Mitsubishi Outlander News

One of the country’s most popular mid-size SUVs, the Mitsubishi Outlander, has come in for a substantial update including extra in-cabin tech, upgraded multimedia (including audio) and an Australia-specific suspension and steering tune.Scheduled to arrive here in the third quarter of this year, the 2025 model year Outlander’s exterior design has been tweaked around the lower part of the front grille and rear diffuser panel while new alloy wheel designs have also been introduced.The five- and '5+2'-seater’s interior now includes a 12.3-inch multimedia display managing multiple functions including wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and in the top-spec Exceed Tourer, a new ‘Dynamic Sound Yamaha Premium’ audio system.But arguably the biggest change is an Australian-specific suspension and steering tune, which according to Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited is part of a collaborative program which has elevated it to ‘core market’ status with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.Feedback from Australian customers and media fed into the process as well as “early local development drives on-road and at Victoria’s Lang Lang proving ground”.Mitsubishi Australia R&D Engineer Tony Dorrington subsequently spent several weeks on the ground in Japan to finalise the set-up with the MMC team at its Okazaki proving ground. According to Mitsubishi, the aim is “a greater connection for the driver and greater occupant comfort”.MMAL GM of Product Strategy Bruce Hampel said, “As a core market for Mitsubishi Motors globally, Australian market feedback played a significant role in further improving the updated Outlander’s steering, ride and handling, tuning it to further suit Australian conditions and buyer requirements with a new tyre specification.”So far in 2025 the Outlander is running second in medium SUV sales to the all-conquering Toyota RAV4, with the Kia Sportage and Mazda CX-5 in hot pursuit.Mitsubishi says further detail on pricing and final specification will be confirmed closer to the launch date.

Many people want a four-wheel drive (4WD) because they think only a vehicle with high- and low-range 4WD gearing, plenty of ground clearance, locking diffs, and gnarly Mud Terrain tyres will get them to where they want to go.Well, for some that is correct but for most others, the truth is an all-wheel drive (AWD) is more than enough to get them where they want to go.AWDs should be driven well within their limits and my advice for soft-roader drivers is to avoid anything beyond well-maintained dirt tracks in dry weather; do not drive your AWD vehicle on any tracks that are signposted ‘4WD/high ground clearance only’; do not undertake any prolonged driving on sand, especially soft sand; and definitely no rock-crawling.AWDs aren't anywhere near as capable or as versatile in an off-road scenario as 4WDs, but getting the right all-terrain tyres, dropping tyre pressures and using steady momentum will help soft-roader drivers get through most light-duty off-roading without too much stress and/or vehicle damage.Here’s out top five used alternatives to 4WDs. (Note: We’re focusing on all-round driveability, packability (boot space etc) and whether the vehicle is fit for purpose (practicality).VW’s T6.1 California Beach camper van offers a happy compromise for those who want some outdoors adventure, but don’t want to crawl into a tent or tow a caravan while away on holiday.This retro-cool campervan, based on VW’s mid-size Transporter van and, at the time, a refreshed version of a classic, represents a low-key way to start your own van-based adventure lifestyle. An optional two-tone paint job can add to its cool factor.It seats five (two at the front, and three on the rear bench seat), and can sleep up to four.It has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (producing 110kW at 3250-3750rpm and 340Nm at 1500-3000rpm), a seven-speed dual-clutch auto (or DSG, direct shift gearbox) and VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system.It has a stack of touring-friendly accessories, such as 180-degree swivel seats up front, an electric pop-top roof, a fully sprung loft bed (1200mm x 2000mm) with comfortable-sprung base and mattress, bed extension for rear bench seat with comfort sleeping mattress, camping table and two folding chairs, camper control unit with touchscreen, pull-out awning with housing and rail in black or silver.The California’s interior is nice and comfortable – a blend of life-friendly hard plastic and soft-touch surfaces – with a solid build quality to it all, as well as superior fit and finish.It’s a well-behaved and smooth-driving vehicle, the turbo-diesel engine and seven-speed dual-clutch auto work well together. It’s an even-handed pairing that gives this camper a bit of welcome pep about it and generally makes