I’m driving the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SUV. In Canada. In February. The plan is to see how well this thing handles winter weather. There’s snow and, on a former airfield runway, a lot of ice. This sounds like a recipe for unchecked slides and no control whatsoever. Thankfully, I haven’t gone skidding off toward Nova Scotia because the Outlander PHEV turns out to be a useful companion in wintry conditions.
When the rubber meets the ice
There’s a lot to be said for a set of decent winter tires. Yokohama was kind enough to supply them for this little adventure. The company also kitted out an Outlander PHEV with all-season tires, and they performed pretty well, too.
All-wheel drive is a must. The Outlander PHEV has this standard — what Mitsubishi calls Super All-Wheel Control, or S-AWC. It’s not like typical systems; there’s no mechanical link between the front and rear axles. Instead, the combustion engine and one electric motor turn the front wheels, and a second electric motor turns the rear. Most of the time, the engine acts as an on-board generator.
The tires, Snow mode, and the all-wheel drive system work as a seamless whole to keep the Outlander PHEV facing in the right direction and shiny side up.
Easy does it
It’s time to drive. The key to making progress in slippery conditions is to keep all inputs as smooth as possible — no harsh braking, accelerator stomping, or drastic turns of the steering wheel. The Outlander PHEV also has a secret weapon, the I-Pedal (I for Innovation), activated by a button in the center console. It raises the level of brake energy regeneration. Ordinarily, this optimizes the distance the Outlander PHEV can travel on battery power alone: 38 miles. However, it can also slow the vehicle down in just the right, gentle manner when the driver lifts off the accelerator. It’s not the true one-pedal driving function of many all-electric vehicles, because it doesn’t come to a complete stop without touching the brakes, yet it’s still a useful feature in tricky weather. The Outlander PHEV also has driving modes, one being Snow.
All this adds up to an SUV that can handle a lot of winter weather, and that’s exactly what happens while driving around the frozen north when the days are short. I can’t tell you how the drivetrain’s total of 248 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque feel while being gunned at maximum revs because I’m being careful with my inputs. But I can tell you what it feels like to travel at 40 mph on ice and then suddenly change lanes. Or make frequent changes of direction. Absolutely fine.
The tires, Snow mode, and the all-wheel drive system work as a whole seamlessly to keep the Outlander PHEV facing in the right direction and shiny side up. There’s a little slippage, sure, though easily caught and brought under control. I think I’m being the clever one in this scenario, but it’s really the torque vectoring feature of the all-wheel drive system — distributing power to the correct wheels at the correct time while taking things like steering angle into account and reacting within milliseconds.
Beyond the snow
For families living in the snow belt, the Outlander PHEV SUV can be a great choice. They don’t even have to live in the snow belt — they might just be ski nuts and make regular trips to the mountains. Either way, there’s more on offer than sure-footedness.
The Outlander PHEV is based on the same platform as the Nissan Rogue, so it’s classified as a compact. It feels a bit bigger than that, though. The interior looks better (in my opinion) than Mitsubishi models of old. The switchgear doesn’t feel cheap at all, and the materials are perfectly acceptable. There’s sufficient space in the first two seating rows. Yes, there are three in total, unusual for a compact SUV. But the rearmost seats only work for a couple of younger, smaller, and more flexible humans. They also encroach upon luggage space (the seats, not the humans). They’re best for occasional use.
I only got to drive the 2024 Outlander PHEV on that cold day without the chance to see how it tackles other situations. But I think it rides well enough, the cabin is fairly quiet, and the front seats are comfortable. Let’s also applaud Mitsubishi for its warranties, matching those of Hyundai and Kia. Bumper-to-bumper coverage is five years or 60,000 miles, whichever happens first, while powertrains are covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles.
That’s a lot of winters.
Check this week’s Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price or see Outlander PHEV models for sale near you.
