2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid delayed in Australia, first details emerge

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) will arrive in Australia a few months later than originally planned – though for buyers not keen to wait, there's plenty of stock on the ground of entry-level petrol variants.

Initially due in showrooms in early 2022 – and later expanded to the first half of 2022 – Mitsubishi Australia has advised first Outlander PHEV arrivals will commence in the middle of this year, due to "supply chain constraints".

Local specifications are yet to be confirmed, however government documents indicate three model grades will be available – entry-level ES, mid-spec Aspire and flagship Exceed – with standard equipment levels likely to match their petrol-powered counterparts.

Pricing for Australia is yet to be confirmed, however in New Zealand the PHEV costs approximately 35 per cent more than an equivalent petrol model – suggesting just under $50,000 plus on-road costs for the ES locally, rising to about $60,000 for the Aspire, and above $65,000 for the Exceed variant.

Those figures would represent mild price rises over the outgoing Outlander, which was priced from $47,990 (ES) to $56,490 (Exceed) before on-road costs – but with fewer features, less electric range and performance, and a smaller body.

The government document suggests the entry and mid-spec grades (ES and Aspire) will have five seats, while the flagship Exceed appears to gain seven seats as standard – a first for the Outlander plug-in hybrid.

Powering all Outlander PHEV models is a 98kW/195Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, joined by a 85kW/255Nm electric motor on the front axle, a 100kW/195Nm motor at the rear, and a 20kWh battery under the skin.

Mitsubishi doesn't quote combined power and torque outputs for its plug-in hybrids – and the differing power curves of the petrol and electric motors means they can't simply be added together (for 283kW/645Nm). 'Super All-Wheel Control' (S-AWC) all-wheel drive is standard.

The company claims 84 kilometres of all-electric driving range, according to Australia's notoriously-lenient ADR81/02 test protocols – compared to 54km claimed for the outgoing model – with a combined fuel consumption claim as low as 1.6 litres per 100 kilometres.

Three PHEV-specific drive modes are available: Parallel Hybrid (which runs the petrol and electric components together to drive the wheels), Series Hybrid (powering the wheels with electricity only, and using the petrol engine as a generator), and the full EV Mode (electric only).

Flagship variants are fitted with two 1500-watt, 240-volt power outlets, offering 'vehicle-to-load' technology enabling owners to power electrical appliances from the car's onboard lithium-ion battery.

Other standard features on top-spec Exceed PHEV models should include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 9.0-inch touchscreen, tri-zone climate control, leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, 20-inch wheels, and a head-up display.

The petrol-powered Exceed Tourer flagship adds higher-grade leather seats, two-tone exterior paint and massaging seats – though if the PHEV range does top out at the Exceed, it's unclear if these features will make the jump from petrol to hybrid variants.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (plug-in hybrid) is due to go on sale in Australia in the middle of this year. Local pricing and specifications will be announced closer to launch.

For buyers not keen on the plug-in hybrid, the petrol-only Outlander is on sale now – though higher grades are less readily available than more affordable ones.

"In regards to stock, dealers have available stock of ES and LS grades, with immediate delivery available. For Aspire and Exceed new order wait times currently remain May delivery," a Mitsubishi Australia spokesperson told Drive.

The delays on high-end models follows changes introduced for Model Year 2022.5, which will see features stripped from ES, LS and Aspire grades to keep production rolling. Click here for more details.