Long-term test wrap-up: 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Black Edition

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My time with the Outlander PHEV has come to an end, and while it will be replaced by some other shiny new vehicle — such is the lot of an automotive writer — I will miss it for a number of reasons.

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First and foremost, it didn’t cost me much to operate, as most of the daily driving was done on pure electric power. Second, it’s low rear cargo area was the perfect height for my dog to jump in and out of during a two-a-day mountain hikes. And third, it is a very comfortable ride that is easy to drive.

The long-term test stretched from the dog days of summer to the first snow on the local mountains, so all kinds of road conditions came into play. I was glad to get the Outlander onto some snow as one of the new features is a snow driving mode. The previous generation was equipped with Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel drive system; however, this new generation receives some computer-assisted aids that provide enhanced traction on snow and slippery surfaces. According to Mitsubishi, this integrated control system incorporates the active yaw control (AYC), the anti-lock braking system (ABS), the active stability control (ASC) and traction control (TCL) to provide grip without compromising safety, comfort or fuel efficiency. A further off-road bona fide is the Twin-Motor 4WD LOCK button to simulate locking of a centre differential and optimally distribute torque to all four wheels to maximize traction.

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I went in search of snow and found some in the giant — and empty — parking area of Cypress Mountain Resort in West Vancouver. This proved the perfect place to test out the snow mode as I had plenty of room to accelerate hard, brake and steer hard into a corner. The Outlander PHEV performed as advertised, with exceptional traction from the M+S rated tires.

I then found a snow-covered, and untracked, service road to test out the Lock function and likewise, the Outlander stayed sure-footed, stable and only plowed into corners when on fairly steep downgrades. One knock against this vehicle — and all Outlanders for that matter – is that it is underpowered if you are looking at hauling. The numbers — 126 horsepower and 147 lbs.-ft of torque — back that up. And its tow rating of 1500 kilograms (3,300 lbs.) limits the utility of the vehicle if you are looking to pull a big boat or fifth wheel.

One new ‘button’ feature that I used almost the first time I drove the Outlander PHEV back in the summer was the Sport mode, which when deployed allows the driver to shift gears by moving the selector lever backwards and forwards. Those aforementioned power output numbers certainly don’t scream performance, but with this added feature of manually controlling shifts you do get a sense of sportier driving. One PHEV-related feature I didn’t try out is plugging an appliance into one of the two on-board, 1,500-watt max power outlets.

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I’ve received quite an amount of feedback from the first two instalments of this long-term test, indicating big interest in this vehicle specifically and the plug-in hybrid segment in general. Interest in the Outlander PHEV isn’t surprising as it is the top-selling plug-in in the country, and most of the questions surround the all-new 2023 Outlander PHEV which will come to Canada later next year. Namely, should I wait to buy it or buy a 2022 model now?

As I noted in my First Look of the 2023 Outlander PHEV here , it will have more all-electric range — possibly upwards of 60 kilometres compared to the current 40 — more power thanks to a bigger battery and tweaked 2.4-litre gas engine, and gets a very nice cabin upgrade. However, it does have the new Outlander exterior design, one with a front end and headlight display that, well, hasn’t grown on me yet and probably never will. In my opinion, the 2022 model is a better-looking SUV than the coming-soon one.

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Then there were the questions, mostly comments, about the plug-in hybrid sector. And the vast majority of these were not complimentary.

Reader David Russell Brake of Newfoundland cuts to the chase with his comments: “Why get a hybrid to tow around a gas engine that will be completely unnecessary 99 per cent of the time? It’s a complete waste of money, uses up space in the vehicle and of course still requires expensive maintenance. Why are they still being sold and marketed? Because of range anxiety that is almost certainly unwarranted for most users of the car. And part of the problem I am afraid is that the very existence of hybrids continues to perpetuate the idea that ‘full’ EVs are not practical.”

I understand those sentiments entirely, what with garden-variety EVs now pushing 400 kilometres in full charge range. However, I do see plug-in hybrid as a bit of a best-of-two-worlds scenario, where you’ve got an EV for city driving and a gas engine for longer trips, especially with an increasingly overburdened public charging infrastructure. With the number of PHEVs being promised, some already delivered, by global automakers I believe the segment will be around for at least a decade or more.

And as the sales figures demonstrate, the Outlander PHEV is one of the best of the current crop. That’s certainly my take-away from the long-term test.