass rates of the Kia Sportage and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV compare?

80.5% of Kia Sportages pass their MOT first time (32,024 tests in DVSA's records) and 83.8% of Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs pass their MOT first time (5,432 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Kia Sportage's age average 81.7% and cars of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV's age 81.6% — so the Kia Sportage runs 1.3 points worse than its age group and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV runs 2.1 points better than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

Which years of the Kia Sportage and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV should I avoid?

Kia Sportage: The plug-in hybrid reached the UK at the end of March 2022, and the first-year cars are the ones owners most often report battery thermal management issues on. How often it happens is not known. Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: Cars built from 1 October 2013 to 31 March 2016 are in the parking-brake caliper boot recall R/2018/180, and those built from 5 December 2014 to 31 March 2016 in the engine ECU relay recall R/2018/019. Builds from 6 May 2015 are also in the door-latch recall R/2018/021, and builds to 1 June 2015 in R/2017/183, where the engine may not start to charge the battery. DVSA’s MOT table rates 2014 and 2015 registrations level with all cars registered those years, so the case rests on the recall dates.

Is the Kia Sportage or the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV cheaper to run?

On fuel it depends on the engine, and for a plug-in or electric version on whether you can charge at home. Kia Sportage: 38–45 mpg 1.6 T-GDI petrol; 1.6 hybrid 43–50 mpg. Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: No sourced real-world figure. What matters on a plug-in hybrid is the electric range on a full charge and the economy once the battery is flat; read both on the car you are looking at. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Kia Sportage or Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-10-06 / 2026-10-06.