Autofun Philippines – The second-generation Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV offers good electric range and plenty of power, but it’s not a cheap car.
Mitsubishi Philippines has established itself as a leader in the field of plug-in hybrid SUVs with the first-generation Outlander PHEV, which hit the market almost a decade ago.
Since then, the market for electric vehicles has grown significantly, but consumer sentiment clearly favors all-electric vehicles (EVs) and mainstream hybrids.
Electric vehicle sales in 2022 across Australia totaled 33,410 units, while conventional hybrids (Toyota models) had 81,786 buyers. However, the PHEV fell short with sales of only 5,937 units. Either way, Mitsubishi remains committed to its bridging technology, designed to bring the best aspects of the other two transmissions in one – everyday zero-emission EV capability through a wall outlet , combined with a gasoline generator for longer trips.
This next-generation Outlander PHEV offers greater power range than its predecessor, more powerful performance, and a flashier interior and exterior design. – as well as the home unloading function.
However, there is also a higher price tag for the privilege, especially in this premium category.
How much does Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed Tourer cost? There are four specification levels for the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV (PHEV), which is good considering that some competing vehicles only offer electrified engines in higher-end variants.
Although our test car was a 2022 model, Mitsubishi introduced a minor update for 2023 with some driver assistance systems and raised the price from $900 to $1,500.
Prices for the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV lineup are as follows, with the latest prices for our flagship Exceed Tourer PHEV test vehicle in bold.
At $69,990 before road tolls, our tested Outlander PHEV costs $16,500 more than the Outlander Exceed Tourer with the regular petrol engine option.
Its list price matches the all-electric Tesla Model Y ($72,300), as well as the new Mazda CX-60 PHEV (from $72,300). That said, the Exceed Tourer costs less than the similarly sized Kia Sorento GT-Line PHEV ($81,080) and the more luxurious Lexus NX450h+ ($88,323).
In my opinion, the Outlander plug-in hybrid’s strongest value proposition is actually at the lower end of the range.
The $55,490 Outlander PHEV ES is about the same price as a more luxurious but less technologically advanced Toyota RAV4 Edge Hybrid, and makes up for the lack of some features by offering everyday EV range – unlike the RAV4 inferior cannot provide such functionality.
What does the inside of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed Tourer look like?
The interior is a big step up from the old Outlander in terms of design and usability, although personally I’m not convinced by the orange color used on the dashboard, doors, dashboard, and trim. chair. Design is subjective!
Driving Experience
Assuming you charge the battery as you leave your destination, the car in default mode almost always uses the battery, using only gasoline power during times of high stress – shown by a cluster graph representing energy consumption. engine speed instead of rotational speed.
This means that the car not only starts silently, leaves the line silently and reverses silently like a conventional hybrid, but it continues to drive that way, as long as you there is a usable charge in the battery and so it is the most frequent BEV on the go.
While the 84km electric range claim is a bit ambitious, the Outlander PHEV still offers far more range than many others. A drive to the family farm for Christmas covered 73 kilometers, with the air conditioning on and two passengers, before using gas. It is in this context that the claim of fuel efficiency below 2.0 L/100 km is somewhat true.
On long journeys, when the usable battery capacity is depleted, the Outlander PHEV tends to rely on the gasoline engine as a generator to drive the engines like a range of hybrids, with great fuel economy. The published data is 6.7L/100km. However, I see mi-7 in my drive when booting doesn’t load.
It’s not as efficient as the RAV4 hybrid or most diesel SUVs on the highway, which means that, like all PHEVs, you need to recharge the Outlander regularly to reap the efficiency benefits. If you don’t plug it in as the name suggests, you’ll find it at its worst. All told, during my time in the car, which I drove 1050 km and often charged overnight via a three-prong wall outlet in my driveway, I saved a total quoted savings of 4 ,4L/100km plus the cost of recharging the battery per night (about $4 per 20kW in Melbourne).
The most impressive thing about the powertrain, aside from the sheer numbers, is its smoothness as well as its versatility. When the petrol engine kicks in as a generator or direct-drive from the front wheels, it’s crisp and refined, thanks in part to the front single-speed transmission.
It also performs well, with our 7.9-second 0-60 mph time actually beating the manufacturer’s claims. While we say the PHEV requires a hefty price tag, it at least offers much stronger performance than the non-PHEV Outlander as well as better efficiency. It’s also important to discuss all the different casting modes and settings you can use, in addition to the default Normal setting it starts with.
Regarding the battery, you can choose EV mode, which will use all the charges until it runs out without relying on the motor even if doing so would be efficient, as well as Eco mode ( maintain your state of charge) and Charge Mode (uses the motor to charge the battery, not very efficient).
You can also play with the load depth or regenerative braking drag on throttle, switching to single-pedal mode – except when speeds drop below about 20km/h, which means you have to engage the brake. engine on the right at the end, unless you are using adaptive cruise control.
Finally, there’s a dial on the center tunnel (obviously not the gearbox tunnel or the drive shaft as gear and twin motors rule them out) that allows you to select torque modes different sources, such as Power, charge all three sources of thrust for maximum grip.
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