2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Series Plug-In Hybrid

Mitsubishi’s Outlander crossover SUV looks like an ordinary family vehicle. It even offers the flexibility of a temporary-use-only third row of seats that expand its capacity to seven passengers for carpool or airport drop-off duty.

It features a front electric motor that produces 114 horsepower and 188 lb.-ft torque with a rear motor that contributes 134 hp and 144 lb.-ft. These are powered by a 96-cell, 350-volt, 20-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that provides as much as 38 miles of electric-only driving range.

The combustion engine is a Miller-cycle 2.4-liter four-cylinder developing 132 hp and 144 lb.-ft. The Outlander’s unique technical feature is that this plug-in hybrid electric is a series hybrid, not a parallel hybrid. The gas engine works to charge the battery pack rather than driving the wheels in tandem with the electric motor.

That is, until the full maximum power of their combined 234 hp and 332 lb.-ft. is called for. In that case, the combustion engine connects through a single-speed transmission directly to the front wheels.

Because the engine runs at all other times as a generator, its revs are disconnected from wheel speed. This produces the impression of driving a CVT-equipped car, with the sometimes engine revving at a constant high speed while the vehicle accelerates.

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But this isn’t because the Outlander has a CVT that changes the drive ratios to keep the engine in its powerband. It is because the engine is revving to deliver maximum power to the electric motors.

This effect is usually annoying in CVT-equipped cars. But in the Outlander, the series-hybrid drivetrain lets engineers isolate the combustion engine very effectively. Additionally, they reinforced the transaxle’s vibration-damping capacity by applying a peak-torque limiter to the combustion engine that dampens vibration-inducing torque variations. The result is an engine whose sound is distant and muffled.
And that’s when it is running. Around town, you can drive the Outlander as an EV, keeping everything even quieter. Like most plug-in hybrids, the Outlander has DC fast charging that the company says can bring the battery to an 80 percent state of charge in just 38 minutes.

The Outlander's rear wheels are powered only by electric power, while the gas engine can help another electric motor turn the front wheels when needed. MITSUBISHI MOTORS

Slashing through Oregon’s Cascades Range, the Outlander’s EV-centric personality rewards the driver with a “B” (for Battery) one-pedal driving mode that makes it easy for the enthusiastic driver to transfer weight on corner turn-in with the slightest lift of the accelerator pedal rather than making the clumsier transition to a brush of the brake pedal. This high-regen mode is the sort that slows the car noticeably, but that does not bring it to a complete stop. This preserves the familiar tendency for automatic transmission cars to creep forward when the brake is released, making tight parking easier.

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The Outlander offers multiple driving modes that change how the powertrain behaves along with retuning the steering and suspension. This is important because in my view the Normal driving mode is deficient.

The Outlander packs a snug occasional-use third row of seats into its rear cargo area. DAN CARNEY

The on-center feel and response of the steering is poor, forcing the driver to consciously make small adjustments even when driving straight because of apparent friction in the system. Kia products suffered from this same effect about ten years ago and they’ve banished it since.

Switching to the rally-inspired Tarmac mode largely solves this concern and the car retains the selected setting after switching it off, so there is no nuisance of having to re-select Tarmac every drive.

Other available modes include Eco, Gravel, Power, Snow, and Mud. I chose mode for a beach photo op and it worked well to drive the Outlander out of trouble when I was surprised to learn just how high on the beach high tide could reach.

The suspension damping is soft and on highways this contributes to a comfortable ride. But during spirited mountain road driving, or even when encountering unexpected pavement flaws on highways, it is prone to bottoming and pogoing in rebound after hitting a dip or bump.

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There is a head-up display, Bose audio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto to keep things contemporary in the cabin. The test car was a 2024 model, and for 2025, the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid offers standard front heated seats on all trims, and a heated steering wheel and panoramic sunroof as standard on SEL trims. 

Will series plug-in hybrid technology let the Outlander leave rivals in its rear-view mirrors? DAN CARNEY

The EPA estimates the Outlander Plug-In Hybrid’s combined city and highway fuel efficiency at 26 mpg. This isn’t impressive for a hybrid, but as a plug-in the solution is to keep the Outlander charged so you don’t use gas at all in around-town driving. My test car was averaging 133 mpg thanks to regular charging.

As an EV, I got 2.7 kilowatts per mile, which is OK. The Outlander’s computer reported that the car’s best was 3.1 kW/mile on another drive and that number is very good. I will note that I was not seeking to maximize fuel efficiency during my drive, so it is no surprise someone else got a better result.

The top-of-the-line Outlander PHEV SEL Black Edition with the gorgeous Red Diamond paint ($595) totals $51,610 including destination. The basic Outlander PHEV ES costs about $8,000 less, so you can choose based on your appetite for amenities. In a time when plug-in hybrids are increasingly viewed as the pragmatic stepping stone technology bridge to battery EVs, this provides a technically interesting alternative to the ordinary parallel hybrids from other carmakers.