Surprisingly, after many dormant years, the Mitsubishi Outlander, of all vehicles, is making a huge impression in the automotive marketplace. Fresh off a radical redesign, the Outlander is punching above its weight class and coming home with some awards as one of the best new SUVs you can buy. With so much early success, here is everything you need to know about what makes the new Outlander PHEV.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV impressed JD Power

According to J.D. Power, the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is incredibly impressive. While the exterior design of this Outlander may be a little polarizing, the internal makeup of this SUV more than makes up for it.

Underneath the hood is a plug-in hybrid drivetrain with a 38-mile, all-electric driving range. For many Americans, this means the Outlander will very rarely need a fuel stop outside of their daily commute. J.D. Power continued by complementing the new Outlander’s interior, which offers some classy soft-touch elements that help make this SUV a luxurious driver.

They also complimented the Outlander’s performance, especially with the PHEV model, which shaves nearly two seconds off the 0 to 60 time of the standard gas-powered model. The Outlander also comes with a wide array of safety features making it one of the safest new vehicles you can buy today.

With a hybrid drivetrain that gets around 64 mpgE, and 26 mpg combined when the electric battery is depleted, the Outlander is certainly a competitive hybrid.

How Mitsubishi’s PHEV compares to a similar Toyota model

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime and the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV are both plug-in hybrid SUVs that compete in the same market. The RAV4 Prime is more powerful, with 302 horsepower compared to the Outlander PHEV’s 248 horsepower. The RAV4 Prime also has a longer electric-only range, at 42 miles compared to the Outlander PHEV’s 38 miles.

In terms of overall fuel economy, the RAV4 Prime gets an EPA-estimated combined fuel economy of 94 MPGe, while the Outlander PHEV gets an EPA-estimated combined fuel economy of 74 MPGe. The RAV4 Prime also has a more spacious interior than the Outlander PHEV, with more legroom and cargo space.

Both the RAV4 Prime and the Outlander PHEV come standard with a variety of advanced safety technologies, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The RAV4 Prime also offers a standard blind spot monitor, while the Outlander PHEV does not.

Despite the RAV4 Prime’s advantages in terms of power, fuel economy, and interior space, it is impressive that Mitsubishi produced a car that compares so well to Toyota’s. The Outlander PHEV is more affordable and still offers a good amount of power and fuel economy.

Mitsubishi has done a good job of making a competitive plug-in hybrid SUV, and it is a good option for those looking for a more affordable alternative to the RAV4 Prime.

The Outlander PHEV shows what Mitsubishi is capable of

The new Outlander PHEV shows what Mitsubishi is capable of when given the proper development resources and research. With SUV popularity at an all-time high, it is safe to say that Mitsubishi put all of its chips on the Outlander to succeed.

With the current success of this SUV, hopefully, Mitsubishi will employ this amount of attention and research into their other vehicles as well. The Outlander PHEV is a surprise in a large market full of tone-deaf vehicles.

With most SUVs on the market today lacking much, if any, personality, with designs that go for “inoffensive” over “inspiring,” it is refreshing to see Mitsubishi leap into the unknown with something exciting. The Outlander PHEV gives consumers a luxurious and refined ride with a great amount of standard safety and entertainment technology, excellent fuel economy with almost an early EV-like range, and a design that stands apart from the crowd.

If you are looking for a new SUV and you have a Mitsubishi dealer in your area, the Outlander is one of the most surprisingly great vehicles on the market today.