Used 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Consumer Reviews
Used Outlander PHEV for sale
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Outlander Replaces Highlander
Jonathan Paul Quick, 09/23/2018
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid DD)
26 of 27 people found this review helpful
UPDATE: We installed an L2 home charger for the Outlander at a cost of around $700. Home recharge times are now typically in the 2 - 3 hour range after a full day of driving. On my 64 mile round trip work commute, I am averaging 51 MPG. This vehicle is posting phenomenal MPG results far above the EPA average. Fuel efficiency is truly astonishing given the fact that the Outlander is a mid-size 4WD SUV with 63 cubic feet of space in the trunk. We love this vehicle platform so much that I decided to trade-in a late model Hybrid sedan for a 2nd Mitsubishi Outlander SEL PHEV this weekend. ORIGINAL REVIEW: I've spent about a month driving the 2018 Outlander PHEV around 3000 miles around town and short road trips. This vehicle was purchased as a replacement for a 2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited. Fuel efficiency has been well above the EPA combined rating. Our worst trip mpg to date was in the mid-thirties. Recharge times with the included 110v wall charger are usually around 5 hours. CHADEMO charging is available in < 20 minutes, but high local rates at area charging stations make this implausible as part of a daily commute. As a daily driver, the vehicle offers all of the creature comforts available from pricier rivals coupled with rock solid build quality. Front and rear passengers are coddled in the quiet cabin, which is free from squeaks, rattles, and jostling over rough roads. Vehicle infotainment controls are logical and easy to operate while driving. The audio system with integrated subwoofer and HDRadio support should satisfy most audiophiles. Modern safety features such as blindside monitoring and collision avoidance perform flawlessly. Outward visibility is excellent and the rear backup camera makes parking a breeze. The powertrain provides adequate acceleration with only a muted groan on heavy acceleration. 4WD is available if needed. Braking distance is at par for the class. Handling feels more truck-like than most crossovers. The climate control system outperforms pricier rivals. Cargo capacity and passenger space easily outclasses comparably price rival SUVs. Although many vehicles are now sold with embedded modems that enable remote features, the Outlander is limited to WiFi connectivity with cellphones. Many features such as remote start/stop, lock / unlock, and climate controls are controllable via cellphone, but inaccessible unless owners are with 10 - 20 feet of the vehicle. At roughly $26k after the federal tax credit, the Outlander offers a tremendous value for the price when compared with rivals from Toyota, Honda, and domestic manufacturers. I would strongly recommend that prospective SUV buyers take a test drive to see why the Outlander PHEV has been the #1 PHEV SUV in Europe for the last 5 years.
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Make the leap to PHEV its worth it
Happy Mitsu Owner, 01/17/2019
updated 07/23/2021
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid DD)
23 of 24 people found this review helpful
30-mo review: 30K miles, MPG 58, PHEV is more flexible than an EV with great tax credits. This is my 5th Mitsubishi, 1st new Mitsubishi, and 3rd Outlander. Yes, I am a loyal Mitsubishi customer but I have owned other cars inclusive Toyota, Honda, Subaru, VW, and Mercury. I also looked at other cars during this purchasing process but came to the same conclusion. that Mitsubishi's to have the best value compared to other cars. When buying a car I calculate the Total Cost of Ownership (purchase price, the expense to run, and depreciation) for different vehicles and time after time Mitsubishi wins. It helps that I do not care to keep up with status or trends and view a car's main purpose is to transport me safely, efficiently, and without issues. That allows me to look past the industry reports score Mitsubishi's very low. I focus on customer reviews, what I want in a vehicle, reliability, and the financial reality of operating the vehicle. This makes the decision process much easier since you are buying a car based on your needs and real-world usage. I find both Edmunds and Fueleconomy.gov give you access to the best customer reviews/real-world usage information. If you read the professional reviews you would be lead to believe the Outlander PHEV has limited range, gets poor gas mileage when the battery runs out, is slow, and loud. I have found the opposite on all accounts when compared with both my gas Outlander and other Hybrids or PHEV that are rated higher. My review below points out real-life usage over a year that debunks the negative comments by the professionals. Over the last year, I am getting 59 MPG for all of my drives which is double the MPG I had on my old gas Outlander. I work from home so my driving habits are the ideal match for a PHEV. Most of my drives are short local trips of approx 30/50 miles and I charge my car after almost every local trip. I am getting 60 to 100 MPG for local driving, a tank of gas takes me over two weeks to use, and I getting 700 to 1,000 miles on a tank of gas. I have done many long trips and I am getting 32 to 40 MPG and 250 to 350 miles in range. The main variable is weather since the battery operates