ChrisCosta416
Well-known member
First off, let me say this - Mitsubishi NA loaned me a 2020 Outlander PHEV GT model for about a week and I was asked to enjoy it. In no way was I paid to promote or discuss this vehicle. Let's begin...
Given this is a Mitsubishi forum I think its fitting to talk about Mitsubishis current lineup in the United States one being the Outlander, specifically the 2020 PHEV GT model.
Mitsubishi was kind enough to loan me one for a few weeks and enjoy it. Before I got behind the wheel, I went out to a trail in Sequoia National Forest called Monache Meadows a few weeks before hand. I have been to this trail years ago in a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk and lets just - the AWD on the Renegade could not keep up with the steep rutted climbs. So here we are in 2020 we are back to Monache again this time with my Montero and fellow Mitsubishi enthusiasts, one being an Mitsu employee who was loaned a copy of the Rebelle Rally PHEV. The modifications on this Rebelle Rally PHEV was a slight spacer lift, skid plates, wheels, and most importantly a set of All-Terrain Tires - BFG KO2s to be precise.
The outlander performed flawlessly and did not get stuck once, however it did have to back up and try a new line one time. I was surprised to see the Outlander did not bottom out or scrape the ground once while on the trail.
And now we move on to my time with a stock 2020 Outlander PHEV GT...
First Impressions
Upon delivery of this car, I was impressed by the amount of tech, interior space, and overall styling. The interior is welcoming, spacious and in my opinion very well thought out and designed. Standard on the PHEV GT trim you get multiple safety features such as blind spot monitoring, front camera, 360 degree camera, forward collision warning, and automated cruise control. This is by far the most tech I have experienced in a vehicle.
Road tripability and car camping
I am not going to bore you all by going through all the features that makes this vehicle a pleasure to drive around town, but instead wanted to talk about why I think this CSUV would make a great roadtrip and car camping vehicle! I feel that the best way to know a vehicle is to take it on a road trip! So we packed up and headed to the Sierras for a day. The Sierras, Alabama Hills in particular is about 200 miles one way from my area. Before we left we topped off the 11 gallon tank and left with about a half charge. Now when I first drove the car, I was nervous about the range however by using the charge mode the vehicle will charge the battery with the gasoline engine and of course use regenerative braking when possible! As we left with half a charge, using charge mode the battery fluctuated between 25%-75% the whole way and we averaged about 30mpg the way up, I decided to stop for gas about 50 miles outside of Lone Pine just in case but the vehicle could of made it easily. Our range displayed about a total of 300 miles of range at 75% battery with a full tank. The drive up was very relaxing and this car is insanely comfortable after sitting in it for hours, the sound system is very good (one of the best IMO) for a factory system and the cabin is pretty quiet (almost too quiet when running in EV mode). This car features an auto climate system and is very effective at cooling or heating the cabin quickly.
Ok, now lets get to why I think this would be a great car for car camping, road trips, and the occasional dirt road or soft road...
This is my first time writing about a vehicle I have barely spent any time in the long term so I have not been in THAT many CUV's and CSUV's but I feel like I have been in enough to be able to make these comparisons.
There is a reason that this is one of the best Plug in Hybrids in Europe. I think if you are one who spends time outdoors and driving to National Parks this is a vehicle that you should consider. Especially given the price point and incentives offered constantly from State Rebates to Dealer incentives. I am surprised these are not talked about more. Also you do not need a built up SUV to explore most parts of the US. A good mindset and AWD vehicle will get you pretty far.
Given this is a Mitsubishi forum I think its fitting to talk about Mitsubishis current lineup in the United States one being the Outlander, specifically the 2020 PHEV GT model.
Mitsubishi was kind enough to loan me one for a few weeks and enjoy it. Before I got behind the wheel, I went out to a trail in Sequoia National Forest called Monache Meadows a few weeks before hand. I have been to this trail years ago in a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk and lets just - the AWD on the Renegade could not keep up with the steep rutted climbs. So here we are in 2020 we are back to Monache again this time with my Montero and fellow Mitsubishi enthusiasts, one being an Mitsu employee who was loaned a copy of the Rebelle Rally PHEV. The modifications on this Rebelle Rally PHEV was a slight spacer lift, skid plates, wheels, and most importantly a set of All-Terrain Tires - BFG KO2s to be precise.
The outlander performed flawlessly and did not get stuck once, however it did have to back up and try a new line one time. I was surprised to see the Outlander did not bottom out or scrape the ground once while on the trail.
And now we move on to my time with a stock 2020 Outlander PHEV GT...
