Efficient, Unusual, And Inexpensive— As EVs Go, Anyway

We’re not gonna lie—we’ve been wanting to drive the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV for a long, long time.

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Our interest in the plug-in hybrid SUV is based not in desire, but in curiosity, because it’s one of the world’s best-selling plug-in vehicles ever, and we want to know why. Think of this installment of Daily Driven as a science experiment as much as a road test.

Dressed in Quartz Brown and kitted with 285 dollars’ worth of the most 80s-chic rocker-panel decals available today, the Outlander PHEV made a hilarious first impression: “Do you think it’s a plug-in hybrid?” asked one staffer incredulously. And the slightly tacky exterior styling elements followed trend on the interior, with a sea of plasticky “piano black” trim and rickety front seats that felt halfway unbolted. But fully charged and ready to commute home in EV mode, the Outlander PHEV began to win us over.

Silently whirring away from the office, thanks to a single-speed reduction gear transmission, the powertrain’s EV mode offered excellent response and reasonable performance from its front- and rear-mounted 60kW electric motors (all-wheel drive is standard). Like some other PHEVs, the Outlander’s 2.0L gasoline engine normally fires up to serve as a generator, only rarely adding propulsive force to the front wheels. And in EV mode, the engine will remain undisturbed unless estimated battery range falls to 5 miles or the driver kicks down on the throttle pedal with especial gusto.