Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV 2023 review: Exceed - off-road test

The Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed Tourer PHEV has a manufacturer suggested retail price of $68,490, but our test vehicle had floor mats ($202), pushing its price to $68,692.

The standard features list is extensive and includes a 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital driver display, wireless smartphone charging, a BOSE sound system, multi-zone climate control, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, head-up display, heated massage front seats, two-tone leather appointed seat trim, panoramic sunroof, a powered tailgate, and 20-inch two-tone alloy wheels.

Exterior paint options for the Exceed Tourer are white diamond and black diamond.

Be warned though: this Outlander does not have a spare tyre – not even a space-saver.

It’s a family-friendly and functional interior with a premium feel about it all.

Comfortable leather seats, soft-touch surfaces, easy-to-use multimedia system, and plenty of charge points (USB-A and USB-C up front and two USBs for the second-row passengers) and storage spaces – all those elements and more add up to a cosy cabin in which driver and passengers can spend a chunk of time on lengthy road trips.

Nice touches such as the heated steering wheel and the heated front seats, which also have the massage function, merely top off what is an impressive cabin.

The Outlander has a functional interior with a premium feel. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

There is wired charging for smartphones with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, as well as a wireless charging pad for Apple CarPlay-enabled phones.

There are also 240v/1500W power outlets.

The 12.3-inch high-resolution digital driver display is simple enough to navigate and cycle through its functions and the 10.8-inch head-up display is a handy addition.

Inside is a 12.3-inch digital driver display. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

The driver also gets an eight-way power adjustable seat, so it’s easy enough to dial-in your preferred driving position.

This Outlander’s seats are comfortable with satisfactory room for everyone, though the third row is a bit squeezy for anyone other than the one height-challenged mate who you ironically call “Tall Timber”.

The Outlander’s seats are comfortable. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

The second row is a 40:20:40 split configuration, while the third row is 50:50.

In terms of packing space, according to Mitsubishi, you can count on a 163-litre boot (when all seats are up and in use), 478 litres when the third row is folded down flat, and 1473 litres of useable space when the second and third rows are stowed away.

The Outlander PHEV has a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (delivering 185kW and 450Nm), an electric motor on the front and rear axles, and a lithium-ion battery pack with a total capacity of 20kWh.

The PHEV’s EV-only driving range has increased from 54km in the previous-gen Outlander to 84km in this line-up.

With two electric motors, the 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine delivers a combined output of 185kW/450Nm. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

It has a single-speed transmission and drive modes in this vehicle include Eco, Normal, Power, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow and Mud.

It has three power-use modes: EV Mode (“perfect for low to medium speeds in urban areas”, according to Mitsubishi), Series Hybrid Mode (“When accelerating or climbing hills, the hybrid petrol engine can be used to generate additional power while the vehicle runs on motor power”), and Parallel Hybrid Mode (“For high-speed driving such as overtaking vehicles on the highway, the vehicle runs on engine power while being assisted by the electric motor”).

There’s no denying the appeal of a vehicle that doesn’t require you to spend much cash on fuel – especially during times of skyrocketing petrol and diesel prices – but there’s more to like about this vehicle than just its ability to embrace something other than fossil fuel. 

In terms of exterior dimensions, this PHEV is 4710mm long (with a 2706mm wheelbase), 1862mm wide, and 1745mm high.

So, it’s an easy vehicle to manoeuvre around city and suburban streets with light but sharp steering and a tight turning circle of 11m.

The teaming of a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors works seamlessly well and you’d be hard-pressed really to notice any difference or switching between systems as you drive, unless you’re scrutinising engine and power usage on the driver’s display screen – and your eyes should be on the road anyway.

The Outlander PHEV has plenty of power and, no matter how much energetic driving you may be doing at any one time, it still remains very smooth and pleasingly quiet.

The Outlander measures in at 4710mm long. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

It’s also rather enjoyable to drive: throttle response is sharp and there’s plenty of punch off the mark and zippiness around town when you absolutely need it.

The PHEV’s EV-only driving range is a listed 84km but our test vehicle chewed through most of its battery power on a 110km highway trip through hilly territory. Regenerative braking regained very little of that used power and the Outlander switched to wholly rely on petrol for the remaining 30km or so of that trip.

Worth noting is the fact you can adjust the degree of regenerative braking via the paddle shifters on the steering wheel: use the left to add more, and the right to ease up.

It has a single-speed transmission and drive modes in this vehicle include Eco, Normal, Power, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow and Mud, which all tweak engine, electric motor, transmission and other factors to suit the selected mode.

Other than that, ride is quite firm, handling is civilised and, overall, this Outlander is rather pleasant on sealed surfaces.

The Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed Tourer PHEV has a listed fuel consumption of 1.5L/100km on a combined cycle, but I’d reckon you have to be pretty lucky to get anywhere close to that figure.

Having said that, if your daily driving distances are within this PHEV’s official electric driving range (84km) and you’re able to drive in EV Mode most of the time, then at the very least you will have slashed your fuel costs.

The Outlander has a 56L fuel tank. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

Our actual fuel consumption on this test, as measured from pump to pump, was 9.9L/100km. Dash-indicated fuel consumption was 6.1L/100km.

Our dash-indicated power usage was 19.2kWh/100km. This PHEV seemed to chow through most of its onboard battery power quite swiftly on our drive home, without recouping much via regenerative braking on long downhills, even when we tried cycling through the regen modes in an attempt to optimise power regain.

This Outlander has 20.0kWh battery capacity and a 56L fuel tank.

Using a rapid recharge station, the Outlander will reach 80 percent capacity in 38 minutes. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

Mitsubishi reckons that if you’re charging off a standard household power point it will take “approximately” 9.5 hours to fully charge your Outlander – or 6.5 hours if you’re using a home or public charging device.

Things speed up considerably if you use a public rapid recharging station – in that case, Mitsubishi claims that your Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV will reach 80 percent capacity in 38 minutes.

The Outlander range is covered by a 10-year/unlimited kilometre warranty – as long as servicing is completed on time by an authorised Mitsubishi dealership – and 10 years capped price servicing and 12 months roadside assist.

Outlander service intervals are scheduled at 12 months or 15,000km. Service costs can officially range from $299 through to $799.

The battery set-up has an eight-year/160,000km warranty.