First Impressions
Upon delivery of this car, I was impressed by the amount of tech, interior space, and overall styling. The interior is welcoming, spacious and in my opinion very well thought out and designed. Standard on the PHEV GT trim you get multiple safety features such as blind spot monitoring, front camera, 360 degree camera, forward collision warning, and automated cruise control. This is by far the most tech I have experienced in a vehicle.
Road tripability and car camping
I am not going to bore you all by going through all the features that makes this vehicle a pleasure to drive around town, but instead wanted to talk about why I think this CSUV would make a great roadtrip and car camping vehicle! I feel that the best way to know a vehicle is to take it on a road trip! So we packed up and headed to the Sierras for a day. The Sierras, Alabama Hills in particular is about 200 miles one way from my area. Before we left we topped off the 11 gallon tank and left with about a half charge. Now when I first drove the car, I was nervous about the range however by using the charge mode the vehicle will charge the battery with the gasoline engine and of course use regenerative braking when possible! As we left with half a charge, using charge mode the battery fluctuated between 25%-75% the whole way and we averaged about 30mpg the way up, I decided to stop for gas about 50 miles outside of Lone Pine just in case but the vehicle could of made it easily. Our range displayed about a total of 300 miles of range at 75% battery with a full tank. The drive up was very relaxing and this car is insanely comfortable after sitting in it for hours, the sound system is very good (one of the best IMO) for a factory system and the cabin is pretty quiet (almost too quiet when running in EV mode). This car features an auto climate system and is very effective at cooling or heating the cabin quickly.
Ok, now lets get to why I think this would be a great car for car camping, road trips, and the occasional dirt road or soft road...
- First up is the all-wheel drive system - now lets be clear, the PHEV does not have a true transfer case and not a 4WD but instead an AWD vehicle, however I found the S-AWC system to be more advanced than that of a Jeep Renegade or Compass. You can read more about how the S-AWC works here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_S-AWC
- Next is the range - I feel like this is not talked about much as it should be but when you drive anywhere you have to account for fuel costs and that cost adds up, well the PHEV is INCREDIBLY cheap to fill up especially paired with the battery. The whole trip which averaged about 5-600 miles cost me about 60$. Also my average MPG getting back home was 40 miles to the gallon!
- Car Camping viability - A feature that I have never seen talked about is the 1500W outlet in the back of the PHEV. (Note it only can be turned on when the car is running) But I think this is a game changer for someone who rants to run a fridge, coffee maker or any other camp gizmo in the back of their PHEV. Instead of needing to invest in an expensive Solar System or Duel Battery, you can instead invest in something like a Goal Zero Yeti or Jackery and have the Fridge run off the outlet while driving and at night plug it into the inverter. This is by far my favorite feature of this vehicle and am shocked it is not advertised more.
- Comfort and features - Again the PHEV GT is outfitted with so many features and options that just make it a please to drive for long trips, comfy and room cabin paired with many safety features to keep YOU safe and alert. Oh and ample leg room and cargo room!
- Ride Quality on and off-road - This kind of caught me off guard but before I talk more about it let me start by saying, I have quite a few vehicles off pavement, from wranglers to 4runners to rav4s and I was expecting a ride quality much like other CSUVs on corrugated dirt roads but the PHEV rode smooth, very smooth... Smoother than my truck on Kings. I was surprised on the ride quality on dirt roads with stock wheels and stock low profile street tires. I had zero rattling and the suspension really did eat up corrugations and bumps. I wonder if this is either due to the way the suspension is tuned or the fact the weight of the battery under the car. The ride quality on-road is even better than "off-road focused" CUVs and CSUVs such as the trailhawk line of Jeeps.
- Lack of TPMS - From my research there is no way to check tire pressure when driving the PHEV, a low tire pressure warning will come up if the pressure falls below a certain threshold set by the dealer or factory.
- Ground clearance - While the clearance will suffice more fire roads, forest service roads and National Park trails more ground clearance can never hurt. What is pretty cool it looks like a company popular with the Subaru crowd - ADF makes a 1.5 inch lift kit! - https://awdadventure.com/collections/mitsubishi/products/2011-2020-mitsubishi-outlander-1-5-lift-kit
This is my first time writing about a vehicle I have barely spent any time in the long term so I have not been in THAT many CUV's and CSUV's but I feel like I have been in enough to be able to make these comparisons.
There is a reason that this is one of the best Plug in Hybrids in Europe. I think if you are one who spends time outdoors and driving to National Parks this is a vehicle that you should consider. Especially given the price point and incentives offered constantly from State Rebates to Dealer incentives. I am surprised these are not talked about more. Also you do not need a built up SUV to explore most parts of the US. A good mindset and AWD vehicle will get you pretty far.
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