2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Is a True Underdog Story
Everyone loves an underdog story, but no one really wants to be the underdog. This is the weird position that Mitsubishi finds itself in as production ramps up on the new 2023 Outlander plug-in hybrid (PHEV). Odds are good that you probably forgot the automaker even exists; and PHEVs are no longer quite the eco-car darlings they once were, now that electric cars are fairly common.
Yet even with the deck stacked against it, the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV shines.
No model in the automaker’s lineup is more poised for success. And while the niche of plug-in SUVs may be shrinking, the Outlander is one of the best values in its class and an excellent step into electrification for drivers not quite ready or able to take the BEV plunge.
Chassis and design
It’s no surprise that, externally, the new Outlander PHEV is identical to the conventional version that debuted last year with the same Dynamic Shield front fascia and bolder proportions, measuring around 2.4 inches wider than the last generation plug-in. Look closely and you might spy a second flap for the charging port mirroring the driver-side gas flap, but a more obvious way to spot the PHEV from afar is the large “Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle” badge that adorns the SUV’s front doors.
The 2023 PHEV now rides on larger, standard 20-inch wheels wrapped with Nexen Roadian GTX 225/45-profile all-season tires. The larger diameter rolling stock is, along with a lower-profile battery pack, responsible for much of the SUV’s increased 8.3-inch ground clearance — up from around 7.3 inches last year.
2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Is an Underdog Worth Rooting For
Beneath the exterior design, however, the Outlander PHEV differs significantly from its non-electrified twin. The suspension has been retuned to compensate for the additional mass and different weight distribution of the battery pack and hybrid system.
To make room beneath the chassis for the hybrid hardware, the PHEV also features a unique third row design with slimmer seats that fold flat into the cargo floor. This clever bit of engineering frees up a bit more luggage space than last year, netting the PHEV 33.5 cubic feet of cargo room with the third row stowed and 78.5 cubic feet with all seats folded — nearly identical to the ICE version. However, that still leaves you with a fairly tight squeeze for adult passengers in the way-back.
Interior and tech
Up front, the PHEV’s cabin returns to the status quo with the same soft-touch dashboard design and materials as the non-hybrid.
My example featured quilted upholstery on the seats and door cards that looked quite nice. An available massage function for the front buckets ups the premium ante a bit; it’s not the most invigorating massage I’ve had in a car, but it’s not bad for a Mitsubishi. Tucked into the dashboard is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster — standard equipment for the PHEV — which is flanked by a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen in my example.
Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard either way. The infotainment hardware (and the software powering it) is one of many elements in common with the Outlander’s platform-sharing cousin, the Nissan Rogue. In fact, the available Mi-Pilot Assist driver aid and safety tech suite is also a clone of Nissan’s ProPilot Assist, but with a green activation button rather than Nissan’s blue one.
That said, ProPilot is rather good, so this is another good get for the Outlander.
Plug-in hybrid powertrain
The second-generation Outlander PHEV uses an updated version of the first-generation’s series hybrid system. The electric motors responsible for turning the wheels have been upgraded for improved output and responsiveness. The front traction motor now makes 85 kilowatts (around 114 horsepower) and 166 pound-feet of torque; the rear motor grows to 100 kW (134 hp) and 144 pound-feet.
The engine bay is also shared with a 126-hp, 2.4-liter Atkinson cycle gasoline engine, but its primary job is to crank an electric starter-generator to send electricity to the electric motors and battery pack. The battery in question is a 20-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion unit located beneath the cabin floor. It’s both larger and thinner than the old 13.8-kWh pack.
Fully charged, the Outlander will cruise for up to 38 miles before the combustion engine needs to turn over to extend the hybrid operation range to around 420 miles. (Nice.) Fuel economy estimates haven’t been finalized, but I averaged 30.3 mpg over roughly 73 miles of highway driving.
With a full charge and a full tank, the Outlander PHEV will cruise for 420 miles, longer than the standard model’s 348 miles, between fill-ups.
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Going full throttle may cause the gasoline engine to kick in prematurely to provide additional current. Full-send with all three motors humming, the Outlander outputs a peak 248 hp and 332 pound-feet. The combustion engine can drive the front wheels directly via a single-speed transmission above 45 mph or so, but that’s typically only during steady, light cruising where it’s more efficient than the e-motors.
