Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV review

Not everybody will find it terribly easy to set a comfortable driving position in the Outlander PHEV. Although you get electrically adjustable seats and standard adjustable lumbar support for the driver, it’s frustrating that the seats don’t drop low enough for those over six feet tall. The steering wheel doesn’t adjust sufficiently for height or reach, either. 

Most of the dashboard controls are simply laid out, but some of the buttons are tucked away out of sight. Also, the 8in touchscreen infotainment system (standard on Design trim and above) is plagued by complex menus and small, hard-to-hit icons. Compared with the better-integrated systems on rival cars, this system feels more like an aftermarket unit, and is rather fiddly and frustrating to use. Mercifully, as part of an update for 2020, models onwards equipped with the 8in touchscreen gain Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration as standard, so you can avoid using the native user interface.

All versions also get a small LCD vehicle and journey information display in the instrument cluster, but compared to the fully digital dials of the Volvo XC40 Recharge and Audi Q5 55 TFSIe, the PHEV’s setup feels rather archaic. 

You get a decent view from the high-set driver’s seat, and visibility is aided by large door mirrors. On top trim levels, these contain an amber warning light that will flash to notify when a car is in your blind spot. Rear parking sensors are fitted as standard, although Design trim provides a rear-view camera in lieu of the rear parking sensors, while top-spec Dynamic Safety models get both front and rear parking sensors. 

When it comes to quality, the Outlander PHEV's upper interior surfaces feel pleasantly squidgy when you give them a prod, and the harshest plastics are generally confined to lower areas where they are less noticeable. Unfortunately, though, fit and finish isn’t up to rivals’ standards.