AA DRIVEN NZ COTY 2022: Mitsubishi Outlander is the best Clean Car PHEV of the year

  • Sign in required

    Please sign in to your account to add a vehicle to favourite

  • Share this article

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has been one of the most important plug-in vehicles in New Zealand for a decade; it’s arguably the model that was first to bring electric vehicle technology into the Kiwi mainstream, proving that zero-emissions urban driving didn’t have to come at the expense of SUV practicality and even off-tarmac ability, thanks to a clever dual-motor AWD system.

Ten years on and the Outlander is no longer alone in the market. But the new model has raised the bar significantly in terms of size, quality, technology and  - especially in the context of this award – EV range.

It’s one of a select few PHEVs that offers 80km-plus of pure-electric driving (most of the others are premium-brand models), meaning you can drive it as an EV most of time – yet retain long-haul driving capability in hybrid mode.

Another winning stroke for the new Outlander PHEV: Mitsubishi has managed to incorporate a seven-seat cabin in this model (not available in the previous version), which is a massive selling point for eco-minded family SUV buyers.

Runners up: Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV, Volkswagen Multivan T7.

Watch the whole COTY show on Zooming with DRIVEN

MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV
ENGINE: 2.4-litre petrol four with plug-in hybrid system and twin electric motors
POWER: 98kW/195Nm (engine), 85kW/255Nm (front motor), 100kW/195Nm (rear motor)
GEARBOX: Continuously variable, AWD
CONSUMPTION: 1.6l/100km, 38g/km, EV range 84km
PRICE: $60,990-$75,990 (listed as “special offers” at time of writing, less Clean Car Discount of $5750)

Gallery