Most of the time, however, the electric motors are responsible for all of the motivational torque. I was already a fan of the Outlander PHEV’s smooth, EV-like acceleration and off the line responsiveness, and so I enjoyed this more powerful version even more. However, as peppy as it is around town, the hybrid system runs out of steam at higher speeds; while it’s not completely gutless, passing takes a bit more time.
It also takes a bit of getting used to the gasoline engine’s sound being completely disconnected from the SUV’s ground speed, but the tone is unobtrusive enough that I never found it annoying. Charging to 80% at a DC station takes around 38 minutes, not super impressive given the range and the ChaDeMo connection, which is less common in the US than CCS plugs. That said, the Outlander is one of only three US-market PHEVs I know of that even supports DC fast charging — the others being the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport P440e models — so I won’t complain too loudly.
Owners will likely do most of their charging with a 15-amp AC home connection, which takes around 7.5 hours to top off the pack. You could also use the Charge hybrid setting to fill the battery to 80% over 94 minutes of stationary idling with the combustion engine running, but that sort of defeats the purpose.
ChaDeMo stations are in decline here in the States, but any sort of DC fast charging is rare for PHEVs.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET Cars
Innovative Pedal regenerative braking
Five levels of regenerative braking can be selected via steering wheel paddles to help fine-tune the Outlander’s performance and squeeze every mile out of the battery. New for 2023 is an Innovative Pedal mode that attempts to replicate the one-pedal driving of a full EV by giving maximum regeneration when lifting the throttle, allowing the PHEV to be driven while almost never touching the left pedal.
I say almost, because this setting still creeps like a torque converter automatic at speeds below about 3 mph — Mitsubishi says this is to aid in more natural low-speed maneuvering such as parking. Interestingly, Innovative Pedal mode is also able to decelerate the SUV more strongly than even the level 5 regen setting as it kicks in a bit of friction braking to complete the one-pedal illusion. (In fact, if you look down — which I do not actually recommend — you can actually see the pedal move a bit when you lift.) That’s weird when you think about it, but in operation, I found that I enjoyed the i-pedal mode quite a bit, eventually doing almost all of the day’s driving — both off and on the track — with it active.
Imagine this course soaked with a week’s worth of pouring rain; the S-AWC system handled the wet course admirably.
Mitsubishi
Wet and wild ride
It rained all day long during my test drive on the gently winding back roads near Mitsubishi’s Franklin, Tennessee, headquarters, which gave me plenty of time to test the Outlander PHEV’s Super All-Wheel Control traction and stability system. Around wet bends and through inches-deep standing water, the Outlander proved remarkably stable going exactly where I pointed it, the brake-based yaw control operating transparently while the electric motors quietly shuffled torque between the axles.
The conditions were terrible, but the ride was perfectly pleasant at reasonable speeds. Mitsubishi loves putting pictures of the Evo X in its slide decks when praising S-AWC, but the Outlander PHEV is no track car. However, a bit of closed course time on the local Polecat Training Center’s handling track was a nice and safe-ish environment to push the limits of the traction and handling systems.
Color me surprised when Mitsubishi didn’t cancel the track portion of the day due to the rain; its confidence in the system is just that high. Around the soaking wet course, I was able to push the SUV harder than would be possible on public roads and really stretch S-AWC’s legs. The Sand/Rain mode kept the cornering on the slippery surface remarkably neutral.
In the sport-focused Tarmac mode, I was able to get the tail wagging just a bit thanks to the slight rear-bias in the power delivery. It wasn’t quite full drifting, but I was able to feel the active yaw control catching the SUV’s rotation and dancing controllably on the verge of oversteer. It was remarkably easy to hustle the hefty hybrid around the course and I had a ton of fun doing it.
Plug-in hybrids aren’t for everyone, but the Outlander PHEV is one of the best values in its class.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET Cars
Pricing and availability
Plug-in hybrids aren’t for everyone, but the Outlander PHEV plays to the niche’s strengths with enough electric range for the average daily commute and the flexibility of fairly efficient hybrid operation for longer weekend trips.
The improved power, more premium amenities and excellent wet weather S-AWC performance only make this 2023 model more appealing and easier to recommend. The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV should start hitting dealerships in the next few weeks, starting at £41,190 including the £1,345 destination charge — around a £10,000 PHEV premium when compared apples-to-apples with the conventional AWD model. My White Diamond SEL Premium model arrived with a £51,275 price tag, which feels like a lot; a nicely equipped SE model feels like the best value at around £45,000.
Editors’ note: Travel costs related to this story were covered by the manufacturer, which is common in the auto industry.
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