Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 2017 Review - International

It must be hard to be Mitsubishi. Frequently criticised for a line-up which is at best conservative, it seems some people can’t quite get over the loss of vehicles like the rally-bred Lancer Evolution.

Despite its bland image, however, Mitsubishi continues to perform in the sales charts -- last month it placed fourth Down Under thanks to the success of its LCVs and rugged Pajero Sport 4x4 wagon.

To counter ongoing criticism, the Japanese brand is leaning heavily on both its Evo pedigree and its off-road cred to relaunch its (remarkably modern and unconventional) plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Outlander SUV.

Featuring the same Super-All Wheel Control four-wheel drive spirit that was embodied by the Evo but with different hardware, Mitsubishi is pitching the updated Outlander PHEV beyond being merely a sensible vehicle for eco-buyers. It wants you to know it is also a highly capable four-wheel drive vehicle.

So is it time to get excited about a Mitsubishi once again?

To avoid any risk of perceived dullness, Mitsubishi chose a frozen lake located three hours north-west of Oslo, Norway to pitch its latest update.

Four-wheel performance
It is true that driving any vehicle on ice is an absolute blast, and the Outlander PHEV is no exception. There’s also little risk in pushing yourself or your car beyond its limits as the run-off areas are plentiful and the snow banks (thankfully) soft and accommodating.

Mitsubishi made two PHEV vehicles available for testing – a standard 2017 PHEV model and a prototype vehicle featuring early versions of snow and sport drive modes which are being developed for future iterations of the Outlander PHEV.

The standard production vehicle, albeit equipped with up-spec studded snow tyres acquitted itself well in normal drive mode. Here the Outlander’s permanent all-wheel drive system delivered requisite power to the wheels, while the stability control kept the PHEV on course.

The Outlander’s battery pack sits low within the vehicle, with a 55:45 weight distribution front to rear delivering good balance. Structural updates have been made to the body of the Outlander and a revised chassis tune appears to have eliminated some body roll, delivering an SUV which feels composed, even on a glassy surface.

Selecting the 4WD lock mode enhances the roadholding of the Outlander further, while deactivating active stability control frees up the vehicle for more driver input. It also opens up the PHEV’s drift mode. Actually, the Outlander does not have an actual ‘drift mode’ but in the right icy conditions, even an SUV will go sideways!

The Outlander utilises the PHEV’s dual motors to control power front and rear while active yaw control, which remains operative at all times, dishes out power to keep the car balanced correctly between the left and right wheels.

It’s a benefit of the Super-All Wheel Control system that underpins the Outlander and which is borrowed from the Lancer Evolution.

Snow and fun modes
As the name suggests, the newly minted snow mode under development for the PHEV increases the car’s intervention, and instantly the vehicle feels under more control. While most Australians won’t be troubled by frozen lakes or snowdrifts, it’s good to know the PHEV of the future has you covered.

It’s likely to be sport mode that is more interesting to us Down Under, however. And while it doesn’t go so far as to shift damper settings or steering assistance, it does loosen up the four-wheel-drive system into ‘fun’ mode. Not quite what you’d expect from a conservative plug-in SUV, but nonetheless exhilarating and especially fun on the ice.

It’s easy to forget as you’re whizzing around an ice track and diving through a slalom track that not only is this indeed an SUV, but it’s also an electric vehicle.

About that electricity
PHEV is a clever solution to improving access to electric vehicles to more drivers. By combining dual electric motors with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, the Outlander PHEV can switch between its EV drive modes to optimise its efficiency and performance.

Unlike electric-only vehicles which are limited by range and access to charging, the plug-in hybrid system employed in the Outlander uses the petrol engine to either run the vehicle, charge the battery or supplement the battery – a combination which Mitsubishi says could see motorists travel over 800kms on a single charge.

In pure EV mode, the Outlander PHEV will offer emissions free motoring of up to 54km, depending on driving style. This should be sufficient for most motorists to manage their daily commutes.

With the petrol engine in play, the engine can be pretty noisy but if you’re coasting to work, then you shouldn’t be too troubled.

Add in regenerative braking with a remarkably natural brake pedal feel (which can be enhanced in the PHEV through judicious use of the paddle shifters) and you could eek out a few more kilometres of range.

Norway… Leading the way
Norwegian drivers are less likely to be concerned about eeking out their electric range as they are much more likely to happen upon a public charge station -- even in the wilds of the fjords.

During an extended drive in the PHEV we were able to test the public chargers.

While not yet confirmed (yet) for Australia, the updated Outlander PHEV includes two charge ports for both regular and fast charging. A regular charge will take five hours via a regular 10-amp socket or just 3.5hr on a 16-amp point.

However, using the fast charge port, the PHEV can get load 80 per cent in around 25 minutes. As we were able to test for ourselves, that’s enough time to grab a coffee and a toilet break before you get back on the road with a replenished battery.

Euro goodies TBA
The 2017 European Outlander PHEV features a number of additions from the original PHEV which are also not yet confirmed for the Australian market. For example, the EV Priority mode prevents the PHEV system from kicking in the petrol engine, retaining full electric driving on demand.

Technology enhancements include a full suite of driver assistance systems, some of which are already available on Outlander. Expect to see adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection via the forward collision mitigation function, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.

The ubiquitous smartphone integration including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are probably to be expected also, however we’re unlikely to see wifi monitoring via smartphone app. In Europe, drivers can set charge times via smartphone, schedule night charging over low tariffs and remote battery monitoring is also featured. We’ve seen other manufacturers restrict similar functionality here in Australia.

It is also unlikely that we will see the Outlander PHEV itself used as a power source, although it does have available functionality which allows drivers to connect electric equipment of up to 1500W to be powered by the drive battery.

Even if we don’t see all of those features, the local updated Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is going to be worth a look.

SUVs are flavour of the month, and this is a full sized five-seater that retains all of the practicality of a four-wheel drive with the eco-friendly promise of a plug-in drivetrain.

Full pricing and specifications for the local model will be available next month.

2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV pricing and specifications:
Price: TBC
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Motor: Twin 60kW electric motors
Engine Output: 89kW/190Nm
Motor Output: 60kW/ 137Nm and 60kW/ 195Nm
Transmission: None
Fuel: 6.0L/100km (As tested)
Electric usage: 12.3kW/100km (As tested)
Tailpipe CO2: 44g/km
Safety rating: Five-star