It might surprise you to know that all generations of the Mitsubishi Outlander have been offered of the Philippines. It first landed here in 2004, but it was also sold in Japan as early as 2001 and called the Airtrek over there. A second generation arrived in the Philippines in 2007 that had the novelty of being available with a 3.0-liter V6 engine.
Unfortunately, the second-gen Outlander wasn’t exactly a smashing sales success here. Just two years after its launch, it was pulled out of the market. A shame, really, since it drove well, had a clever split tailgate, and it just looked pretty cool. It would take about a decade before the Outlander would make a Philippine comeback.
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The third-gen model eventually arrived in the Philippines in 2020, eight years after it was introduced in other parts of the globe. Unlike the first two generations, it arrived as a plug-in hybrid model only, and we came away impressed with its EV mode. That said, the market didn’t exactly flock to the nearest Mitsubishi dealership to buy one. After all, it’s nearly three million pesos, and most folks drove home in a Montero Sport.
Say hello to the all-new Mitsubishi Outlander, Philippines
Truth be told, we weren’t expecting the fourth-generation to make an appearance in the country. The Outlander isn’t exactly a volume model to begin with. But when sightings of it online surfaced, it was a pleasant surprise.
Fast forward to Mitsubishi’s 60th anniversary expo, and we spotted the all-new Outlander PHEV wearing test drive livery and thought, “hmmm, we should give that a shot later”. The folks from Mitsubishi we gracious enough to let us have a go in it, and we honestly didn’t mind if it was a drive around several blocks.
We do have to clear up one thing, though. The Outlander PHEV units brought in the country are for evaluation. It will still depend on market reception (and hybrid/EV government support) for Mitsubishi Motors Philippines to actually offer it here. In fact, the cars that were present during the expo appeared to be North American specification models, judging by the amber corner reflectors at the front.
Getting up close and personal
Seeing it in person, it’s a much larger vehicle than the outgoing model. The broad-shouldered styling isn’t just a trick of the eyes, either. The spec sheet says it truly is longer and wider than before. Also, the styling is finally in line with the rest of the Mitsubishi family.
But the biggest upgrade, visually at least, would be the interior. The old cabin felt exactly that: a cabin. Yes, it had soft touch materials and whatnot, but the design didn’t exactly make you feel like you paid nearly three million pesos for it. The all-new model banishes all that by giving it an interior with richer-feeling materials and one that’s actually, well, designed. There’s a two-tier dashboard that won’t look out of place in an executive sedan, and that two-tone leather makes the interior look more upmarket. You’re also cocooned in loads of soft touch materials. Oh, and it has three-row seating in case you’re curious.
A quick spin
That’s cool and all but how does it feel when it’s on the road? A quick drive around the block revealed a soft and supple ride. However, that doesn’t mean it flops and wallows all over the place. Body control is kept in check, even on broken pavement. As for handling, well, the drive wasn’t long enough for any conclusive findings, but steering is light and it’s not the final word on driving excitement. We’re excited to try out its Active Yaw Control and Super All-Wheel Control system, but that’s for another time.
Like the old Outlander PHEV, the all-new model uses a a 2.4-liter engine that’s mated to a twin-motor 4WD setup. However, it has been reconfigured and has a higher output for both the engine and the electric motor. The result is 248hp and a diesel-like torque figure of 451Nm. On the road, that translates to immediate and, quite frankly, shocking response. A quick jab of the accelerator is more than enough to fling unsecured items around the interior, and there’s a continuous surge that will please most. It’s definitely an experience.
A huge glow-up
In a nutshell, the all-new Outlander PHEV is greatly improved over the previous model. Despite the short drive, we say it’s a very promising product that we believe more consumers should experience. With a greater EV range (87 kilometers, Mitsubishi says), we can expect greater efficiency with the added benefit of more power.
Should MMPC sell it here? We say yes, but that will depend on the price and the equipment levels that the company will offer. If MMPC does sell it here, we're not expecting it to be a volume seller, but we'd like to think of the all-new Outlander PHEV as the stepping stone for folks before they go for a full electric vehicle.
