Photo: Jalopnik/Mitsubishi on Instagram
Unveiled in 2012 at the Paris Motor Show, the plug-in hybrid Outlander went on to sell by the bucketload in places like Europe. The chief executive officer, Osamu Masuko, promised in January 2013 that the PHEV would make the trip to the United States by January 2014, but guess what? It took until September 2017 for the Outlander PHEV to go on sale here with a starting price of $34,595.
It’s not worth getting started on the countless delays and sorry excuses for the late arrival, but one thing is crystal clear. And that is, Mitsubishi made a habit of overpromising. A habit that, coincidence or not, extends to the automaker’s social media presence. Case in point: this Instagram post.
A sponsored ad by Mitsubishi Motors North America, the copy reads: “See what makes the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV the only PHEV Crossover in its class.” Top quality copy right there considering the Outlander PHEV is the only plug-in hybrid crossover in the mid-size segment that isn’t a premium or luxury model. For more bragging rights, you need to step up to the likes of the BMW X5 xDrive40e iPerformance.
Uncovered by Jalopnik, the ad gets even cringier if you zoom in on the left-hand front wheel. Look at how the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV dominates that three-inch rock! It’s as if Mitsubishi wanted to prove that an AWD utility vehicle can clear obstacles the size of supermarket bumps, which almost any car costing less than $34,595 can do in this day and age.
Now that the questionable social media has been put to rest, it’s worth remembering the Outlander PHEV isn’t a bad car. 22 miles of all-electric range, 74 MPGe combined, 310 miles of combined gasoline-electric range, 1,500 pounds of maximum towing capacity, there’s a lot to like.
In addition to the eco-friendly but capable powertrain, the Outlander PHEV also comes with lots of desirable features as standard. DC quick charging? Check. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto? Double check. Blind Spot Warning with Rear Cross Traffic Alert? Double check again. All in all, it’s too bad the people tasked with advertising the Outlander PHEV make a hash of a genuinely good crossover.
A sponsored ad by Mitsubishi Motors North America, the copy reads: “See what makes the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV the only PHEV Crossover in its class.” Top quality copy right there considering the Outlander PHEV is the only plug-in hybrid crossover in the mid-size segment that isn’t a premium or luxury model. For more bragging rights, you need to step up to the likes of the BMW X5 xDrive40e iPerformance.
Uncovered by Jalopnik, the ad gets even cringier if you zoom in on the left-hand front wheel. Look at how the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV dominates that three-inch rock! It’s as if Mitsubishi wanted to prove that an AWD utility vehicle can clear obstacles the size of supermarket bumps, which almost any car costing less than $34,595 can do in this day and age.
Now that the questionable social media has been put to rest, it’s worth remembering the Outlander PHEV isn’t a bad car. 22 miles of all-electric range, 74 MPGe combined, 310 miles of combined gasoline-electric range, 1,500 pounds of maximum towing capacity, there’s a lot to like.
In addition to the eco-friendly but capable powertrain, the Outlander PHEV also comes with lots of desirable features as standard. DC quick charging? Check. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto? Double check. Blind Spot Warning with Rear Cross Traffic Alert? Double check again. All in all, it’s too bad the people tasked with advertising the Outlander PHEV make a hash of a genuinely good crossover.
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