Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV ES 2023 Review

In its entirety, the Mitsubishi Outlander range boasts an expansive 13 variants across four trim levels of ES, Aspire, Exceed and Exceed Tourer. Powertrains include two- and four-wheel drive petrol power and plug-in hybrid all-wheel drive options in five- and seven-seat configurations, depending on the variant.

The Mitsubishi Outlander ES PHEV is priced from $56,490 plus on road costs and it’s joined by the Aspire five-seater from $62,990. Seven seats are found in the Outlander PHEV Exceed (from $68,490) and the top-spec Outlander PHEV Exceed Tourer (from $70,990).

These are sizeable premiums ($16,750 in the case of the ES) over the equivalent petrol variants, but that’s not quite the whole story. Recent taxation changes, specifically the fringe benefits tax exemption for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles under $89,332 (FY2023-24) rather change the game if you’re leasing.

Here is a quick and very simplistic set of numbers from an online leasing calculator that may not be entirely accurate but illustrate the point. If someone earning $85,000 a year wants to lease a $60,000 vehicle over five years, traveling 15,000km per annum, the estimated fortnightly payment is $626.

Change nothing about these numbers except the type of vehicle from petrol to electric (in the Outlander’s case a plug-in hybrid) and that fortnightly payment drops to $391/fortnight. Not everyone wants to lease, but there are now substantial financial advantages when it comes to electrified vehicles.

That said, the choice of plug-in hybrid mid-size SUVs remains very limited, with the MG HS the only real option, though the larger Kia Sorento PHEV also sneaks into the price bracket, but more traditional hybrids – which aren’t subject to the FBT exemption – are plentiful including the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail e-Power.

The Outlander’s new exterior is well-proportioned and the design details feel a cut above previous generations. Our plug-in hybrid EV is easily identified by its PHEV badging, rather than deviating from the strong new Outlander silhouette.

The Outlander ES rides on 18.0-inch alloys, while a rear spoiler, LED headlights and daytime running lights are standard.

You’re presumably familiar with the saying “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone’ – well, it turns out they were talking about keyless entry. Which the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander ES does not have. Negotiating a voluminous handbag full to the brim, few omissions cut that deep.

Despite being the cheapest model in the plug-in range, the Mitsubishi Outlander ES equipment list is, otherwise, satisfactory.

Standard kit includes manually-adjusted cloth seats with lumbar support for driver, tilt and reach steering wheel adjust, dual-zone climate control, dust and pollen filter, a rear-view camera with front and rear parking sensors, electric park brake, auto hold and a push-button start (I already had the key out).

There’s an auto up and down function for all four windows as well as a master lock up front. Four cup holders and six bottle-sized drink holders have your beverage selection sorted.

The 2023 Outlander is backed by Mitsubishi’s 10-year/200,000 kilometre warranty (as long as you service with Mitsubishi) with service intervals at 12-months or 15,000km.

Mitsubishi’s 10-year capped price servicing schedule sees owners pay $1845 for five years or $5090 after 10 years and the Outlander’s battery pack is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty.

Following its launch in 2022, updates to the model year 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV ES bring safety upgrades including automatic high beam, automatic rear braking and rear cross traffic alert.

These are on top of the previously included autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, emergency lane assist, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist, blind-spot warning, traffic-sign recognition and driver attention alert.

The airbag count includes dual front and side, curtain, front centre and driver’s knee and all this helped the Outlander to a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2021.

The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV ES brings the basics, including AM/FM/DAB radio, satellite navigation, a six-speaker sound system, Bluetooth connectivity with voice control, Android Auto and Wireless Apple CarPlay.

Much of this plays out on the 9.0-inch colour touch screen, or via the multifunction steering controls and it’s simple to use.

There’s a reversing camera with front and rear sensors, but the screen resolution feels old and well behind the competition. The 360-degree camera found in higher spec models would be a handy addition.

The 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display is good and, with PHEV values in mind, you can keep an eye on energy flow and driving efficiency thanks to some cool graphics.

The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV ES is powered by a 2.4-litre petrol engine, but outputs are improved thanks to two upgraded electric motors on the front and rear axle delivering 85kW and 100kW respectively. Under petrol-only power, outputs sit at 98kW/195Nm.

Combined, however, the all-wheel-drive Outlander PHEV can deliver up to 185kW/450Nm via a single-speed reduction gear like those commonly found in pure EVs. This makes the plug-in hybrid version of the Outlander the most powerful of the range.