more efficiently in temperate climates. Additionally, you are not using the heat or AC so the is less of a draw on the battery. Having a PHEV on long trips takes away any range anxiety and is more efficient than most vehicles on the road. I have found long trips provided few opportunities to charge due to availability, time, cost, and ease. When you have a PHEV that is not an issue since you just need to charge when it is convenient. I tend to go to rural destinations however even in urban locations options tend to be out of the way, full, or cost more than gas. On my longer trips, I use its default hybrid mode which gives you great MPG (36-42) and range (350-400 mi). Costs to charge at public charging stations can cost more than gas. I am getting better MPG than my regular gas Outlander and even my other cars. Before my PHEV I considered it a success if I got 30 MPG on long trips but now I am getting between 36 and 42 MPG average which is a big improvement and as good as regular gas midsize cars. Home charging has been easy and affordable. A full charge costs around 80 cents and I am getting 20 to 30 miles on the charge. You get better results when its warmer so in the late spring, early summer, and early fall I have gotten as high as 40 miles per charge but constantly getting 30 miles driving on local suburbans/country roads when not using heat or AC. When you compare the cost of home charging to fuel cost you save over $2 per trip. I ran the numbers and I am saving over $500 per year on fueling my car with electricity and gas. This number takes into account both my home electric and fuel costs. Add this to the tax credit the value of the car becomes obvious. Outside of the math is it is just a good car to drive. Not too big/small, comfortable, quiet, and it can get you anywhere you need to go (distance, weather, on/off-road). You are not going to win a race in this car but if you need speed you can either hit the pedal and the power is there and if you need more take it out of ECO mode. It has all the higher-end features you need but it's not over the top. Most importantly its a car first with a lot of usable technology that makes it efficient and enjoyable to drive. My neighbor just purchased a Tesla Model 3 and it is a computer first that operates a car. I prefer what Outlander offers which is a great quality car that will save you money and is pleasurable to drive. If you are in the market for a PHEV SUV or even Car you need to check out the Outlander. Given that is one of the few PHEV SUV on the market and the only in its price range it will likely make it to your list if you do any research. I hope you decide to make the leap to an Outlander PHEV since based on my findings it is in a class all by itself.
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2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV for sale near you
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- GT Plug-In Hybrid 4dr SUVMSRP: $17,290353 mi away
- GT Plug-In Hybrid 4dr SUVMSRP: $20,990248 mi away
- GT Plug-In Hybrid 4dr SUVMSRP: $20,990423 mi away
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Great plug-in with good range AND cargo space
ChanZen, 04/17/2019
updated 04/20/2020
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV GT 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid DD)
21 of 22 people found this review helpful
Still loving this car. I researched every single plug-in hybrid on the market in 2019 and this was the only one with a decent amount of battery range AND cargo space. The Chevy Volt and Honda Clarity had the best ranges, sure, but their trunk space was limited, no good for trips to the gardening store, road trips, windsurfing gear, etc. And the plug-in hybrid SUVs with more cargo space -- the Volvos and BMWs -- were way more expensive and, to top it all off, rewarded you with LESS battery range. So, while not perfect, the Outlander PHEV was a perfect replacement for our Prius V, which got good gas mileage and swallowed cargo with its big trunk but was a dud to drive and fouled up the garage with its gas exhaust smell whenever the engine fired up, something you grow to hate after driving an EV (our other car is a Model Y). While not overly exciting, I do like the Outlander's understated crossover styling, which aspires towards sporty. It's not too big and not too small, with plenty of room for the kids or other passengers in back. The interior on the GT trim I have is nice, though it is a bit dated as others have said. The tech features are decent -- Android Auto is great to have -- and I appreciate all the safety features, as well as the parking cameras, both front and back. I love the adaptive cruise control on longer drives. I had a home charger already for our first EV, a 2016 Leaf, so I also love topping off the Outlander whenever it's needed to save on trips to the gas station. Of course, there are some things with the Outlander I'd change: 1) Get driving settings to hold. Right now they reset every time you start up the car, whether it's the regen level or the Auto Hold feature. This gets annoying, until you just give up using the less important features. 2) Bump up the regen for true one-pedal driving. The highest regen level -- B5, which goes all the way down to B0, which let's the car freewheel -- is just shy of bringing the car to a complete stop. I wish it did like the Model Y, Bolt EV or the new Leaf. But overall, I'm really happy with this car so far, and it's fit our needs perfectly.
