In the early 2000s, Gran Turismo was a big part of my childhood. As such, Mitsubishi was one of my go-to brands, cycling through iconic cars such as the Lancer Evolution, 3000GT, and even the quirky FTO, to name a few. On the other hand, the 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is neither legendary nor iconic—and it doesn’t have to be. As the brand’s most expensive offering in North America, the Outlander signifies Mitsubishi’s focus on building vehicles the masses want, much to the disappointment of enthusiasts everywhere.
The first thing that stands out with this fourth-generation Outlander is the front-end styling. It’s a love-it-or-hate-it front fascia with daytime running lights split from the main LEDs, along with very pronounced chrome trim contrasting against the black grille. One friend of mine described it as a chipmunk’s cheeks filled with acorns, and from that point, I couldn’t un-see it. However, the rest of the Outlander is quite restrained and conservatively styled. Our tester’s Titanium Grey paint highlights the side profile character lines much better than our previous Outlander testers—both of which being white.
The Outlander shares the same platform as the Nissan Rogue, along with some interior switchgear, but stepping inside the Mitsu was a pleasant surprise and a step up from the Rogue. The two-tone Saddle Tan interior panels are scattered throughout, and with matching stitching on the quilted seats, it all feels high-end. I would’ve preferred for more of the interior to be finished in Saddle Tan, as this current arrangement feels incomplete. But comparing this to a Toyota RAV4 Prime, it’s a nicer place to spend time and the Outlander proved extremely comfortable for long drives. The front seats are heated and massaging, but cooled seats are missing from the Outlander.
Moreover on interior comfort, the Outlander PHEV comes with three-zone climate control, letting the driver, front passenger, and second-row occupants adjust the climate control to their heart’s content. Second-row occupants are also treated to heated rear seats. The Outlander in all trims is among the few in the segment to have a third row—the Volkswagen Tiguan does as well, but it’s optional, and the Kia Sorento is more an in-betweener—but in all honesty, keep it folded. The third row is best suited for transporting children, while teenagers and adults will surely rethink their life choices back there. Cargo space behind the third row is just 308 litres, but it grows to an adequate 866 L behind the second row, and 1,822 with all seats folded down.
Mitsubishi also uses Nissan’s infotainment setup. It offers a nine-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which worked well during our stint. In the driver’s line-of-sight is a highly configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, along with a heads-up display showing basic driver information such as speed, navigation, and safety systems. I opted to turn off the heads-up display, as I found it a little too distracting for my liking. Another slight inconvenience is having to menu-jump in the infotainment settings just to shut off the screen, rather than having the simple ability to turn it off by holding down the power/volume knob for a few seconds.
Powering the Outlander PHEV are three motors in total. A 2.4-litre normally aspirated four-cylinder engine makes 131 horsepower and 144 pound-feet of torque on its own, making 131 horsepower and 144 pound-feet of torque on its own. It works with two electric motors—one on each axle— to produce 248 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque combined. This is transmitted to all four wheels through a single-speed automatic transmission that Mitsubishi says is not a CVT even though it feels like one, and Mitsubishi’s Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel-drive system. The transmission does a good job in minimizing the rubber band feeling that CVTs are typically known for. Power delivery is acceptable for this class of vehicle and I didn’t find myself wanting more power.
Fully charged and with a full tank of 87-octane fuel, the Outlander PHEV claims an all-electric range of 60 kilometers and a combined total range of 700 km. I observed an even-better 74-kilometre electric range before the gas engine stepped in. The one standout feature of the Outlander PHEV is the ability to charge on a Level 3 or DC fast-charge; here, Mitsubishi claims a zero-to-80 per cent charge in about 38 minutes. For those who don’t drive long distances, you can theoretically drive the Outlander PHEV in full-electric mode without ever having to use the gas motor.
The gas motor in the Outlander PHEV can act as both a generator to charge the battery pack or power the front wheels depending on the various drive modes you select, with Normal being the default setting. Here, the Outlander PHEV will utilize battery power first and only engage the internal combustion motor for sudden acceleration situations and when the battery is fully depleted. Selecting EV mode forces the car to run strictly on battery power, while Charge utilizes the gas motor to continuously charge the battery while driving.
Despite toggling between Charge, Normal, and Power modes—along with my generally lead-footed driving—I still returned a surprising 6.8 L/100 km combined fuel economy. It’s way better than the Natural Resources Canada estimate of 9.0 L/100 km. For city dwellers or people who travel short distances, you can expect even better combined fuel economy depending on charging accessibility, outside temperature, and driving style.
For the most part, the Outlander PHEV proved very relaxing, with cushy seats and a suspension setup optimized for ride comfort. It wallows like a boat over very smooth pavement, reminiscent of old Panther-platform Fords from the early 2000s, and I mean that as a complement. Modulating the brakes on EVs and PHEVs can sometimes be challenging, but the Outlander PHEV is forgiving and easy to modulate. Steering, on the other hand, is devoid of any feedback and too darty, making it feel very unnatural. This is perhaps the most off-putting aspect of the Outlander; otherwise, it pulls off the comfy cruiser vibe very well.
Pricing on for the base Outlander PHEV starts at $48,198, while our tester, the top-of-the-line PHEV GT Premium S-AWC comes in at $58,198 as-tested before any additional fees and incentives. You get a lot of SUV for the money; a top-of-the-line RAV4 Prime comes in at over $60,000, although a loaded Tucson PHEV undercuts both. A Sorento PHEV crests the $60,000 mark as well fully loaded, though you could argue it has a somewhat more usable third row.
The 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a more-than-competent and compelling family hauler in the crowded compact crossover segment. If you can get over the video game-esque steering input, this plug-in hybrid offers better than advertised EV range, Level 3 fast-charging, a standard third row for just-in-case moments, and a myriad of tech features—all available below the $60,000 mark.