for an unfussed drive.You do have the option in this of taking on tracks a bit tougher than bitumen or rough back-country roads because it has VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. And, remember, the $1600 (at the time) off-road package adds a mechanical rear differential lock and hill descent control – but none of that means you should attempt hardcore rock-crawling in your California.It has 213mm ground clearance, so this camper is not built for anything other than light-duty off-roading, i.e. well-maintained gravel or dirt roads with few, if any, corrugations, and in dry weather only.The California has towing capacities of 750kg (unbraked) and 2500kg (braked). GVM (gross vehicle mass) is a claimed 3080kg.Fuel consumption is a claimed 7.5L/100km on a combined cycle. Actual fuel consumption on this test was 9.9L/100km.It has an 80-litre fuel tank so going by that on-test fuel figure you could expect to get a driving range of about 808km from a full tank. It also has a 13-litre AdBlue tank.The California Beach is more than fit for purpose – it’s functional, it's comfortable and it's nice to drive – and may be an ideal introduction to the adventure lifestyle for some.We’ve heard of transmission problems, oil leaks, and even some people having issues with this camper’s awning, but those are hearsay only.As always with a used vehicle, check for underbody damage, rust, sand or salt spray residue that may be evidence the California has indeed been driven near or on beach or coastal river sand.Expect to pay around the $105,000 mark. Pricey, yes, but many would say that it’s well worth the money.This seven-seat AWD plug-in hybrid (PHEV) wagon is a proven city- and family-friendly mid-sized SUV with reasonable capabilities as a light-duty off-road tourer.The Outlander PHEV has a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (delivering 185kW and 450Nm), an electric motor on the front and rear axles, and a lithium-ion battery pack with a total capacity of 20kWh.The PHEV’s EV-only driving range increased from 54km in the previous-gen Outlander to 84km in the 2023 line-up.It has a single-speed transmission and drive modes in this vehicle include Eco, Normal, Power, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow and Mud.It has three power-use modes: EV Mode (“perfect for low to medium speeds in urban areas”, according to Mitsubishi), Series Hybrid Mode (“When accelerating or climbing hills, the hybrid petrol engine can be used to generate additional power while the vehicle runs on motor power”), and Parallel Hybrid Mode (“For high-speed driving such as overtaking vehicles on the highway, the vehicle runs on engine power while being assisted by the electric motor”).This Exceed variant has a neat and functional interior with a premium feel about it with comfortable leather seats, soft-touch surfaces, and an easy-to-use multimedia system.The seats are comfortable with adequate room for everyone, though the third row is a bit squeezy.The second row is a 40:20:40 split configuration, while the third row is 50:50.In terms of packing space, there is a 163-litre boot (when all seats are up and in use), 478 litres when the third row is folded down flat, and 1473 litres of useable space when the second and third rows are stowed away.This Outlander is an easy vehicle to manoeuvre around city and suburban streets and even on tight bush tracks.The pairing of a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors works seamlessly well, it has plenty of power and it’s always very smooth and quiet.The Outlander has 203mm of ground clearance (unladen), but it does feel nimble in the bush (steering is sharp), visibility is good all-round, and it settles well on gravel and dirt tracks at speed, only ever skipping around a bit on rougher sections, due to firm suspension and road tyres.You can switch drive modes to either Gravel, Snow or Mud to best suit the terrain, but, really, with the Outlander’s lack of ground clearance, and its road-biased tyres and 20-inch wheels, this SUV is ultimately more comfortable on well-maintained dirt roads and should not go anywhere near tracks with deeps ruts or mudholes.This is, however, still a handy dirt-road tourer, yielding comfortable and controlled ride and handling, as well as an overall refined driving experience, only ever becoming a bit too rattled when the road or track surface becomes lumpy and bumpy.This PHEV has a listed fuel consumption of 1.5L/100km on a combined cycle, but you have to be very lucky to get anywhere near that figure.Having said that, if your daily driving distances are within this PHEV’s official electric driving range (84km) and you’re able to drive in EV Mode most of the time, then at the very least you will have slashed your fuel costs.The actual fuel consumption on our most recent test in this vehicle was 9.9L/100km. Dash-indicated fuel consumption was 6.1L/100km.Our dash-indicated power usage was 19.2kWh/100km. This PHEV seemed to chow through most of its onboard battery power quite swiftly on our drive home, without recouping much via regenerative braking on long downhills, even when we tried cycling through the regen modes in an attempt to optimise power regain.This Outlander has 20.0kWh battery capacity and a 56L fuel tank.Mitsubishi reckons that if you’re charging off a standard household power point it will take “approximately” 9.5 hours to fully charge your Outlander – or 6.5 hours if you’re using a home or public charging device.Things speed up considerably if you use a public rapid recharging station – in that case, Mitsubishi claims that your Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV will reach 80 per cent capacity in 38 minutes.Towing capacity is 750kg (unbraked) and 1600kg (braked).This Outlander is nice to drive, quiet, refined and comfortable. Bonus: it is a suitably capable all-wheel-drive tourer.We’ve been told some people have experienced complete battery failure or charging malfunctions and some owners aren’t happy with the firm ride on 20-inch rims but we’ve not seen first-hand any of those problems.As always with a used vehicle, check for underbody damage, rust, sand or salt spray residue that may be evidence the Outlander has been driven near or on beach or coastal river sand.Expect to pay around $64,990.Be aware, there’s going to be one or two Subies on this list.Subaru is well regarded for its effective all-wheel-drive wagons and this Forester maintains that tradition.It has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol Boxer engine – producing 136kW at 5800rpm and 239Nm at 4400rpm – with a seven-speed CVT auto and Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel-drive system with two-mode X-Mode.This top-shelf Forester has a well designed interior with a neat fit and finish and leather everywhere. There are durable surfaces and material elsewhere and so it feels like an interior a family can easily do long road trips in.The interior is comfortable with power-adjustable seats up front and, as mentioned, it’s a family-friendly space. There’s ample legroom all-round, and the roofline is not tapered downwards towards the back end as sharply as it is in some Forester rivals, so there's plenty of headroom in the second row.The Boxer engine and CVT work well together, but manual is still the preferred mode for Forester driving. Paddle shifters on the steering wheel are handy if you want to get lively with your driving.The Forester’s AWD system – a 60/40 torque-slit – comes into its own on bumpy dirt tracks and choppy corrugated gravel roads, but even moreso when this Subie is driven at lower speeds and when the surface of the road or track becomes a little bit looser. Let’s put it this way: the Forester is perfectly fine for low-speed, low-traction scenarios as long as it’s driven safely and sensibly.The X-Mode system here has two modes – Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud – which each yield improved grip and traction in low-speed and slippery conditions, by way of adjusting throttle control (deadening its sensitivity so the driver has improved input) and traction control (cutting in faster to avoid wheelspin) and gear selection to suit the terrain you’re on.There is 220mm of ground clearance, on par with some supposedly more serious off-roaders, and, driven with consideration, the Forester can tackle most low-intensity off-roading without strife.With regards to suitability for packing for camping and touring, there is 498 litres of space with the second-row seat in use, and 1768 litres of space with those seats folded down flat.This Forester has a claimed fuel consumption of 7.4L/100km (combined). We recorded 8.4L/100km during our time with it and that included 40km of gravel-road driving.It has a 63-litre fuel tank, so going by that on-test fuel figure you could reasonably expect to get a driving range of about 750km from a full tank.It has max towing capacities of 750kg (unbraked) and 1500kg (braked) with a maximum lowball download of 150kg.This comfortable and capable Forester is supremely well-built for purpose, if your purpose is to go on low-intensity weekend adventures and tackle light-duty off-roading, mostly on well-maintained gravel and dirt roads.CVT problems – sluggish shifts, noise – have been informally reported to us, but those seem to have been ironed out in recent years.As always with any used AWD/4WD/or even a 2WD, check for underbody damage, rust, sand or salt spray residue that may be evidence the vehicle in question has indeed been driven near or on beach or coastal river sand.Expect to pay between $24,400 and $30,400.https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/toyota-rav4-hybrid-2020-review-cruiser-awd-off-road-test-76539 This RAV4 is