Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Aspire 2014 Long-term test - 4

Update #3

We've spoken extensively about the feel behind the wheel of the Outlander PHEV during its stint as a long-termer. But to date, we haven't taken a lot of time to discuss some of the car's finer details.

It was this thought that struck me as I spent a week sitting in traffic, attempting to make phone calls via Bluetooth and enjoy a little music – outside of the rubbish repeated ad nauseam on commercial radio.

You see for all its marvellous mechanical technology, the Outlander PHEV falls short of offering anything like what you'd call modern inside the cab. Sure, most of the big ticket items are listed in the brochure, but their operation is another point entirely.

For starters there is no digital radio (DAB+) receiver, leaving you with AM/FM and the garbage it entails. Thankfully, there's Bluetooth audio streaming, but forget detailed functionality here – it plays music, skips tracks and that's about it. No searching for playlists, artists or albums, at least when connected to my trusty iPhone 6.

The other issue is that the Bluetooth telephony just isn't very smart. If someone calls you, it's fine. You can answer the call, have a conversation and hang up. But just try calling out.

If you haven't taken the time to 'train' the voice recognition part of the Outlander's infotainment system then you're plum out of luck. It cannot be used via the touchscreen meaning you either need to be cognisant of the commands the machine requires, or revert to using your handset (secured in the appropriate cradle, of course).

But there's an issue with this too. Not only do you need to take your eyes off the road, but when you touch your phone, the system will think you want to use it, and disconnect you from the Bluetooth. With a bit of luck you'll hit the right button before the person you've called hangs up, but I fail to see why it needs to be so difficult. There are far cheaper systems that do this better.

The audio system, too, is pretty shabby considering the list price. The sound quality is tinny, which is disappointing for the price (it's $55k on the road!). There was no amount of tweaking or tuning that would deliver a richer sound and, frankly, I expected a little better.

We also experienced issues with the radar-based cruise control... Sure, it works just fine at maintaining a safe gap between you and the car in front, but why then can it not brake downhill? The slightest incline will see the Outlander PHEV gain considerable pace and on Melbourne roads littered with 'safety' cameras, this is hardly a good thing for one's licence. There's no digital repeater for the speedo or head-up display either. Best you keep an eye on the gauge, then.

Finally, the automatic tailgate seems reluctant to open of its own accord. Pressing the button on the dash would see it operate as intended, but use the tailgate button, or the key fob, and nothing. Not a sausage. It will close automatically from the button inside the tailgate, however... Perhaps it's a glitch peculiar to this car, but, again, there are other vehicles of the same price that do not experience the same dramas.

I also found the climate control system to lack a little finesse, offering very cold air through to 25-26 degrees where it then becomes too warm – and it's not like you can blame the panoramic roof for letting in too much sunlight because it doesn't have one!

It's these little foibles that stack up to frustrating 'ownership' experience, even if I did manage to achieve very close to the claimed all-electric range.

Using the Outlander PHEV as it's intended I managed 42km of pure EV driving. After the battery was exhausted I'd run the rest of my trip home (just 3km more) on petrol power. Using both until empty, I achieved a total distance of 376km for a petrol-only average of 8.3L/100km.

OK, so I might be a little picky. But we've driven the new similarly-sized Territory and the new Santa Fe in recent times and experience nothing like the kinds of quibbles found here. Sure, it's a useful EV within the confines of its range, and does most of what it says it will do. The trouble is, there are a lot of other vehicles that will too...

2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Aspire PHEV pricing and specifications:
Price: $52,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol / electric
Output: 87kW/186Nm
Transmission: Reduction gear
Fuel: 1.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 44g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP)