Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 2020 price and specs: New tech, higher prices for plug-in hybrid

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has been updated for the 2020 model year, with the plug-in hybrid SUV welcoming new tech, a new engine and higher prices for this mid-life update.

Chief among the changes is a new engine/battery combination, with a new 2.4-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine delivering 94kW at 4500rpm and 199Nm at 4500rpm - up from 87kW and 186Nm from the outgoing 2.0-litre engine. The petrol engine works in conjunction with twin electric motors, (60kW/137Nm front, 70kW/195Nm rear), though the maximum system power produced remains at 94kW.

The bigger battery, now 13.8 kWh, doesn’t actually result in a longer driving range, with Mitsubishi still claiming a 54km EV range, according to the NEDC cycle. But the increase in power is intedned to result in a sportier, more responsive drive.

Also new for 2020 is an updated cabin treatment, with a new 8.0-inch touchscreen that's both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto equipped taking pride of place in the dash, no matter which trim level you opt for.

Speaking of which, the 2020 Outlander PHEV arrives in three trim levels - the ES ($46,990 MSRP or $50,990 drive-away), then the ES + ADAS pack, which adds $1000 to both those numbers, increasing the cost to $47,990 to $51,990, and finally the top-spec Exceed, which is $55,990 ($59,990 drive-away).

Those numbers represent a price jump of up to $2000 on the outgoing model, an increase Mitsubishi says is justified by the new multimedia screen, the bigger engine and the higher battery capacity.

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The ES arrives with 18-inch alloys, LED DRLs, auto headlights and wipers and standard roof rails outside. In the cabin, expect cloth seats that are heated in the front, the new 8.0-inch screen, a new lumbar support control for the driver, push-button start, and dual-zone climate control and a vent for rear riders.

Stepping up the + ADAS pack, which is a trim level aimed largely at fleet customers, matches the ES trim exactly, but then adds some key safety stuff - namely lane departure warning, auto high beams and adaptive cruise control.

Finally, the Exceed trim gets leather seats, standard navigation, a better stereo, a powered boot, a sunroof and some nicer interior trimmings.

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On the safety front, the Outlander PHEV ES arrives with AEB (up to 80km/h), a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, hill start assist and seven airbags as standard kit. Opting for the ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist Systems) then adds Lane Departure Warning, adaptive cruise control and automatic high beams.

Finally, the Outlander PHEV Exceed will add an around-view monitor, lane change assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and what Mitsubishi calls its Ultrasonic Misacceleration Mitigation System, which detects if you’ve accidentally selected Drive instead of Reverse (or vice versa) and will dull the accelerator and sound a warning to let you know.