Photo: Mitsubishi
Even though Japan will be getting their all-new Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model in the coming months, U.S. buyers still must wait until the second half of 2022. Once the electrified crossover does arrive in showrooms, it will boast the carmaker’s newest version of Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC), meant to provide safe, secure and comfortable driving in various weather and road conditions.
S-AWC features the following systems: Active Stability Control (ASC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Active Yaw Control (AYC), which controls the left and right wheels while braking.
This is interesting because while conventional Outlander models use a braking control system that manages the brake forces in the front left and right wheels only, S-AWC's rear wheel braking capabilities can actually reduce the load on the front wheels.
The new Outlander PHEV will utilize a twin-motor 4WD system that consists of one motor at the front and another at the rear. With the help of S-AWC, driving force between the front and rear wheels can then be distributed optimally on a case-by-case basis.
Drivers can also select between multiple driving modes depending on conditions and driving style – but mostly conditions (better safe than sorry). There’s Normal, which is optimized for regular driving on paved roads, followed by Gravel mode which provides better balance and handling on unpaved or wet paved roads. Snow mode is best utilized on slippery surfaces, Power mode improves acceleration and Eco mode prioritizes economic and environmentally-friendly driving.
As for the actual performance, the Japanese carmaker has yet to release any figures, but they have stated that the new Outlander PHEV will have “improved motor output and increased battery capacity over the current model,” which by the way now produces a total system output of 221 hp.
Pricing is yet another unknown factor, but if you live in the U.S. and you want to buy the regular, gasoline-powered 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander, that one will cost you upwards of $25,795. Meanwhile, the current Outlander PHEV is priced from $36,695 and we can’t imagine this all-new model breaking through the $40,000 barrier as far as starting MSRP is concerned.
This is interesting because while conventional Outlander models use a braking control system that manages the brake forces in the front left and right wheels only, S-AWC's rear wheel braking capabilities can actually reduce the load on the front wheels.
The new Outlander PHEV will utilize a twin-motor 4WD system that consists of one motor at the front and another at the rear. With the help of S-AWC, driving force between the front and rear wheels can then be distributed optimally on a case-by-case basis.
Drivers can also select between multiple driving modes depending on conditions and driving style – but mostly conditions (better safe than sorry). There’s Normal, which is optimized for regular driving on paved roads, followed by Gravel mode which provides better balance and handling on unpaved or wet paved roads. Snow mode is best utilized on slippery surfaces, Power mode improves acceleration and Eco mode prioritizes economic and environmentally-friendly driving.
As for the actual performance, the Japanese carmaker has yet to release any figures, but they have stated that the new Outlander PHEV will have “improved motor output and increased battery capacity over the current model,” which by the way now produces a total system output of 221 hp.
Pricing is yet another unknown factor, but if you live in the U.S. and you want to buy the regular, gasoline-powered 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander, that one will cost you upwards of $25,795. Meanwhile, the current Outlander PHEV is priced from $36,695 and we can’t imagine this all-new model breaking through the $40,000 barrier as far as starting MSRP is concerned.
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