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Motoring, SUV, Electric/hybrid, Mitsubishi

Returning Outlander PHEV is a real gem, but pricey

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Mitsubishi Outlander Diamond PHEV

By Bill McCarthy

Mitsubishi’s UK departure left me scratching my head, especially given the success of the pioneering Outlander and its excellent L200 pick-up range. Poor sales and a global slowdown around the pandemic did for it – but now the Japanese giant is back with an impressive update.

Mitsubishi, famous for its rugged off-roaders, is certainly no stranger to innovation – it had one of the first all-electric cars on the road with the iMiEV city car and the original Outlander kickstarted Britain’s PHEV boom back in 2014, becoming a domestic bestseller.

Class-leading warranty

It’s worth pointing out early that Mitsubishi is backing its return with an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty, covering both the vehicle and its battery technology. It is a market-leading package and appears to send a clear statement that Mitsubishi is here to stay.

Same boxy silhouette, less slab-sided

With this latest version, the signature boxy shape is familiar but sleeker – still bold and rugged, with huge light clusters. It looks like a vehicle designed to feel substantial without being flashy.

The front now features a smart grille and bumper set-up, and the whole car uses LED lights, including T-shaped rear lights that make it easy to recognise at night.

What you get for the money

There are two models: the entry-level seven-seater Nativa, priced at £46,995, and the range-topping Diamond, driven here, which is five seats only at £49,995.

The Nativa is still an excellent, hugely practical seven-seater in basic form, with decent off-road capability and a towing capacity of up to 1,600kg.

This tested Diamond model is well named, with a diamond motif features and high-end diamond-pattern leather upholstery. The Diamond is a real premium choice.

It needs to be at approaching £50k. It is around £3,000 more than the entry model, at £49,995, but it ups the ante with ventilated and massaging seats, heated rears, three-zone climate, a full-length panoramic sunroof and a host of other extras.

The car’s brain is a central screen that controls smartphone connectivity, apps, navigation and an infotainment system that includes a high-end Yamaha 12-speaker sound system. It has a clever mixture of touchscreen and physical controls lacking in many SUVs, and everything feels substantial and well put together.

The Outlander is exclusively plug-in hybrid at the moment– a 2.4-litre PHEV system with twin electric motors and all-wheel drive. This produces a combined 302bhp, with a 22.7kWh battery allowing substantial electric-only running for daily commutes.

The official WLTP electric-only range is 53 miles. The petrol engine acts primarily as a generator for the battery, which supplies the dual motors. It kicks in to top up the battery or boost performance under harder acceleration – though at a cost to overall fuel economy.

The Outlander has a claimed total range of over 500 miles on a full tank and full charge, but in mixed driving which saw the petrol engine kick in quite a lot, I saw a maximum of around 35mpg. Not bad for something this size, but plug it in daily for maximum fuel economy.

Safety

Standard kit includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot intervention, lane departure prevention, rear cross traffic alert and a driver monitoring system.

Front cross traffic alert and a centre airbag are also part of the package.

Space and practicality

The deliberate seat sacrifice in the Diamond model allows for a storage capacity of 498 litres with the seats up. With all seats folded, capacity expands to 1,602 litres.

For convenience, there is a ‘kick’ facility to open the boot hands-free, and a 12V socket in the boot are thoughtful touches.

On the road

On the road, the Outlander is a pleasant place to be, offering, for the most part, silent running, with only the occasional sound of the dual motors. This I discovered on an extended journey around Shropshire and North Wales, with a rewarding driving experience.

The engine is vocal when it kicks in, though by no means overwhelming, and there is some road noise from the large alloys. However, the ride is smooth, even if the big beast does wallow a little on corners.

It’s not likely to be taken off-road very often, but the on-demand four-wheel-drive system allows extra grip in poor conditions, with a central dial allowing selection of systems to cope with anything from snow to mud and gravel.

Verdict

The Outlander is a sensible choice – genuine seven-seat practicality in basic form, a premium cabin and strong electric-only running in Diamond spec, all wrapped in a distinctive, rugged design.

Accept the five-seat trade-off and the Diamond delivers a genuinely luxurious PHEV for the money, backed by a warranty that few rivals can match. Don’t forget to plug it in!