the second-from-top spec in the fifth-generation RAV4’s range and handy example of a hybrid application executed well.It has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (131kW and 221Nm), an electric motor on the front axle (88kW/202Nm) and an electric motor on the rear axle (40kW/121Nm).Total combined power is listed as 163kW. No combined torque figure is listed.In basic terms, the petrol engine drives the front wheels, the front electric motor helps out with overall efficiency and the electric motor at the back kicks in on that rear axle to give the RAV4 an extra boost when needed.All hybrid grades have an auto/e-CVT as standard.This RAV4 has several driving modes including Eco, Normal and Sport, all geared at producing ride and handling via optimised engine performance and tuning, steering and throttle response, best suited to the selected mode and the terrain and conditions.There’s an EV mode – for driving only on battery power at low speed and for short distances – and and Trail mode, which taps into that rear motor to provide rear-axle power, sending up to 80 per cent of total drive torque to the rear wheels.Passenger space is good and boot space is 580 litres, so there’s heaps of room.This RAV4’s ground clearance is listed as 190mm and while that might seem low to a seasoned four-wheel driver, it's enough for this vehicle to tackle the dry, well-maintained dirt roads and bush tracks with no deep ruts it has been engineered for.Official fuel consumption is listed as 4.8L/100km (combined), but our actual fuel consumption on the test was 5.9L/100km. The RAV4 has a 55-litre fuel tank, so going by that on-test fuel figure you could reasonably expect to get a driving range of about 932km from a full tank.This RAV4 hybrid AWD has a 750kg unbraked towing capacity and 1500kg braked towing capacity, so decent enough for an SUV this size.Most importantly and most impressively, this RAV4 hybrid has no problem getting torque to the ground on any surface because the combination of petrol engine, electric motors and CVT is so effective it always seems to find the sweet spot.Stop-start temporarily doesn’t work – i.e. car keeps running at lights. Battery is likely low and the car is overriding stop-start to keep onboard systems operating.As always, check for underbody damage, rust, sand or salt spray residue that may be evidence that the RAV4 has been driven on beach or coastal river sand.Expect to pay between $38,490 to $51,777.Subarus have a rock-solid rep as handy all-wheel drives and great all-rounders – and this sixth-generation Outback is one of the best.The new (at the time) Outback has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder horizontally-opposed Boxer petrol engine – producing 138kW at 5800rpm and 245Nm at 3400-4600rpm – and that’s mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).It has permanent all-wheel drive and Subaru’s X-Mode system that includes Normal, Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes. These driving modes adjust engine torque, throttle response and traction control, among other things, to suit the conditions.Towing capacity for the Outback range is 750kg for an unbraked trailer and 2000kg for a braked trailer, with a towball download of 200kg.Ground clearance is listed as 213mm but that’s enough for the dry, well-maintained dirt roads and bush tracks with no deep ruts this AWD is designed for.Official fuel consumption figure is listed as 7.3L/100km on a combined cycle). On our most recent test in this vehicle we recorded 8.8L/100km.It has a 63-litre fuel tank, so going by that on-test fuel figure you could reasonably expect to get a driving range of about 715km from a full tank.This Outback is nice to drive, impressive value (see below), practical, and roomy, with 522 litres (VDA) of rear cargo capacity, and 1267L when you fold the seats flat.As stated in the CarsGuide Problems section, there have been anecdotal experiences reported of some reliability issues with Subaru CVTs in the past, but in the case of the Outback, that appears to mainly affect vehicles built between 2010 and 2015.Chances are the Outback may not have been used for any off-roading beyond the parking area grass near a soccer field but, just in case, when checking out the vehicle in person, make sure you look under the vehicle to check if it hasn’t copped any serious knocks, bumps or scuffs to the undercarriage or side steps – that may be an indication of other more serious damage that is not visible. Check for rust, sand or salt spray residue that may be evidence of driving on beach or coastal river sand.Expect to pay between $26,900 to $37,900.

CarsGuide’s data analytics team has crunched the numbers to find out how well popular mid-sized SUVs hold their value. This insight means you can buy a new car now knowing it’ll likely be a resale winner when the time comes to sell it.

With hybrid SUVs, such as the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, and utes, such as the BYD Shark 6, already here, and with more petrol-electric-powered vehicles on the way, like the BYD Fang Cheng Bao 5 (aka Denza B5, recently spotted testing in Australia), are petrol-electric hybrids set to relegate traditional ICE 4WDs into the dusty annals of history?Read on.A plug-in hybrid 4WD — one in which the electric motor runs the show until its battery is depleted enough that the internal-combustion engine kicks in as back-up — offers an effective compromise between helping to reduce the volume of climate change-induced woes our planet is being forced to suffer and still being able to get to and from your favourite campsite.Sure, it’s an all-wheel drive and best suited to light-duty off-roading, but the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a great example of a well-executed hybrid that is already here and well worth a look.This mid-size SUV has a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (producing 98kW at 5000rpm and 195Nm at 4300rpm), an electric motor on the front and rear axles, and a lithium-ion battery pack with a total capacity of 20kWh. Combined output (engine and electric motors) is 185kW and 450Nm and this PHEV’s electric-only driving range is listed as 84km on a full charge.It has a single-speed transmission and drive modes in this vehicle include Eco, Normal, Power, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow and Mud.This Outlander has three power-use modes: EV Mode (“perfect for low to medium speeds in urban areas”, according to Mitsubishi), Series Hybrid Mode (“when accelerating or climbing hills, the hybrid petrol engine can be used to generate additional power while the vehicle runs on motor power”), and Parallel Hybrid Mode (“for high-speed driving such as overtaking vehicles on the highway, the vehicle runs on engine power while being assisted by the electric motor”).The PHEV’s EV-only driving range is a listed 84km but my most recent test vehicle (a GSR-spec Outlander) used most of its battery power on a 110km highway trip. Regenerative braking regained very little of that used power and the Outlander switched to rely on petrol for the remaining 30km or so of that trip.It has a single-speed transmission and drive modes include Eco, Normal, Power, Tarmac, Gravel, Snow and Mud, which all tweak engine, electric motor, and transmission to suit the selected mode.This Outlander is pleasant on sealed surfaces And it’s comfortable and capable off-road as well — as long as you stick within the parameters of the kind of “off-road” terrain an AWD SUV is built to cope with: well-maintained gravel roads and dirt tracks with minor corrugations in dry conditions or, at worst, rain-puddled blacktop.The Outlander has off-road measures that are fine for a city-focussed vehicle: 18.3 (degrees approach angle), 22.2 degrees (departure), 18 degrees (ramp breakover), and 203mm of ground clearance (unladen).It’s nimble in the bush (because steering is sharp), visibility is satisfactory all-round, and it settles well on gravel and dirt tracks at speed, only skipping around on rougher sections, due to its firm suspension and road tyres.You can switch drives modes to Gravel, Snow or Mud to best suit the terrain, however, the Outlander’s lack of ground clearance, road-biased tyres and 20-inch wheels, impact its capability.But, this is still a handy dirt-road tourer, yielding comfortable and controlled ride and handling, as well as an overall refined driving experience, only ever becoming rattled when the road or track surface becomes very chopped up and bumpy.The Outlander’s Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC) system deserves a fair amount of credit. This electric-powered traction control system manages torque application so it is instantaneous, he system cuts power to the wheel that has little grip and sends drive to the wheel with the most grip, and delivers that drive with impressive levels of throttle control and an even-handed management of power.Payload is listed as 605kg, towing capacity is 750kg (unbraked) and 1600kg (braked). GVM is 2750kg and GCM is 4350kg.My most recently tested example, the Mitsubishi Outlander GSR PHEV, has a listed fuel consumption of 1.5L/100km on a combined cycle but, as with all official fuel figures from any carmaker, you can take it with a grain of salt.On my most recent test, dash-indicated fuel consumption was 5.8L/100km; actual fuel consumption, as measured from pump to pump, was 7.7L/100km.Dash-indicated power usage was 20.8kWh/100km. This PHEV gobbled through most of its 20kWh battery capacity quite swiftly on the drive from the vehicle pick-up point in Sydney to our test start-point just over 100km away. It recouped 10km electric driving range via regenerative braking on a series of long downhills when set to ‘Charge’ driving mode (with the combustion engine generating power to the battery), but I had to cycle through regen modes to optimise that power regain.The dash-indicated combined driving range (battery and engine) was 748km on a full charge and a full 56-litre tank.Note: off-roading places a heavier burden on any vehicle – combustion, hybrid, EV – so battery capacity in a PHEV will be depleted faster and more fuel will be used than on sealed surfaces.Another intriguing hybrid already here is the BYD Shark 6 ute. This first for Australia – a plug-in hybrid ute – presents a strong case, in terms of performance and potential.It has a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine with dual electric motors: a 170kW/310Nm front motor and a 150kw/340Nm rear motor (total: 320kW and 650Nm).This BYD ute has a claimed driving range of 100km (electric only), and approximately 850km (hybrid).That’s a decent stretch of driving and worth noting because a plug-in hybrid doesn’t burden its driver with the crippling range anxiety that troubles some EV drivers.The Shark has a listed payload of 850kg and braked towing capacity of 2500kg. It doesn’t have the 1000kg payload or 3500kg market-standard towing capacity of non-hybrid utes, but it can still take on a considerable burden and clock up big distances before it needs to be refuelled/recharged, which is more than anyone can reasonably expect from any current EV.The good news is there are more hybrid 4WDs to come that, on paper at least, also have