Mitsubishi’s new Outlander Plug-In Hybrid EV (PHEV) will hit showrooms in mid-August in four model grades, but pricing has risen over the outgoing version.
The new-gen version of the Outlander will have the most extensive PHEV line-up of any other model on sale in Australia and increases the model grades by one over the old version.
It will now be offered in entry-level ES guise and mid-range Aspire, both with five seats, while the higher-grade Exceed and Exceed Tourer are available with seven seats.
Pricing for the ES is $54,590 before on-road costs, which represents a $6600 increase over the outgoing PHEV ES, although it adds a long list of new tech and comfort features.
The Aspire is priced at $60,990, while the seven-seat Exceed and Exceed Tourer are $65,990 and $68,490 respectively.
In terms of PHEV rivals, the new Outlander is pricier than the single-variant Ford Escape ST-Line plug-in which starts at $53,440 before on-roads and the MG HS PHEV that’s priced from $46,990 drive-away.
Other offerings like the Peugeot 3008 and one-size larger Kia Sorento PHEVs are more expensive than the Outlander at $79,990 and $80,330 before on-roads respectively.
Of course the most popular hybrid in the country is the Toyota RAV4, but as a series or self-charging hybrid it doesn’t plug in and cannot provide electric-only driving like the Outlander can.
The RAV4 hybrid ranges in price from $36,990 to $52,700, and there’s also the Subaru Forester hybrid (from $43,290 BOC) and Haval H6 hybrid (from $45,990 D/A) to consider.
The new Outlander PHEV uses a 20.0kWh lithium-ion battery pack, up from 13.8kWh in the old model, and 85kW front and 100kW rear axle-mounted electric motors, ensuring all-wheel drive traction.
The PHEV system is paired with a revised version of the 98kW 2.4-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, ensuring a total system output of 185kW of power and 450Nm of torque.
It has an electric driving range of 84km on the NEDC cycle and a combined fuel economy figure of 1.5 litres per 100 kilometres, which is an improvement over the old model’s 1.9L figure.
The fuel tank has increased from 45 litres to 56L, making for an overall petrol-electric driving range of more than 900km, according to Mitsubishi.
The Outlander can be charged from empty to 100 per cent capacity via a domestic power socket in 12 hours, or 6.5 hours using an AC fast charger. It takes just 38 minutes using the CHAdeMO DC to charge to 80 per cent capacity, and the new Outlander is capable of bi-directional charging which can direct charge back into the grid or a house.
All Outlanders have a five-star ANCAP safety rating and all come standard with safety gear including auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, forward collision mitigation, emergency lane assist, lane departure prevention, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, traffic sign recognition and a driver attention alert.
The ES comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, cloth trim, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone air conditioning, keyless start, a 9.0-inch multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, digital radio, Bluetooth and six-speaker audio.
Moving into the Aspire adds 20-inch alloys, combination trim, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, leather steering wheel, a head-up display, rain-sensing wipers, electric folding and heated exterior mirrors, a wireless phone charger, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and power, hands-free tailgate.
The Exceed has a panoramic sunroof, quilted leather trim, power-adjustable passenger seat, manual second-row sunshades, tri-zone air conditioning with rear controls, and a nine-speaker Bose audio system.
Finally the Exceed Tourer gains two-tone exterior paint, high-grade leather, and driver and passenger massage function.
Mitsubishi launched the petrol-powered version of the new-gen Outlander late last year.
2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV pricing before on-road costs
| Variant | Transmission | Cost |
| ES | Automatic | $54,590 (+$6600) |
| Aspire | Automatic | $60,990 |
| Exceed | Automatic | $65,990 |
| Exceed Tourer | Automatic | $68,490 |
Keyword: 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid pricing and features revealed! New-gen eco SUV ready to battle Toyota RAV4, MG HS, Ford Escape and more