Drive modes of Normal, EV, Save and Charge adjust your zero-emissions motoring, from low-key to full energy-efficient regenerative modes. Six regenerative braking levels can also be set by the driver, all the way to one-pedal-style driving.

The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV comes with a larger 20kWh lithium-ion battery pack which improves the EV-only cruising range to 84km – that’s 29km more than the 13.8kWh battery managed in its predecessor.

On top of that bigger battery, the 2023 Outlander has a larger petrol tank, increasing from 45 to 56 litres. Mitsubishi reckons those updates combined have the potential for up to 1000km without refuelling if you eke every last drop and watt from the combined power sources.

Our time behind the wheel? Well, not quite so frugal. This driver recorded an average city-based consumption of around 7.0L/100km.

Drawing on its most efficient DC charging capability, the Outlander PHEV will charge from zero to 80 per cent in 38 minutes. AC charging (240AV) brings that to 6.5 hours (0-100%) or 12 hours with your typical domestic AC plug.

Mitsubishi also has clever ‘Dendo Drive House’ which is a bi-directional charging system. Using the car’s CHAdeMO port the Outlander’s own power can be used to power a house or flow back into the grid.

Tim Clarke, eMobility Manager and Product Strategy at Mitsubishi Motors, was a guest on Episode 10 of carsales’ Watts Under the Bonnet podcast if you want to dig a little deeper on this topic.

Behind the wheel, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV’s 2020kg kerb weight is ever-present, with the benefits of zero-emissions motoring adding around 385kg over the petrol-powered all-wheel-drive Outlander. Which begs the question of how that translates to overall efficiency when you’re not benefiting from pure EV power…

On the upside, the Outlander PHEV’s heft sits planted on the road and that electric torque delivers surprisingly spritely response. Power is immediate and the transition between EV and petrol power is seamless. Put simply, the Outlander PHEV is fuss-free driving.

Drive modes of Tarmac, gravel, snow and mud as well as 199mm of ground clearance and decent approach (18deg) and departure (21.9deg) angles suggest the Outlander PHEV is in fact ready to head off the beaten track if you want to channel your inner Russell Coight.

The ride is both quiet and comfortable, the ES’s 18-inch wheels and higher-profile tyres working well on mixed suburban surfaces with little compromise to overall handling.

Confined to the suburbs and family duties (think school runs, sporting carpool and Vintage Cellars), the Outlander PHEV feels at home. There’s a bit of play in the steering, but it’s light and easy to manoeuvre around town and parking its near five-metre footprint is a breeze. The Outlander PHEV wins many votes for ease of use.

All Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs are capable of a braked towing capacity of 1600kg.

Mitsubishi’s reputation for cheap and cheerful leans towards cheerful in this instance – even in this entry-level ES the fit and finish is nice.

The manual-adjust cloth seats and soft cloth door trims combine with robust vinyl and low-brow plastics to bring a softer feel to the cabin. All in all, it’s an incredibly practical and functional space.

You’ll find two cup holders, large in-door storage, a lidded armrest and centre console oddment storage with access to USB-A and -C charge points as well as a 12-volt outlet.

The second-row seating is elevated, providing good outward vision. The seats are comfortable and offer perfect space for three occupants. The fold-down centre armrest doubles as thru-load (to the boot), which feels a little untidy.

There are two ISOFIX positions and three top tether anchors, the middle one extending from the roof. There’s a light, two directional air vents and seat back pockets, but no charge outlets.

A manually-operated tailgate reveals a sizeable 478-litre boot that grows to 1461 litres with the seats folded flat (but not entirely so) which can easily be done from the boot.

There’s a light, two bag hooks, a 12-volt outlet and four anchor points, though the cargo cover of higher-spec models is missing. All PHEV models have a tyre repair kit in place of a spare tyre.

Priced to match its entry-level specification the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV ES is a compelling package. While not perfect, and with a limited EV-only driving range, the basics are done well.

Its family-friendly layout, solid ergonomics and robust fit and finish are spot on. It also makes perfect sense for drivers who are not ready to make the leap to an electric vehicle but may be keen to take a well-intentioned step in that direction.

2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV ES at a glance:
Price: $56,490 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 2.4-litre four-cylinder plug-in hybrid
Output: 98kW/195Nm
Combined output: 185kW/450Nm
Transmission: single-speed reduction
Battery: 20kWh lithium-ion
Range: 84km (NEDC)
Fuel: 1.5L/100km (NEDC)
CO2: 35g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP Year 2021)