the potential to be decent off-roaders.Most noteworthy for now is the Shark 6’s stablemate, the Denza B5. As a a plug-in hybrid 4WD with a ladder-frame chassis and BYD’s Dual-Motor Intelligence technology onboard, the Denza B5 has a similar powertrain and platform set-up to the Shark 6.The B5 has a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with twin electric motors (one at each axle) producing a very impressive 500kW and 760Nm.Bolstering its expected capability off-road, the B5 has that aforementioned ladder-frame chassis, three diff locks, 18-inch BFGoodrich all-terrain tyres and the brand's Intelligent Hydraulic Body Control System. Similar in principle to other existing systems in other vehicles – for example, onboard the Nissan Patrol – this set-up is claimed to tighten on-road for more dynamic on-road driving and loosen off-road for more wheel articulation – but it is also claimed to be able to independently raise wheel heights by up to 200mm.In other good news for those who want plenty of driving range out of their touring 4WD, the B5 has a 31.4kWh battery – bigger than that of a standard hybrid – and that’s tipped to yield a 120km electric driving range. All up though – with a full fuel tank and fully charged battery – this Chinese-made 4WD should offer a total driving range of more than 1000km.So, it’s obvious the 4WD realm is rapidly changing and the future is a world in which there are more well-engineered and off-road-capable PHEVs on the road and on bush tracks.

Mitsubishi has updated the petrol version of the Outlander SUV, joining the earlier update applied to the plug-in hybrid version last year.

Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicle sales are surging, but the federal government is about to put a roadblock in the path of these petrol-electric machines.

Mitsubishi Australia's boss is calling for the federal government to do more to help carmakers meet tough new emissions regulations.The New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) came into effect this year. The new legislation penalises car makers for every gram of CO2 a vehicle emits over a certain threshold. The penalty is applied to every offending vehicle sold and this threshold gets lower every year until 2030.Carmakers can offset the sales of high-polluting vehicles with the sale of electric cars and plug-in hybrids (PHEV).Australia is one of the last mature car markets to have an official emissions scheme, so the concept is nothing new to global carmakers.The new NVES will hit several big name Japanese brands hard in the next few years, with many slow to roll out electric cars.Head of Mitsubishi Australia Shaun Westcott wouldn't divulge if it would cop penalties in the next few years but said: "There are very few of the traditional car companies who are going to avoid some form of penalty".He said the company will do as much as it can to mitigate penalties and to push its PHEVs as hard as it can. He said the company is all for the NVES but has called for the government to help it sell more of the low emissions vehicles.“Government has put penalties in place for industry, so we’ve got plenty of sticks, and we will do the right thing, but the problem is we need a few carrots. We need incentives to drive consumer behaviour.”Westcott pointed to new research from Deloitte that showed the biggest concern people had about EVs was range anxiety and lack of charging infrastructure.So for people to overcome these hurdles they need some sort of incentive to compensate for the inconvenience, he said.“We’ve got plenty of sticks, but not enough carrots,” he reiterated.Mitsubishi is without any electric cars on sale in Australia. It sells two plug-in hybrids — the Outlander and Eclipse Cross — but the Eclipse Cross will be axed from the local line-up this year as it does not meet new Australian design Rules about auto emergency braking. The brand will not immediately replace the model either, meaning it will be down to one plug-in hybrid model in its entire range.The Outlander PHEV makes up about one quarter of sales for the large SUV, which might not be enough to offset sales of its other vehicles.The brand also lacks conventional plugless hybrids in its current line-up, though that might change with the arrival of the updated ASX compact SUV later this year.Plug-in hybrids have substantially bigger batteries than normal hybrids, and much more powerful motors, which allow them to be driven a decent distance in electric-only mode. The current Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV can travel up to 80km and the upgraded version due soon is likely to lift this to about 100km.Westcott said Mitsubishi’s research had shown most of its PHEV customers drive mostly in electric mode all the time.This shows they are a great transition vehicle to electric cars and they can make a meaningful reduction to tailpipe emissions today.Mitsubishi Australia's Government Relations Manager Yarik Turianskyi said the company had made several proposals to the government about how they could incentivise PHEV sales."We're also trying to propose some alternative mechanisms. It could be an upfront rebate, it could be the removal of GST. Because we believe that just as the sales are going up, you don't want to shock the market, remove these incentives, and then all of a sudden the market will go down. Because PHEV sales will be able to produce emissions reduction right here and right now ... so let's keep supporting it," he said.Mitsubishi also wants the government to allow electric vehicles sold in regions such as Europe and Japan to be allowed in without having to meet some of our unique ADR requirments. Mitsubishi has the potential to leverage electric vehicle technology from its current alliance partners Nissan and Renault.Nissan has confirmed Mitsubishi’s plug-in hybrid technology will feature in the next-generation Navara ute, so a quid pro quo could deliver a Mitsubishi electric car based on the Ariya mid-size electric SUV on coming compact Leaf SUV.That Navara news also suggests a plug-in hybrid version of the Triton isn't far away, but this is still unconfirmed by Mitsubishi.For now, Mitsubishi is mum on any electric cars coming Down Under but its global Momentum 2030 plan puts electrification at its core, with a stream of new models due over the course of the decade to help alleviate these pain points.

