2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

　　

2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Review

byDan FrioReviews Editor

　　Dan spent many years covering the go-fast, look-good, get-loud corners of the automotive universe. First, he served as editor of enthusiast magazines AutoSound and Honda Tuning, then as executive editor at SEMA News, the publishing arm of the trade group that produces the annual SEMA Show (yes, that show). As a contributor to zzdcar, he now likes to keep the volume low and the speed limit legal, providing expert car-shopping advice to drivers looking for the perfect match.

　　, rating written byDan FrioDirector, Vehicle Testing

　　Jonathan Elfalan has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. As a director of vehicle testing at zzdcar, Jonathan has tested and reviewed thousands of cars and written thousands of car-related articles over the course of his career. Jonathan got his start testing cars for Road & Track magazine as a newly minted mechanical engineer grad from University of California, Irvine, and has also contributed to Motor Trend and the Associated Press. He likes to say he learned to drive a manual transmission in a rear-wheel-drive mid-engine vehicle but often omits it was his family's 1991 Toyota Previa minivan.

　　The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV marks the end of this model's current generation, as a new plug-in model is set to follow this year's fully redesigned regular gas-powered Outlander. And following a round of updates last year, it's no surprise that this Outlander PHEV model carries over unchanged. Those updates helped the Outlander PHEV remain one of the few hybrid SUVs able to get around, for a few miles anyway, solely on electric power.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV PHEV Insights

Trim:Outlander PHEV SEL

　　SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid DD) (Most Popular) - $36,695 MSRPLE 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid DD) - $38,395 MSRPGT 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid DD) - $42,395 MSRP

　　

All Electric Range

　　24 miles

　　EPA Estimated Electric Range

　　The Outlander PHEV will automatically switch to gas when the electric battery is low.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Outlander's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Outlander contributors | Outlander

　　from 58067

　　

Hybrid Parts Warranty

　　10 yrs or 100,000 milesHybrid batteries are federally mandated to carry at least 8 years or 100,000 miles of warranty coverage from the manufacturer. Batteries that lose capacity more rapidly than expected should be eligible for replacement under warranty. Coverage of additional hybrid components beyond the battery itself will vary by automaker.

　　

Charging at Home

　　4 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$400

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Utility EV Charger Offer

　　$400

　　Restrictions: Otter Tail Power offers EV owners a rebate of up to $400 towards the installation of a Level 2 charging station. To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements: Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power.

　　To learn more, visit Outlander

　　See All PHEV incentives

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$118/mo

　　Outlander PHEV

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　SUV Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　See All PHEV Insights

　　A new battery pack extended electric range to about 24 miles, while software updates helped reduce engine noise and vibration. A new Limited Edition trim level also introduced more standard features. Laudable changes, certainly, but not enough to keep pace with the Outlander PHEV's main rival, the more refined Toyota RAV4 Prime.

　　Still, the Outlander PHEV has Mitsubishi's all-wheel-drive heritage baked in, giving it a measure of off-road capability. It offers DC fast charging, which can charge the battery to 80% capacity in less than a half-hour, and the Outlander PHEV comes with a long warranty. The upcoming redesigned model is expected to add a third row of seats, like the regular Outlander. The plug-in might make sense if you can charge it often, but it's hardly a slam dunk, especially when compared with the Toyota or several other gas-electric hybrid SUVs. For a more comprehensive look at the Outlander PHEV's qualities, be sure to read our Expert Rating below.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Below Average

　　6.8

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

6.5/10

　　How does the Outlander PHEV drive? This electrified SUV isn't fast, but it has enough power to get out of its own way when needed. In zzdcar' testing, the Outlander PHEV reached 60 mph from a standstill in 9.3 seconds. That's decent for an economy-minded vehicle. But Toyota's RAV4 Prime, which is also a plug-in and the Outlander's main rival, blows it away with a 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds.

　　The Outlander's stopping performance is similarly adequate, but we're not fans of its light brake pedal because it can make it tricky to consistently stop smoothly. Our test vehicle also lacked stability during our panic-braking testing. Then there's the steering. It's bizarrely light and lacks straight-ahead stability. You constantly have to fidget at the wheel to keep the Outlander going straight.

　　The advanced all-wheel-drive system and reasonable level of ground clearance make the Outlander quite capable off-road, however.

　　

Comfort

7.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Outlander PHEV? The Outlander's comfort is average across the board. The front seats are fine, but the rear seats feel a bit flat and firm. Ride comfort is about average for an SUV. The Outlander smooths out most of the big impacts, but smaller road vibrations tend to find their way in.

　　The climate control system performs adequately. We noted that the heated steering wheel only warms part of the rim, which isn't ideal.

　　When you're driving in EV mode on a full charge, the cabin is pretty quiet. But nail the gas when the engine is on and it fires up and sounds like a blender that's working too hard. We were also annoyed that using almost any button in our test vehicle triggered a beeping noise, and there didn't seem to be a way to disable the sounds.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below