A plug-in hybrid like the 2023 (Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV) promises the best of both worlds. An electric powertrain for smooth, energy-efficient driving in everyday use and a gas engine for quick refueling and extended range on long trips—or that’s the sales pitch—drive at least a plug-in hybrid, though, and you’ll soon Turns out the reality is more complicated. Many PHEVs claim an electric driving range of 30 to 40 miles, but the gas engine often runs long before the battery pack dies.
The difference between how a particular plug-in hybrid performs on paper and how it performs in the real world largely comes down to power—some PHEVs only make a whisper of horsepower from their electric motors, for example. For example, the Kia Sorento and (Hyundai Santa Fe) plug-in hybrids weigh about 5,000 pounds and make only 90 horsepower when the gas engine is asleep. Want to merge onto the highway without becoming a jewel, you’ll need to wake up this fossil fuel-burning dinosaur in a Hyundai or Kia.
Mitsubishi understands that nothing kills the thrill of owning and driving a PHEV like its $41,190 Outlander PHEV powering up and running at 5,000 rpm just two miles down your driveway. The electric side of the train leans heavily and the badges on the front doors read from 50 feet away there’s a small superscript plug-in hybrid that’s obvious on closer inspection.
Luckily there’s some truth to the ads here in Outlander that’s the only one PHEV is on sale today with fast charging capability and its 20.0kWh battery pack is the largest among plug-in hybrids. — Between 174 and 201 horsepower, depending on conditions The Outlander PHEV easily merges onto highways and pulls away from stoplights to comfortably keep pace with traffic without firing the engine. Passes fast drivers without using its gas engine If your commute is short enough, you can realistically drive the Outlander as a daily electric car.
Officially, the Outlander PHEV can travel 38 miles on a full charge, though like any EPA electric range, your real-world range is significantly lower depending on driving style and weather conditions. Perhaps interestingly, the Mitsubishi’s larger battery pack doesn’t translate into the best electric range among its competitors, as the Toyota RAV4 Prime’s significantly more efficient battery is rated for 42 miles of range.
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