Australia clocked a record number of new-car sales in 2024, proving once again how diverse our new-car market really is.

Australia’s top-selling car and the top-selling brands for 2024 have been revealed and it’s been yet another record year of sales.Last year, Australians bought 1,237,287 new vehicles, which represented a modest 1.7 per cent upswing compared with 2023 sales. It was enough to make it the biggest year of sales in Australian history.Utes and SUVs continued to dominate with just one passenger car - the Toyota Corolla - managing to remain in the top 10 best-selling models list.Almost 700,000 SUVs were sold in the calendar year compared with 270,000 light-commercial vehicles and just over 203,000 passenger cars (hatchbacks, sedans, wagons, sports cars and people movers).The top-selling model for 2024 was the Ford Ranger, repeating its 2023 win, despite a slight dip in sales to 62,593 (-1.2%).The Toyota RAV4 had its best sales year and came pretty close to toppling the Ranger, but had to settle for a still-impressive second place with 58,718 units, closely followed by its HiLux stablemate on 53,499.The Isuzu D-Max was the only other ute in the top 10, landing in fourth place with 30,194, and rounding out the top-five models was the Mitsubishi Outlander.Making up the rest of the top-10 models were Ford’s Everest, the Corolla, Mazda CX-5, MG ZS and the Kia Sportage. Check the tables below for all the figures.Toyota maintained its dominance in the industry, leading the charge with 241,296 sales, which is 12.1 per cent ahead of last year’s total.As expected, Ford leapfrogged Mazda to nab second place with a healthy 100,170 units, helped mostly by those solid Ranger and Everest numbers.Mazda dipped a little in 2024 (95,987) but remained well ahead of fourth-placed Kia on 81,787, while Mitsubishi (74,547) capped off the top-five brands.Hyundai (71,664) only just missed out on a top-five position, trailing Mitsubishi by 2883 units.MG also took a sales tumble but still stayed firm with 50,592 (-13.3%) for seventh place, while Isuzu continued to punch above its weight in eighth spot, recording 48,172 sales with just two models on sale.Nissan managed to make some gains in 2024, landing in ninth place with 45,284, and China’s GWM is now firmly a top-10 player having grabbed tenth spot with 42,782.The Chinese giant kept Subaru and Tesla out of the top list, with Subaru collecting 40,604 sales and Tesla sliding by 17 per cent to 38,347.The Model Y also just missed out on a top-10 spot for model sales, with 21,253 finding homes, a drop of 26 per cent.Despite the bumper sales year, the automotive industry’s peak body is forecasting a gloomy outlook and taking a swipe at the Federal Government’s New Vehicle Emissions Standards that kicked in on January 1.“While overall consumer preferences remain clear with SUVs and Light Commercial vehicles continuing to dominate the market and especially the top ten sales, many vehicles in these segments are either difficult or expensive to decarbonise. This will prove to be a significant challenge in meeting the extremely ambitious targets of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) which began on 1 January 2025,” Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Chief Executive Tony Weber said in a media release.“The industry is responding to NVES by increasing the range of zero and low emission vehicles on offer. However, a continuation of current customer buying preferences will inevitably lead to the accrual of substantial penalties under the Government’s new scheme, which will create price inflation within the new vehicle market.”

Here are our top 10 cars released in the first 25 years of this century.