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Great machine!
Mike S, 04/30/2018
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid DD)
27 of 29 people found this review helpful
Overall, we are very happy with this vehicle. It's a great value, particularly when you add up all the federal, state, and local rebates that go with it. Compared to other crossover SUVs with hybrid or electric technology, this was priced very well. Corners that were cut to lower the cost seem minor to us (ie quality of some of the interior elements) but I do wish the front seats were more comfortable for longer drives. Lower back can get a little sore after a couple hours - we plan to use a lumbar support pillow for our next road trip. Battery range for EV only driving is good at ~20 miles - while part of me wishes that was a bit longer, that would mean more battery which means less cargo room and a heavier vehicle, so it seems like a good balance. Cargo space is very good. Safety features on SEL model are appreciated. Vehicle accelerates smoothly and switches between EV and gas mode smoothly and quietly. Car looks good too (though I would lose the huge PHEV stickers on the sides). I'm surprised it took so long to get to the US after excellent reviews and sales in Europe, but I'm glad it's here now!
EV for life
Mark B, 06/21/2019
updated 12/27/2021
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid DD)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
What this car is- an incredible fuel efficient SUV. What it is not- A full electric vehicle. This is a vehicle that you need to do your research before buying to know what you are getting. If you have a daily round trip work commute of less than 30 miles, this vehicle is mind blowing. Monday through Friday, I hardly use a gallon of gasoline. I can go 2-3 weeks on $20 of gas before a refuel. The other day I was averaging about 190 mpg at one point. The times that you get beyond the EV charge, you have decent fuel economy for a 3000+ lb vehicle. I had a Jeep Wrangler before this, about the same weight, and it's a night and day comparison. The gas engine is quiet and had sufficient power. You'll hardly notice when it does come on. The best thing about this car is all the flexibility that you have when driving. You can charge the battery with a push of a button. My strategy on longer trips is EV to the interstate, then charge mode on highway miles. This is one of the quietest vehicles I've ever been in. When I drive our minivan, I think that something is wrong with it because I can feel the engine through the gas pedal and it's much louder on the highway. The handling of the PHEV is very good, more like a large car. The interior is very comfortable with plenty of room. We did a 6 hour ski trip this winter with 4 people in the car, skis on top and cargo area fully loaded. No complaints. I highly recommend getting a class 2 charger. You can fully charge the battery in about 2 hours when it's fully depleted. The charger that comes with it is very slow, about 12 hours. You'll need a 240v line for the class 2. Not a big deal. I have a 6 kw solar array on my home so I'm getting free charging from the sun a lot of the time. My only complaint about the car is the limited EV range. If it got 30-50 miles on a full charge, that would be way better. People worry about EV's range but after you have one, you realize that most of your daily driving is short trips. I highly recommend this vehicle if you have realistic expectations of what it can and can't do. If you want a full EV SUV, buy a RIvian next year. it will cost you about $40K more that the PHEV.
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