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The new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Courtesy photo

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The new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Courtesy photo

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The new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Courtesy photo

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The new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Courtesy photo

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Inside the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Courtesy photo

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Inside the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Courtesy photo

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Inside the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Courtesy photo

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After spending a week with the newly redesigned Mitsubishi Outlander, we agreed that the folks there have done this one right. From the moment Deanne got into the new SUV, she was in love with the seats and couldn’t say enough about how comfortable and what a good fit they were.

Craig had the opportunity to take a friend who used to sell Mitsubishis for a ride, and he also commented on how awesome the new seats were in both comfort and design. Clad in a saddle tan, semi-aniline leather with diamond tuck stitching, they also had a very upscale look.

That being said, our favorite part of the new Outlander was the fact it was a PHEV, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. That meant we could plug it in at night and get some all-electric range from the SUV the next day while also having a gas engine in case we ran out of battery power during the drive.

The new Outlander will charge enough to provide up to 38 miles of all-electric power, which we found to be just the right amount to get to work and run a couple of errands every day. On the first day of our test drive, Craig had to head up to Ogden and used about 3/8 of the 14-gallon tank for the drive. Over the next six days, we only used another 1/8 of the tank.

We charged the Outlander at home every night on our level 2 charger. It would take about four hours to fully charge, making us more than ready for the next day. This allowed us to get a very nice 32.4 mpg average on the week. The EPA estimates that the SUV will come in at 26 mpg, so we felt great about our use of the electric power. The Outlander told us we were on electric-only power 75% of the time, so for us, that 38-mile range worked very well.

After our three-week experience of going all-electric a few months ago, when we were constantly planning for our next charge and were confronted with inoperable chargers and long wait lines to charge our vehicle, it was great to get into a vehicle that eliminated that range anxiety. It seems electricity is the future, and this type of setup seems to be a better way to handle it. By going at least half green, if you will, one can still get to a distant location without any stress and in a normal amount of time.

We would definitely vote for more manufacturers to offer a PHEV option for everyday drivers, as the Outlander proved to be the best of both worlds. Combined with the 2.4-liter gas-powered engine, the SUV produced a very nice 248 horsepower and an incredible 332 foot-pounds of torque, which we found to be more than adequate in any situation.

If we needed more instantaneous power for a quick acceleration, the electric motors would kick in and help for a few seconds, even if we had run out of battery power. We found there was an on-board generator that would add charge to the battery while we were driving on gas.

The awesomeness of the Mitsubishi did not end with all the electro wizardry of the propulsion system. The new Outlander is full of surprises that we did not expect to see. After the wonderful seats, the technology in the interior was fantastic, starting with the 9-inch infotainment touch screen that connected wirelessly to our iPhones with Apple CarPlay, seamlessly integrating our everyday lives with the SUV.

Another great addition was the 12.3-inch LED driver display that included speed, tachometer and safety information and could be customized for our individual preferences. We love these types of screens; it just seems more upper class no matter what vehicle we are in.

The seats were heated along with the steering wheel. All were clad in semi-aniline leather along with the dashboard and door inserts, adding to the appeal of the SUV.

Safety technology was included in the Outlander with what Mitsubishi is calling the MI-PILOT driver-assistance system. This included adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, both of which proved to work extremely well, especially on the long drive Craig took up to Ogden. This system also works in conjunction with Navi-link and will adjust speed to curves and other circumstances on the freeways as well as adapt to speed limits along the route.

Also included in the new Outlander are blind spot monitor, pre-collision braking with pedestrian detection and rear cross path detection for safety when backing. There were also parking sensors that would turn on the cameras when we got close to an object while going forward at low speeds. This was especially helpful when pulling into the garage and easing up to the wall so we could charge the SUV.

The new Mitsubishi Outlander proved to be a wonderful everyday driver with all kinds of awesome creature comforts and technology along with great gas mileage and an all-electric power force. It’s definitely worth a look.

Preproduction model: Starting at $39,845

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