A new Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) will reach dealerships late in 2022 as a 2023 model. Mitsubishi released teaser photos of the new model yesterday, but not a lot more.
Three Outlanders
Confusingly, Mitsubishi sells three different vehicles under the Outlander name. It updates them all on different schedules.
There’s the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander, a compact SUV with three rows of seating. It was redesigned for the new model year. The latest Outlander is known for a comfortable ride but competes in a crowded field full of well-made vehicles. It comes with a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Our test drivers were impressed with the quality of its cabin materials, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and one of the largest central touchscreens available in a non-luxury car.
The 2022 Outlander starts at $25,795. All Mitsubishi vehicles also carry a $1,195 destination fee.
Then there is the 2022 Outlander PHEV, which is a carryover of the 2021 model. Riding on the last-generation chassis, it can go up to 24 miles on electric power alone before turning on its gasoline engine. The Outlander PHEV seats just five on two rows and lacks the upscale cabin materials of the new Outlander. Our reviewers found it “a little dated in design and quality,” though it “compensates with a lot of standard equipment.”
The 2022 Outlander PHEV starts at $36,695.
There is also a smaller Outlander Sport, which fits into a gray area between compact and subcompact SUVs. It does not share its chassis with either other Outlander. It starts at $20,995.
Plug-in Hybrid Getting an Update
It’s the Outlander PHEV that is scheduled for replacement, moving to the next-generation platform next year. Mitsubishi tells us the 2023 Outlander PHEV will have “improved motor output and increased battery capacity over the current model.” That will give it “more powerful road performance and greater driving range.” But Mitsubishi didn’t offer numbers for range, power, or pricing.
It did say the new model will offer three rows of seating.
An accompanying photo showed the PHEV’s charging port and little else. It shares the 2022 Outlander’s tail lights, so we anticipate that it will look largely the same. But we’ll have to wait for Mitsubishi to release more information to be sure.
