2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV First Drive Review: Useful Power and Range — in the Right Setting

45 miles of EV-only range is nice, but this plug-in hybrid still lags behind the competition

written by Kirk Bell
edited by Steven Ewing
8/17/2026
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What's new: The Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid SUV gets some small tweaks to its battery, powertrain and interior.
Why it matters: These changes better allow the Outlander to compete with plug-in hybrid SUVs like the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Toyota RAV4.
Edmunds says: With prices spanning between $45K and $55K, other plug-in hybrid SUVs offer better refinement and technology for the money.

— Woodinville, Washington

Mitsubishi knows how to pick a drive route to best show off a vehicle. At the media drive for the 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV outside of Seattle, Washington, the main drive loop is a 23-mile suburban circuit that never gets above 45 mph. On this route, the Outlander's plug-in hybrid powertrain is never stressed, the four-cylinder engine never comes on — unless I lay into the throttle on a section of road that's free of traffic — and the trip odometer displays fuel economy averages in the hundreds of miles per gallon. This shows the Outlander's best feature: It can drive on electricity the majority of the time, up to an EPA-estimated 45 miles, and rarely need gas.

Same powertrain, more power

The Outlander's plug-in hybrid powertrain is updated for 2026 in several ways. It uses the same 131-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and front and rear electric motors (plus another front motor that acts only as a generator to add charge), but it ups the combined output from 248 to 297 hp and increases the electric range by 7 miles. The reasons for both involve the battery. It increases in size from 20 to 22.7 kWh, but it’s also more efficient and can dole out more power to those motors thanks to a new cell type and better battery cooling.

The larger battery to charge in the same 6.5 hours as last year’s smaller battery on a Level 2 AC home charger. Available DC fast charging charges the battery up to 80% in 29 minutes, but it’s done via an outdated CHAdeMO charge port rather than the far more common CCS or NACS (Tesla-style) outlets.

From behind the wheel, the powertrain is largely silent most of the time, with a slight motor whine. Additional sound-deadening material for the 2026 Outlander has kept more intrusive noise at bay, though rough-surfaced roads create some tire noise. The Outlander defaults to a Normal drive mode that treats the powertrain like a hybrid but aims to drive on electricity as much as possible.

In sedate suburban traffic I try both hybrid operation and EV mode and can’t tell the difference because the engine doesn’t come on. Going uphill saps the instrument cluster’s stated 45 miles of electric range at a rate of about 2 miles for every mile I drive, but then adds some of it back on the downhill portions. The engine only starts when I push the throttle past a detent deep into pedal travel; it would also start at 87 mph, but I’m not going to see that speed today.

Hitting an Innovative Pedal button on the center console provides aggressive brake regeneration for one-pedal driving. Well, almost; I have to hit the brake to stop in the last few feet. B0, B1, B2, B3, B4 and B5 settings chosen via the shifter and steering wheel paddles also provide progressively more regen, though Innovative Pedal has the most and can mix in the friction brakes as well. EV Save and EV Charge powertrain modes can also be used to preserve the current charge level or use the engine as a generator to add juice to the battery.

The Outlander PHEV also has Power, Eco, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow and Mud drive modes. The off-road modes aren’t useful in suburbia, but after a few runs using mostly electricity on Mitsubishi’s 23-mile loop, it’s time to give Power and Tarmac a try.

In either mode, the throttle response becomes twitchy on initial tip-in and adds some immediate acceleration. From there, however, speeds builds more slowly, the single-speed transmission sends the engine into high revs accompanied by an unpleasant drone and the motors whine as they work harder. Overall power is decent but not spectacular; accelerating from 0 to 60 mph likely takes about 6.5 to 7 seconds.

Slight dynamic improvement

The 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV gets some other minor updates. It has revised front and rear bumpers, a new center console layout and a larger 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen.

The most effective changes, however, are to the dampers and steering. Last year’s model had light, twitchy steering that required a lot of little corrections. This time the steering is weightier with more stability on center that makes it more pleasant to drive. The dampers are also a bit stiffer to prevent some of the wallowing and lean this SUV exhibited before.

The Outlander PHEV still isn’t sporty, even though its standard all-wheel-drive system can apportion power front to rear and vector torque on each axle. When pushed through corners, the S-AWC system and stability control do more of the work to keep the vehicle on its intended path that any deft suspension tuning.

The 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is offered in ES, SE, SEL and new Black Edition trim levels, the latter, not surprisingly, with blacked out trim. Prices start at $45,285 for the ES, including a $1,795 destination fee, and range up to $55,735 for the Black Edition. All models come standard with a tiny third-row seat that’s only suited for occasional use by kids or as additional storage space. Higher trims get diamond-pattern leather upholstery that adds an upscale feel, but it is somewhat offset by a few too many hard plastics.

No matter what Outlander PHEV model buyers choose they get a plug-in hybrid that can really save money at the pump in the right circumstance, but it can also punish those who want to use its available power with annoying drone and whine. Choose your route and driving style wisely.

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by Kirk Bell

Cars have been an important part of his life since Kirk learned to identify them by their headlights as a toddler. He grew up helping pit crew for his dad’s highly unsuccessful drag racing escapades, and he turned his knowledge of the car culture into a career when he became an editor at Scale Auto Enthusiast magazine starting in college. Kirk has been writing about full-scale cars for more than 20 years and was named to the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury in 2014. He was most recently senior editor at Motor Authority, where he specialized in luxury and performance cars. Kirk also authored and edited several car books, including the award-winning Hot Rod & Custom Chronicle and NASCAR Chronicle when was managing editor at Consumer Guide Automotive. Kirk enjoys nothing more than a track day, but he’s also a Wisconsin sport fan and he enjoys spirited drives in his 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S.

edited by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing is Edmunds' director of editorial content. An automotive journalist for more than half of his life, Ewing's been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and he was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. He's also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (oops), he's always got an interesting story to tell.

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