Factfile

  • Model: Mitsubishi Outlander Diamond PHEV
  • Price: £49,995
  • Mechanical: 2.4-litre 302bhp petrol engine and 22.7kWh battery driving twin electric motors
  • 0 to 62mph: 7.9 sec
  • EV range: 53 miles (WLTP)
  • Total range: 500 miles plus
  • CO2 emissions: 20g/km
  • Insurance group: 47D
  • BiK rating: 10%
  • Warranty: 8 years / 100,000 miles inc battery
electric, Family hatchback, Kia, Motoring

Is this Kia now the best value EV hatchback?

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Kia EV4 Air

By Bill McCarthy

Kia’s latest EV is a genuine head-turner, certainly for me, with a choice of models, excellent range and keen pricing, particularly the model tested here. It features eye-catching light clusters, LED star map lighting and daytime running lights.

The swooping bonnet line and sculpted flanks complete a striking design, rounded off by unique alloy designs. Not everyone will love the pop-out door handles – designed to sit flush for better aerodynamics, I certainly don’t.

What you get for the money

It is available in hatchback form driven here, and fastback form, with two battery options: a 58.3kWh standard range or an 81.4kWh long-range pack.

There are three grades – ‘Air’ (exclusive to the EV4), ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ – with six versions, all well equipped. Kia expects ‘GT-Line’ to be the most popular choice, even though the Air offers the best discount and plenty of standard kit. This entry-level Air model qualifies for the maximum Band 1 Government Electric Car Grant, raising the discount from £1,500 to £3,750 – a significant saving.

Space and practicality

Longer than direct rivals, with an extended wheelbase freeing up passenger space, yet still sleek despite almost tourer-like proportions. A sturdy boot grab handle is a small but thoughtful touch that makes closing the tailgate far less awkward.

The hatchback’s boot offers 435 litres with the rear seats up, expanding to 1,415 litres when the rear seats are folded 60:40, creating an almost flat load floor. It passed the ‘tip run’ test with flying colours. It comfortably accommodates most daily life necessities and maybe even the kitchen sink.

Interior and technology

Minimalist inside: the Air trim comes with quality cloth upholstery, manually adjustable front seats and a multi-function steering wheel. A column-mounted gear selector frees up centre console space. Move up the range and you get extra bells and whistles.

The cabin itself is light and airy with good head and legroom, though the sloping roofline reduces rear headroom for taller passengers.

Fixtures feel sturdy, though some plastics feel budget. Central is a 12.3-inch digital driver display and 12.3-inch touchscreen controlling infotainment, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and navigation. ~It is generally easy to use, though deeper menu dives frustrate, and the climate controls sit awkwardly between the two screens.

On the road

Virtually silent running, a smooth, comfortable ride and only some road and wind noise intruding.

Around 200bhp delivers plenty of pace – 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds – with good, well-planted handling and nicely weighted steering on twisting country lanes. On the motorway you could sit all day in comfort enjoying the impressive sound system.

This model’s larger 81kWh battery claims up to 372 miles. But a week’s running returned just over 4.1 miles per kWh – roughly 335 miles – achieved with high-speed motorway and significant night driving.

Equipment and safety

Impressive standard kit for the money: 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, heated leather-trimmed steering wheel, adaptive cruise control and a rear-view camera. Euro NCAP awarded the EV4 4 stars as standard and 5 stars with the optional DriveWise ADAS package.

Standard safety includes forward collision avoidance, lane-keeping assist, blind spot collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control; the 5-star version adds enhanced radar for better pedestrian and cyclist detection.

Verdict

The EV4 Air is a sensible EV choice – good real-world range, generous space and a spacious boot in a distinctive design. Some hard plastics and awkward climate control placement are minor flaws. Accept the 4-star rating without the optional safety package and the Air trim delivers exceptional value.

Factfile

  • Model: Kia EV4 Air 81.4kWh
  • Price: £36,995 (OTR; £33,245 with Electric Car Grant)
  • Mechanical: 201bhp (150kW) front-mounted electric motor, 283Nm torque, drivng the front wheels
  • Max speed: 105 mph
  • 0 to 62mph: 7.5 sec
  • Range: 372 miles (WLTP)
  • Insurance group: 35D
  • CO2 emissions: 0 g/km
  • BiK rating: 4%
  • Warranty: 7yrs/100,000 miles (Kia UK standard)