Mitsubishi Outlander Aspire PHEV

It's been many years since I drove the first hybrid car, the Toyota Prius and I was impressed with the way the technology worked so well. Since then I have driven all manner of hybrids and electric cars including Honda's Civic, Toyota Camry, various Lexus hybrids, the Holden/GM Volt, Mitsubishi's MIEV and the Tesla Roadster.
The latest on my to do list, is the Outlander PHEV from Mitsubishi.
The PHEV has two electric motors, one each on the front and rear axles. Like the Prius  and others of its ilk, there are numerous dashboard displays indicating what's driving the car at any given time and how much charge is left in the large underfloor battery pack.

 

 

 

 

With the battery fully charged, you can travel about 50 kilometres on just the electric motors.
So if your daily commute is less than that, the petrol engine remains unused. The petrol motor develops just 87 kw and 186 nm, but when used in tandem with the electric motors you get an extra120 kw and 332 nm. Fuel consumption with mixed electric/ petrol power is a remarkably efficient 1.9 litres per hundred kilometres. The PHEV has a small 45 litre petrol tank, but with the option of all electric drive for those periods of less than 50 kilometres, that's probably a good enough size. 

Performance on just electric drive is brisk, with full torque available off idle. If you do need more power, flooring the throttle brings in the two litre petrol motor until you back off again. You can select "Charge" or battery "Save" mode with two console buttons. If you want to do a bit of gentle off roading, another button locks the central differential.

Descending hills is an opportunity for regenerative braking/battery charging.You can choose the degree of engine braking with steering wheel paddles or the console shifter.
Select "Charge" and the petrol engine starts up at a fast idle, and will fully charge the battery in less than an hour's continuous driving.
Driving until the battery is at its lowest ,should see the petrol engine kick in automatically to revive it, but that didn't seem to happen too often, so I chose the manual recharge option which worked well.
However the PHEV battery can only be charged externally overnight with a 15 amp system. You can't just plug it in to your 240 volt home wall socket, ( as you can with the Volt.) You'll need a 10 amp transformer. A little inconvenient to say the least, as I suspect very few homes have a 15 amp power supply.
To cope with the extra weight of the 200 kilogram battery pack, Mitsubishi has stiffened up the Outlander's suspension to the point where it's harsh and uncompromising, unlike the standard Outlander which has a very compliant and comfortable ride.
In the PHEV you will feel every minor crack and bump in the road, which is unfortunate and spoils what should be a unique experience. It seems like the only thing absorbing bumps is the air in the tyres.
A good suspension test is this. Pushing down firmly on the front fender and releasing it, usually produces at least one or two small bounces. But on the PHEV there is no bounce. None at all.  
Comfortable seats help here, but struggle to compensate.

The Outlander PHEV is as well equipped in the cabin as the standard Outlander.. the car on test here, trimmed to the Aspire grade. Standard fare includes heated leather seats, collision warnings, active cruise control, sunroof, rear view camera and a power tailgate.
Should you choose to buy an Outlander PHEV, you won't stand out in the crowd.. styling is exactly the same as other Outlander models.
As a result, few people will know of your sensible, tech savvy ride..unless they scrutinise the badges.

Overall, a good effort Mitsubishi...give us a bit more softness in the suspension and you'll be onto a real winner.
Prices start at just over 47K for the base PHEV and 52K for the Aspire version.
Peter Sellen.