By Ewan Kennedy, Marque Motoring
Mitsubishi continues its push to be at the leading edge of hybrid and electric vehicle design.
Our test vehicle for the past week has been a 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicle).
The plug-in Outlander PHEV for 2018 is almost futuristic thanks to a huge new front end and a mild tail tuck.
Inside, the latest Outlander PHEV has a redesigned steering wheel, revised design of accents in the trim and reshaped seats. Materials have a more upmarket feel and look.
The biggest news in the latest Outlander is that a DC fast-charge system can recharge the battery to 80 per cent capacity in around 25 minutes.
Major changes to the drivetrain make Outlander significantly more efficient.
Official fuel consumption is down by about 10 per cent, from 1.9 to 1.7 litres per 100 kilometres.
The new Outlander has an EV Priority mode that drivers use it purely as an electric vehicle provided there is sufficient charge in the batteries.
As a last resort if you’re making long trips Mitsubishi Outlander can run on petrol for 500 to 600 km if you drive sensibly.
Outlander is offered in LS and Exceed grades. Both have smartphone Link Display audio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto2 integration; and DAB+ radio. You need to use your own smartphone for satellite navigation.
Both models are well equipped, with the upmarket Outlander Exceed having such extra items as forward collision mitigation that can also detect pedestrians, 360-degree around monitor, lane departure warning, blindspot monitor and rear cross traffic alert.
Petrol consumption during our test period ranged from zero in the Brisbane city area where we ran it as a pure EV, to seven to eight litres per 100 kilometres on petrol once the battery was discharged.
EV range was usually in the 35 to 45 kilometre range, so if you’re only doing short trips and can charge the Outlander overnight you can go for weeks, even months, without calling into a service station.
Ride quality and comfort have been improved, primarily thanks to changes to the platform to increase structural rigidity.
There’s also extra sound deadening material and revisions to the suspension to reduce noise.
Comfort is good, with a very quiet interior on smooth roads. Rough surfaces noticeably increased sound levels, so the Outlander isn’t quite in the luxury sedan class.
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV holds on well in bends, partly because of its lowish centre of gravity due to underfloor batteries. It’s no sports SUV like some of the Europeans in this class, though.
Mitsubishi Outlander may look like a typical SUV or 4WD but is actually a high tech glimpse into the future.
Smooth, quiet and and easy to drive it’s well worth considering if you want something out of the ordinary.
For further details contact Dandenong Mitsubishi, 41 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong, on 9771 9400 or Berwick Mitsubishi, 2032 Kangan Drive, Berwick, on 9709 2999.
Model range
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV LS 2.0-litre petrol/electric hybrid five-door wagon: $50,490 (automatic)
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Exceed 2.0-litre petrol/electric hybrid five-door wagon: $55,490 (automatic)
